Priced Out of Senior Engineers, More US Startups Are Hiring Remote Developers

The narrative that remote work is over doesn't match the data. As of 2025, remote days still account for about a quarter of US paid workdays, according to WFH Research. Even after a White House memorandum in January 2025 pulled federal employees back to the office full time, private companies did not follow suit. In late 2024, fewer than half of US workers said they would accept a full return to the office.

Meanwhile, demand for senior developers continues to climb, and the local supply of affordable talent is not keeping pace. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that software developer employment will grow 16% between 2024 and 2034, more than five times the average for all occupations. About 129,200 roles open each year, driven by AI, the Internet of Things, and automation.

The strain is most acute at the senior level, where the pipeline is thin and pay is steep. The top 10% of US developers earn above $211,450 in base salary, and total packages at the largest tech firms climb well beyond that. Startups rarely win those bidding wars. This is where nearshore hiring comes in.

Acendeo, a US-incorporated nearshore staff augmentation company, places senior Latin American software engineers, designers, and technical specialists with US companies. Its clients range from SaaS startups to established enterprises, spanning software development, data, AI, QA, cybersecurity, and UI/UX design. Every engineer is senior and works remotely from Latin America during US hours.

"The demand for Senior Engineers is not slowing down. A growing company cannot pay what the giants pay. That does not mean lowering the bar. It means hiring the same caliber where the math works," said Brad Webb, Co-founder and CTO of Acendeo.

Acendeo's model emphasizes speed and low commitment. Engineers embed with client teams within 10 days, with no lengthy master agreement and no exclusivity. There is no upfront recruiting fee, and rates are 30 to 40% below those of a comparable fully loaded US hire. Because Acendeo is US-incorporated, clients contract under US law, reducing their exposure to severance and labor claims in the Latin American countries where the engineers are based. After the first 30 days, a client can request a replacement at no cost.

"Trust and speed decide this business. The client wants to hire abroad and keep the relationship under US law. Get that structure right, and it lasts years," said Nelso Villamizar, VP of Strategic Operations at Acendeo.

The demand is not anecdotal. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that software developer employment will grow 16% between 2024 and 2034, more than five times the average for all occupations. About 129,200 roles open each year, driven by AI, the Internet of Things, and automation.

The strain is at the senior level, where the pipeline is thin and pay is steep. The top 10% of US developers earn above $211,450 in base salary, and total packages at the largest tech firms climb well beyond that. Startups rarely win those bidding wars. Nearshore hiring is one way around it, and it is the model Acendeo uses.

For companies curious about how the model fits their stack, timeline, and budget, set up an intro conversation at acendeo.com/contact.