How to Hire the Best Python Developers: 2025 Guide

Not long ago, some developers were ready to write Python off as a dying language. Then machine learning, data science, and artificial intelligence came along and changed everything.

Today, Python powers everything from automation scripts to billion-dollar platforms. Due to its increasing popularity, the demand for great Python developers has never been higher.

If you’re here, chances are you’ve already chosen Python for your product or project. Now the challenge is finding a developer who can deliver more than just clean code.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to hire a Python developer, including salary expectations and which skills matter most. You will also learn how to find and evaluate candidates and the mistakes to avoid to make your next hire the right one.

Whether you’re hiring locally, across the US, or internationally, the fundamentals stay the same.

What Do Python Developers Do?

Python developers write the logic that powers modern software, from APIs and automation to machine learning and backend services.

These developers handle everything behind the scenes, including building application logic, integrating with databases, testing for stability, and making sure systems scale securely. Whether they’re creating a recommendation engine or building out an internal tool, their job is to write clean, efficient code that drives real functionality.

Python’s flexibility means the role can look a little different depending on the company. In fintech, a Python developer might build payment infrastructure. In SaaS, they might maintain backend services. In data-driven industries, they often work closely with analysts or ML engineers to build tools for processing and visualizing data.

That doesn’t mean every Python developer is a data scientist or full-stack engineer. In fact, over 85% of Python developers say Python is their primary language, which speaks to depth and not just breadth. Many specialize in backend architecture, infrastructure automation, or integration-heavy roles.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Python Developer?

Salaries for Python developers can vary widely depending on experience and location.

In the US, full-time Python developers typically earn:

• Junior Python developer: $69,000 – $132,000
• Mid-level Python developer: $132,000 – $147,400
• Senior Python developer: $147,400 – $160,600

For companies open to hiring internationally, there are meaningful cost differences. For example, based on our experience, Latin American Python developers tend to earn:

• Junior Python developer: $36,000 – $54,000
• Mid-Level Python developer: $54,000 – $72,000
• Senior Python developer: $72,000 – $90,000

That translates to cost savings of up to 59% compared to hiring in the US.

These differences reflect the local cost of living, not lower quality.

So it means companies are able to bring on senior developer talent in Latin America at the cost of a junior US hire. This gives US businesses the flexibility to scale faster or allocate budget elsewhere.

And, of course, similar savings can be made by hiring developers from other regions like Eastern Europe or South and Southeast Asia. 

What Skills Should You Look For When Hiring a Python Developer?

Knowing how to code in Python isn’t enough. The best Python developers combine technical depth with clear thinking, strong collaboration habits, and a sharp sense of how their work supports the larger product or business.

If you want to hire someone who’ll make an actual impact and not just pass coding tests, you’ll need to look beyond the basics.

Let’s break that down.

Hard skills (the must-haves)

Strong Python developers should be comfortable writing production-ready code in Python 3. Most teams have long since moved away from Python 2. In fact, only about 6% of developers still use it today, with version 3 approaching near 100% adoption.

If your project requires legacy compatibility, make sure to call that out early, but in most cases, Python 3 is the default.

Here’s what else to prioritize:

• Core Python proficiency: They should understand data types, error handling, object-oriented programming, and standard libraries like datetime, json, and os. Look for clean, efficient code and a solid grasp of idiomatic Python.
• Framework experience: Django, Flask, and FastAPI are common in web and API development. The right fit depends on your tech stack, but familiarity with at least one is essential.
• REST API development: Most Python developers will be building or consuming APIs. Ask about their experience designing endpoints, handling authentication, and managing versioning.
• Testing: Unit testing and test-driven development aren’t optional for Python devs. Proficiency in PyTest and UnitTest shows they can catch bugs early and improve maintainability.
• Database fluency: Whether you’re using PostgreSQL or MongoDB, your developer should know how to interact with both SQL and NoSQL databases, write efficient queries, and avoid common performance pitfalls.
• CI/CD, Docker, and Microservices: If your infrastructure is containerized or service-oriented, your developer should know how to deploy safely and work within a distributed system.

Soft skills (equally important)

Python developers often work across teams, collaborating with product managers, data scientists, or other engineers. The right soft skills make that collaboration productive.

Look for:

• Clear communication: Strong developers don’t just write great code—they explain their decisions clearly. Whether they’re discussing architecture with a senior dev or scope with a non-technical PM, clarity matters.
• Ownership and accountability: Great candidates speak in terms of responsibility. They don’t just list tools but talk about outcomes too.
• Receptiveness to feedback: One of our recruiters recommends asking how they’ve handled feedback in the past. A good answer shows reflection and growth.
• Curiosity and problem-solving: Python is used in so many domains because it rewards creative thinking. Look for candidates who are eager to explore new tools, learn independently, and ask smart questions when things get complex.

