The Talent Pool in Romania: Why Global Companies Hire Developers Here

Looking to hire Romanian developers? Then you must know that Romania is one of the most attractive destinations for companies seeking skilled software engineers. With a talent pool of over 202,000 active IT specialists (according to tech.eu), the country ranks 4th in Europe for the size of its talent pool (index.dev).

Romanian developers are well-trained, fluent in English, and consistently bring great value to the projects they work on—all at highly competitive rates. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at:

• the quality of the education system
• language proficiency
• technical skills
• economic and cultural reasons to choose Romanian IT talent.

Education system and university rankings

Romania’s IT workforce is built on a strong and well-structured education system. Every year, over 10,000 technology engineers graduate from established higher education institutions (index.dev). The most important university centers are located in four major cities: Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, and Timișoara.

Politehnica University of Bucharest

Founded over 190 years ago, Politehnica in Bucharest is one of the most respected technical universities in Eastern Europe. With more than 23,000 students enrolled annually (educations.com) and a strong focus on applied research, the university ranks 3rd in Romania, 2nd out of 24 in Bucharest, and 413th out of 2,785 in Europe (edurank.org).

Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

Founded in 1922, TUCN is known for its advanced research in robotics, IT, and telecommunications. With over 12,500 enrolled students each year, it ranks 6th in Romania, 2nd out of 9 in Cluj, 555th out of 2,785 in Europe, and 197th out of 1,602 globally for robotics (edurank.org and educations.com).

Politehnica University of Timișoara

Founded in 1920, it is the leading educational institution in the west of the country, with around 12,000 students enrolled annually. It ranks 1st in Timișoara and holds 7th place among universities in Romania. At the European level, it is ranked 592nd (edurank.org and educations.com).

A.I. Cuza University of Iași

One of the oldest universities in the country (established in 1860), AICU collaborates with over 400 international universities and offers competitive programs in Computer Science and AI. It ranks 1st out of 8 in Iași, 4th in Romania, and 425th in Europe (edurank.org and educations.com).

Languages spoken and communication skills

One of the greatest strengths of Romanian developers is their ability to communicate effectively in foreign languages, especially English. Over 90% of IT specialists in Romania are fluent in English, and a significant number are also proficient in French, German, or Italian.

Romania ranks 12th globally in the EF English Proficiency Index 2024 and holds the top position in Eastern Europe. This language proficiency translates into smooth collaborations and a clear understanding of project requirements, making Romanian teams easy to integrate into international workflows.

Top programming skills in demand

According to alcor-bpo.com, Romania ranks 1st in Europe and 6th globally for the number of certified IT specialists per 1,000 inhabitants. Moreover, data from huntly.ai shows that around 70% of Romanian developers hold a bachelor’s degree, and 25% have a master’s degree in technical fields. So yes, Romanian developers do their homework and keep their certifications up to date.

Now that we know their skills are backed by certifications, let’s take a look at the industries they often work in and the tech stacks Romanian developers excel at.

Industries

On the industry side, Romanian developers have solid experience in sectors such as cybersecurity, where they develop advanced protection systems, as well as AI and machine learning (particularly in building recommendation engines). They also work extensively in FinTech, automotive, e-commerce, and healthcare.

Tech stack

According to moldstud.com, the most commonly used programming languages that Romanian developers are proficient in are Java, JavaScript, Python, and C++. They also have solid knowledge of .NET, Angular, React, and Laravel (huntly.ai). 

See our full tech stack at BEE CODED.

A report by belatrix.globant.com shows that Romania ranked 3rd in the world among top developer countries, ahead of the US, UK, and France. In the city ranking, Bucharest and Iași placed 3rd and 4th, outperforming major capitals like London and Brussels.

Women in tech

An interesting and encouraging fact about the local tech scene is that women make up around 25% of the workforce. This puts Romania among the leading countries in Europe when it comes to making real progress in reducing the gender gap in tech (humandirect.eu). 

Why international companies choose Romanian developers

The main reason international companies are looking to hire software engineers in Romania is that they offer high value at affordable costs. Developer salaries in Romania are, on average, 40% lower than in the US and 20–30% lower than in Western Europe, according to alcor-bpo.com.

Add to this:

• Geographical proximity: Romania is well connected to major European capitals, with direct flights to Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, or Brussels in just 2–3 hours.
• Time zone compatibility: Romania is located in EET, just one hour ahead of CET, which allows for real-time collaboration.
• Soft skills: Romanian developers are known for their professionalism, responsibility, perseverance, team spirit, and openness to feedback.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Romania’s tech talent is a major advantage for outsourcing, thanks to advanced technical expertise, excellent communication skills, and a strong quality-to-cost ratio for the work delivered.

Explore collaboration opportunities with Romanian IT talent and discover how you can scale your projects with BEE CODED – your trusted software development partner!