Looking to get into web development? Here are some tips for your web development career outlook. In this article, we’ll talk about the different types of careers in web development for front-end and back-end development. We’ll also give you an overview of the different degrees that you can pursue in web development. So if you’re interested in getting into web development, keep reading!
What do web developers do?
Web developers create, code, design and maintain a website. They also test the interface layout, to make sure the website function, navigation and usability is working as intended.
Web developers see a website as a system they must build, front back end to front end. If a business owner needs a boost in internet presence and networking, he will hire a web developer.
What is the web development career outlook?
In order to make a web development career, some web developers work in the computer systems design industry. This is because a web developer is not just some glorified graphic designer, but a software engineer who leaned towards creative work. Most employed web developers work in publishing, management consulting and advertising. Some web development careers start after an epiphany later in life.
Others are freelance web developers and employ themselves. This is a very popular business model for a lot of developers. It gives them total creative freedom and also can manage how much work they do and how many clients they take. It’s hard to get started as a freelance web developer, but if you have talent and are professional at what you do, you will be able to build up a decent portfolio and obtain some big clients.
Both business models are very lucrative as career paths. Choose what you consider would go better with your lifestyle. Tale into consideration that for getting a job at an agency it is desirable to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or graphic design.
What career path do I have to take to become a web developer?
If you want to have a web development career all you need to do is build websites. That’s it. Being a professional web developer is another thing. Anyone can learn how to use a cheap web development platform and call himself a freelance web developer.
You need to stand out of the pack, prove your worth. While there is no better way to impress a client than by an amazing portfolio, you also need to have some credentials. Let’s face it, in the business world education can be a deciding factor in whether a client will move forward with you or not. Depending on the job or your aspirations, you need to, at minimum, have a high school diploma and some kind of software certification. If you have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or graphic design, you are on the right track to get the web development jobs that you dream of and follow the career paths of your choosing.
Job Outlook
The employment for web development careers and digital designers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 17,900 openings for web development jobs and digital designers are projected each year over the decade. Many of those web development jobs are expected because of the need to replace workers who transfer to other career paths or quit the labor force, such as to retire. In addition, the increasing use of digital technologies is likely to create new opportunities for web developers and digital designers. As a result, the job outlook of these workers is expected to grow even faster than the projected average. If you have a bachelor’s degree you have a greater chance to get into the job market and become successful at web development.
Web developer salaries
Web developer Salary by Experience
Annual Salaries by Experience for Web Developers
- Entry-Level (<1 year) $51,690
- Early Career (1-4 years) $58,380 Mid Career (5-9 years) $67,530
- Late Career (10-19 years) $72,910
- Experienced (20+ years) $81,680
Web developer Salary by Education
- AAS in Web Development $17/hour $54,000
- BS in Web Development $20/hour $67,000
- BS in Web Design and Development $21/hour $63,000
- MS in Web Design and Development $22/hour $68,000
- MCS in Web Development $29/hour $92,000
Best Locations for Web Developers
- California $22,020 – $94,960
- Washington $16,220 – $133,790
- New York $12,950 – $84,110
- Texas $9,830 – $76,480
- Florida $7,310 – $67,810
Top Industries for Web Developers
- Software Publishers $15,070 – $132,760
- Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities $1,250 – $106,690
- Credit Intermediation and Related Activities $2,180 – $102,200
- Monetary Authorities-Central Bank $1500 – $100,860
- Scheduled Air Transportation $1000 – $100,010
How much can a web developer make right out of school?
PayScale reports that new web developers earn an average annual salary of $50,690. That’s not bad considering the lack of experience. This is why academic certifications are important, when you have no experience at all to prove yourself. This is the line that divides amateur to professionals, the time to make it or leave it.
Also, web developers are in high demand. The BLS has said that an %8 percent growth for web development jobs between 2022 and 2019 is projected. That’s twice the average projected for every other occupation.
About 17,900 job openings for web developers open each year. Some old school web developers are starting to retire or move on to other fields, so the openings may be higher in the next few years.
Is having a web developer career stressful?
Like any other profession, a web developer career, even when done right, has its ups and downs, specially when there is problem-solving involved. A career in web development can be indeed stressful, specially at times where you have more work to do than time to rest. To avoid becoming stressed as a web developer:
- Don’t take more work than you can do. Get a good grip of how many clients you can take and be realistic as to how much time it takes you to complete a website. Even if you plan ahead, you need to be really careful to stick to your timeframe, there are going to be times when work just piles up and you are going to get stressed. It’s normal and it can happen to the most skillful web developer.
- Clear your head. Always unwind after a long day of coding or designing. Try to not think about work during night time. Do something good for your mind, learn how to meditate or read a book that excites you. Same as your body, your mind needs rest. Remember that web development is a creative field. You need to keep your brain sharp.
- Avoid burning out. Doing all the work you have piled up in a few days of not sleeping sounds tempting, but it is the most unproductive thing you can do. If you really need to finish pending work, take Saturdays and Sundays as work days, but never try to work more than eight or nine hour a day tops. Your brain won’t respond well to this and you may get stuck on some code or get a creative block on your designing. This will only lead to more frustration and will make the working experience highly unpleasant.
What is a web developer expected to do during his career?
In order to build a website that runs smoothly and without bugs, you need to be able to set up user accounts, develop systems to create that permit the back end and front end work together. Other things you will be expected to do as a front-end and back-end developer are login flows, password resets, creating user databases, all of which require a deep knowledge of coding in order to execute it well. Also, problem-solving is a skill that’s going to be used in every developer job.
It is desired that you can write a web app in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, for both front-end and back-end development. Those three programming languages are the core of all web development.
Responsive design is also a must in today’s web development environment. A lot of people are shifting from web to mobile in their everyday surfing habits. Websites need to look and function well in every type of device. You also call this kind of design a web app.
You will also expect to be savvy in the matter of e-commerce. The most popular reason to have a website is to do business for it. E-commerce ranges from SEO and content to setting up an online shop.
As you can see, the web developer career outlook is rising and web developer salaries are better than ever as a front-end and back-end developer. After starting out, you just need a few clients to make a good living. It will be stressful at times but very rewarding. The sense of achievement will be great. Also, it doesn’t pay bad at all. If you are serious about this, you can look at web developer learning resources and start your career now. Good luck!