Bonus skills (the differentiators)

Not every Python developer will have these, but when they do, it’s a strong signal of adaptability and long-term value.

• Cloud platform experience: Comfort with AWS, GCP, or Azure can make deployment and scaling smoother.
• Data modeling and optimization: If your app is database-heavy, someone who understands schema design and indexing can prevent performance issues and make scaling much easier down the line.
• Distributed systems experience: High-traffic platforms benefit from devs who understand how to build resilient, asynchronous systems.
• Python for ML, automation, or scripting: These aren’t must-haves for a backend dev, but they’re useful for growing teams that want flexibility or are involved in AI- and ML-specific projects.
• Security best practices: In fintech or enterprise software, devs need to think critically about input validation, authentication, and secure storage.

Where Can You Find and Hire Great Python Developers?

Hiring a skilled Python developer starts with two decisions:

1. Where your developer will be based
2. How you’ll find and evaluate candidates in that region

Below, we’ve broken both parts down in more detail.

Choosing local, national, or global talent

Your first step is deciding whether to hire in-office, within the US, or expand your search internationally.

Each option has its trade-offs, and your ideal choice should depend on your goals, budget, and how your team works.

In-office hires:

• Best for: Companies that value direct collaboration and on-site teamwork
• Pros: Face-to-face interaction, easier onboarding, alignment with in-office culture
• Cons: Smaller talent pool, highest salary expectations, less flexibility

Remote US-based hires:

• Best for: Teams that want flexibility while staying within US time zones and systems
• Pros: Broader candidate reach than local-only, culturally aligned, fewer compliance concerns
• Cons: Still tied to US salary bands, where salary can reach high into six figures.

Global hiring:

• Best for: Companies open to high-quality talent at a lower cost
• Pros: Access to a much wider pool of developers, significant cost savings, increased diversity
• Cons: Requires more thoughtful vetting, and depending on region, possible time zone, or language challenges

If you’re hiring outside the US, Latin America often strikes the right balance. Developers in the region share overlapping work hours with US teams, have strong English skills, and come from a growing engineering culture with deep technical talent.

This geographical and cultural alignment reduces some of the biggest challenges in offshore development, which can make a big difference when building long-term engineering capacity.

That said, other regions like Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania) and South/Southeast Asia (India, Philippines, Vietnam) also offer strong Python expertise. These regions are worth considering if you’re comfortable with asynchronous workflows or already have support in those time zones. 

Choosing the right sourcing channel

Once you’ve decided where to search, the next step is figuring out how to find the right candidates. Here’s how common sourcing channels stack up for hiring Python developers:

If you’re building out a team or don’t have time to manually screen dozens of candidates, working with a specialized recruiter can be a smart move. 

This is especially true for international hiring, where partnering with a specialist recruitment company can help reduce hiring risk, speed up the process, and bring structure to what’s often a messy search. We’ll cover that approach a little more later on. 

In many cases, companies combine multiple channels: referrals to kick things off, a job board listing for reach, and a recruiting partner for speed or hard-to-fill roles. The best approach depends on your timeline, in-house capacity, and the complexity of the role.

How to Hire the Best Python Developers: Best Practices

Hiring the right developer requires more than scanning resumes for keywords and hoping the best candidate replies. It requires a clear process, role-specific evaluation methods, and the ability to move fast once you find the right fit.

Here’s how to approach hiring Python developers at every stage of the process.

Stage 1: Set clear expectations before you start sourcing

Don’t chase a universal dev—define what you actually need

Before you write a job post or contact candidates, decide what success in the role looks like.

Is this a purely backend role, or will they also contribute to frontend or infrastructure work? Do you need someone who owns an entire service? Or, do you need someone who thrives on maintaining and improving existing systems?

The more specific you are about the core responsibilities, the easier it will be to identify candidates who are actually qualified. Trying to hire someone who “can do everything” is a great way to miss out on the candidates who can do exactly what you need.

Craft a job description that filters for skill—not fluff

Python roles vary widely depending on the stack, industry, and team setup. Use your job description to define the real tech requirements, like frameworks, tools, and languages, as well as the kind of thinking and ownership you expect.

If your project involves AI, machine learning, or automation, say so. Calling out specific domains in your job post helps attract developers who are actively looking for opportunities to apply those skills.

For more help writing technical job postings, check out our full guide on how to write a software developer job description.

Stage 2: Screen for problem-solving and real-world fit

Look beyond resumes by using task-based evaluations

Resumes don’t tell you how a candidate thinks. That’s why we recommend giving a small, paid assessment that reflects real work. A task like debugging broken code, refactoring a function, or building a simple API with test coverage can say a lot more than a curated resume can.

This doesn’t just show you how well they write Python. It reveals their thought process, structure, and problem-solving habits.

