Technology is redefining how we live, and part of that redefinition is how to prepare for a successful career. Turns out, the average web developer salary potential for freshers aka newbies is increasing.

More and more, that preparation skips the traditional four-year degree path in favor of intensive training in a given industry.

Many Fortune 100 companies, like Bank Of America, IBM, Ernst & Young, and Nordstrom are not exactly the cutting edge of tech.

We hope you recognize that a Bachelor’s degree really isn’t necessary to become a great software developer.

In fact, a fresher (entry level) developer can expect a starting salary, on average, of $50,000 annually and without crushing student debt.

Does Web Development Pay Well?

Jobs in web development pay exceptionally well and the future in this role in promising. So, in a word, yes.

There are two specialties within web development training and careers, Systems and Applications. Both types of web developers can make a lot of money.

Systems developers write the tools and libraries that applications developers depend on to write the software.

On BLS.gov, the median income for a systems developer as of May 2018 was $110,000, and the top-level developers made over $166,000.

These are potential base salaries, and do not include benefits like health care, bonuses, or profit-sharing.

The median salary for an applications web developer in 2018 was $103,620. Half of the developers earned more, and half earned less.

The best developers, who are quantified by innovation and talent more than experience–can make over $160,000 per year.

Entry Level Web Developer Salary

Web developers are classified into three categories–entry or fresher, junior, and senior.

Unlike most careers, web developers are assessed on their skills and talent as much as their experience.

The starting salary for an entry level, or fresher, web developer, is highly dependent on geography.

There is a wide range of salaries for each level of web developer.

The national average for this path is $43,699 per year.  A junior web developer, on average, makes around $67,500 annually, and a senior web developer can potentially earn $105,000.

Seniority does come into play as a developer gains experience; the higher-level salaries go to the more seasoned web developers.

Location also plays a role in pay; tech hubs like Washington, Oregon, and California have a high cost of living as well as super high demand, so those locations are the high end of the pay range.

Are Web Developers In High Demand?

We check our smartphones over 50 times a day, checking apps, texting, wondering what’s your bank balance.

Do you need a jacket? Where are you meeting friends for dinner? What’s the latest news?

The demand for apps is voracious, and in turn, the demand for web developers is smoking hot.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, web development is expected to grow 13% in the next ten years, faster than any other industry.

Digital innovation will continue to drive the economy.

Ecommerce in particular is growing much faster than retail, and the demand for more expansive and nimble mobile platforms is not slowing down anytime soon.

As with any career, the more knowledge and skill you have as a web developer the better.

Being proficient in multiple languages, and implementing digital multimedia tools (Flash and Photoshop) increases your chances of being in the higher earning category.

How Hard Is It To Become A Web Developer?

When you are new to web development, there’s a lot of tech-specific lingo to learn, but the Big Three determine which direction you go in your web development career.

If you have any knowledge of web development, you are probably familiar with the terms front end, back end, and full stack.

The front end developers take the data created by the back end developers and convert it into a client-facing, interactive site.

You could say that the back end developers are the architects, and build the house. And the front end developers are the designers who finish out the interiors.

Each needs to know some of the skill set for the other, and the full stack developers are experienced enough to do both.

Taking some web development courses is the first step for a career, and you start with web development courses for beginners.

Learning the languages isn’t hard, but it does take focus and dedication to learning the material.

How much time does it take to become a web developer?

That depends on your development specialty. Back end developers can be certified in as few as 4 months, front end in 12 months, and full stack in 8 months. Powered by Woz U program graduates are career ready at the end of their program.

How To Become A Web Developer

The first steps to becoming a web developer are to take web development courses and earn the certification for your specialty.

How do you make the leap from having the right certifications to having a career?

These tips will help you make the jump from student to professional.

  • Develop a life-longer learner mindset with critical thinking, problem solving and strong meta-skills development.
  • Build a portfolio to highlight your work with online demonstrations of your technical skills.
  • Contribute to an open source project on GitHub. You will connect with other techies, network, and show your stuff to your peers, enchanting your reputation as a developer.
  • Push your code to GitHub to let prospective employers know that you are an active developer.

Your career as a web developer will include some training and placement tests when you are getting started; look at these as opportunities to grow your experience and fine tune your skill set, apart of the lifelong learning trait that defines the best developers.

What’s The Future Outlook For Web Developers?

There is no end in sight for the explosive growth of the internet and the need for even more cutting-edge innovation.

It’s important to keep in mind that web developer earnings are contingent on experience and skill development.

According to BLS, an estimate of 20,000 web developer jobs will be added to the industry by 2028.

One of the main advantages to working as a web developer is that you can be a success from anywhere.  Many developers work remotely, and you can work from anywhere with an internet connection.

Transform Your Vision

If you are searching for career options or thinking of a career change, you do not need the time and expense of a four-year degree to maximize your earning potential and have a successful and rewarding career.

Just look at the trajectory of Woz U Founder Steve Wozniak. Woz is one of the most successful college dropouts in history and has created Woz U for the lifelong learner to jump start their careers.

With the online web developer training programs, your personal transformation to beginning a new you is possible. Find out how to get started today!

get online tech training woz-u.com

Sources

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes151134.htm#st

https://stackexchange.com/users/59521/nick-larsen