Ask them to explain their decisions

Good Python developers make architectural trade-offs daily. During interviews, ask candidates to walk through how they approached a recent challenge. What tools did they choose and why? How did they validate their approach?

Strong candidates will explain clearly. If someone can’t describe what they did or why it worked, they may not fully understand the code they’re writing.

Ask how they handle feedback

As we mentioned earlier, one of our recruiters recommends asking the developer to share examples of where they received feedback and demonstrate how it changed their approach to a project.

Candidates who answer with specifics and show how they learned from the experience often make better collaborators in the long run.

Use technical questions appropriate to the role

Not every Python developer does the same kind of work, so your technical interview questions shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Someone focused on backend software development should be asked about API design, scalability, and architectural trade-offs. 

For example, if your Python developer will be working closely with data or analytics teams, you may want to mix in role-specific evaluation methods. In that case, you would ask technical Python questions related to data analysis.

Stage 3: Make a competitive offer and move fast

Top Python developers don’t wait around

If you’ve found someone with the skills, mindset, and communication habits you need, then don’t drag your feet. According to our recruiters, long interview loops are one of the top reasons companies lose out on strong candidates.

Set expectations for your process early. Stay responsive. And when someone checks all the right boxes, make the offer.

Tailor your offer to what Python developers actually care about

Compensation matters, but it’s not the only factor. Great Python developers value flexible hours, technical ownership, career growth, and a clear onboarding plan.

Many also care deeply about the quality of their work environment. This means things like how decisions are made, whether their input is valued, and how much impact they can actually have.

If you’re in a position to offer influence over technical decisions such as choosing new tools, shaping architecture, or contributing to engineering best practices, mention it. The most recent Stack Overflow survey showed that nearly half of backend developers say they don’t have influence in tech purchasing decisions. Offering that kind of autonomy can be a major draw.

Make sure your offer highlights these elements, especially if you’re competing with companies that can pay more. Our guide on the topic explains more about what it takes to make strong offers that secure and retain top talent. 

Top Interview Questions for Hiring a Python Developer That Reveal the Right Fit

Interviewing Python developers isn’t just testing language syntax or speed. The goal is to understand how candidates think through problems, make architectural decisions, and write code that’s reliable, scalable, and aligned with your product needs.

Below are five targeted questions that reveal the depth and mindset of strong Python candidates.

“How would you structure a Python application that needs to scale as traffic grows?”

This question tests architectural thinking and real-world experience with scalable systems. Look for candidates who talk about modularity, dependency management, asynchronous processing (e.g., Celery), and tools like FastAPI or Django in production.

Strong answers include clear reasoning behind decisions, mention of load testing, and awareness of bottlenecks.

Red flags: These include vague talk about just “adding more servers” or no mention of code structure at all.

“Walk me through how you’ve used Python’s built-in tools to debug a tricky issue.”

Python offers powerful introspection and debugging capabilities. This question uncovers familiarity with tools like pdb, logging, traceback, or context managers.

You want someone who doesn’t reach for Stack Overflow immediately but can use the language’s strengths to investigate issues independently.

Avoid candidates who rely entirely on external libraries for basic debugging.

“How do you approach writing unit tests for Python code that integrates with external APIs or services?”

This probes their testing mindset. Do they use mocks effectively? Can they isolate business logic from I/O? Look for familiarity with unittest.mock, pytest, or dependency injection patterns.

Good candidates will explain how they write tests that are fast, meaningful, and maintainable.

Red flags: Saying they “usually skip testing” for integrations or only test via the live API.

“What’s a Python feature you once misused or misunderstood—and how did you fix it?”

This surfaces humility and technical growth. Python has many quirks, such as mutable default arguments, late binding in closures, or thread-safety issues with data structures.

Ideal answers show a developer who can reflect critically, self-correct, and explain their reasoning.

Red flags: Anyone who insists they’ve never run into issues with the language.

“Can you explain a situation where you used a Python design pattern to make your code more maintainable?”

This checks for both technical maturity and code quality standards. Listen for references to common Python patterns like factory functions, decorators, context managers, or even async task queues.

Good responses include real examples with context—what the pattern solved and how it improved readability or reuse.

Red flags: Vague answers like “I think I used one once” suggest inexperience with larger systems.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Python Developer

Even with a solid hiring process, small missteps can lead to slowdowns, missed hires, or costly mismatches. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when hiring Python developers.

1. Prioritizing cost over quality

Hiring outside the US can reduce hiring costs, but focusing solely on budget often results in trade-offs that hurt your product long-term. Hiring the cheapest available developer can lead to messy code and performance issues.

What seems like a win in the short term often ends in rework, delays, or even a complete restart.

If you’re hiring offshore, the goal shouldn’t be to pay as little as possible. It should be to find skilled developers whose rates reflect their local market and not a lack of capability.

2. Filtering out candidates without formal degrees

One of the most common blind spots in hiring developers is rigid degree requirements. For example, according to our recruiters, many of the strongest engineers in Latin America started working before finishing college or never attended at all. Their real-world experience often outpaces those with more traditional credentials.

By excluding candidates without a CS degree, you risk missing out on developers who are already delivering production-grade code in high-performing teams. Instead of scanning for education history, look for clarity in problem-solving and ownership in past projects.

3. Mistaking tool familiarity for Python fluency

Not all Python developers use the same tools, and that’s not a red flag. Too many hiring managers judge candidates based on whether they’ve worked with a specific library or framework, like Flask vs. FastAPI, or Pandas vs. NumPy. But great Python developers can ramp up quickly when the core fundamentals are solid.

While Django, Flask, and FastAPI are the most commonly used frameworks, not every strong developer will have used your exact stack. That doesn’t mean they’re unqualified. In many cases, those who’ve worked with different but comparable tools bring fresh perspectives and adaptability.

Focusing too narrowly on one ecosystem can exclude candidates who are more than capable of contributing.

Instead of filtering for a specific toolset, ask how a candidate approaches unfamiliar technologies, what they look for when choosing a library, and how they stay up to date with Python’s ecosystem. 

4. Dragging out the hiring process

We’ve already touched on this, but it’s worth pointing out again: The market for Python developers is competitive, and strong candidates rarely stay available for long. According to our recruiters, long interview processes with too many steps or delays between stages are one of the most common reasons companies lose top talent.

If you’ve found someone who meets your criteria, move fast. Let candidates know what to expect, communicate timelines clearly, and minimize unnecessary steps. Otherwise, another company will move faster.

5. Underestimating the importance of collaboration and communication

Python developers rarely work in isolation. Whether they’re writing backend logic, integrating APIs, or supporting analysts, they need to collaborate effectively with teammates across technical and non-technical roles.

A technically brilliant Python developer who can’t explain their choices or receive feedback constructively can slow your team down. During interviews, watch how candidates communicate and not just how they code.

Why Working with a Recruiting Partner Makes a Difference when Hiring a Developer

Hiring a Python developer on your own is possible. If you have time, technical expertise, and a structured hiring process, a hands-on approach can work well. This is especially true when hiring occasionally or for a single role.

However, things change when you need to move quickly, hire from outside the US, or fill a highly specialized position.

In these cases, working with a recruiting partner can reduce delays, improve candidate quality, and keep the hiring process on track.

Experienced partners already know where to find qualified developers and how to assess both their technical skills and communication styles.

This support is especially valuable if:

• You are hiring internationally and need help with legal, tax, or payroll logistics
• Your team lacks internal technical screeners
• You are trying to fill multiple roles and cannot afford to waste time reviewing mismatched applicants

Working with a recruiter brings structure and confidence to the hiring process. There is a fee involved, but that cost is often balanced out by several key advantages:

• Less time spent on sourcing and evaluation
• Lower risk and cost of a poor hire
• Fewer delays from offer rejections or misalignment
• A lower total cost of hire by accessing high-quality developers in lower-cost regions

Recruiting support is not required, but it is often the faster and more reliable option, especially when hiring across borders.

What About Outsourcing to Dev Agencies for Python Development?

If you’re not ready to hire a Python developer directly—or you need a team in place fast—working with a development agency can be a viable option.

Agencies that specialize in outsourced Python development can help you move quickly, especially if you’re launching a product or MVP and don’t yet have in-house technical leadership. You’ll often get access to a full team that includes senior engineers, project managers, and QA, which can simplify execution in the early stages.

But there are trade-offs. When you rely on Python development outsourcing, you may have less visibility into who’s doing the actual work, or how consistent that team will be over time.

Costs can also escalate if scope and responsibilities aren’t clearly defined. And if your product is core to your business, bringing development in-house often becomes essential for long-term control and continuity.

If you’re weighing whether to outsource Python development services or build your own team, it’s important to assess not just the agency’s technical expertise but also how well they align with your expectations for collaboration, transparency, and accountability.

For many companies, a hybrid approach can work well, starting with an agency for speed, then transitioning to an internal or nearshore team once the foundation is in place.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a Python developer doesn’t have to be a months-long ordeal. When you’re clear about what you need, use the right evaluation methods, and move decisively, you can find someone who’ll drive real results for your project.

The key is balancing technical requirements with practical considerations like budget, timeline, and team dynamics.

Near helps US companies hire pre-vetted Python developers across Latin America. We present you with candidates who bring strong communication skills, proven experience, and work hours that align with your team. You get reliable, high-quality talent at a cost that makes sense for your budget.

If you want to explore whether working with a recruitment partner is the right approach for you, book a free consultation. We’ll discuss your requirements, timeline, and budget, and explain how we can help you find the right Python developer.