Are you interested in full stack development? Or maybe your dream career is working as a full stack developer? If the answer is yes, then there are three essential pieces of information you should know before committing to a career in full stack development: A full stack developer’s salary, full stack developer job satisfaction, and full stack developer job growth potential.
In this article, you will learn about the work-life balance of a full stack developer, satisfaction rates in the field, and similar career opportunities to pursue with full stack developer training.
What Is a Full Stack Developer?
The field of web development has two areas, front end development and backend development. Front end development is the part of web development that caters to the visual aspects and client-facing side of the website or software.
Backend development is the development of the technologies that handle the server-side of the website. It involves all the activities that take place behind the scenes. A full stack developer handles both the front end development and backend development of websites. They have a broad skillset in various coding niches and programming technologies.
Is Full Stack Development a Good Career?
Full stack development is a fantastic career for people who want to enter the web and software development field. There is no better time than now to become a full stack developer. You can enjoy positive career growth, numerous career options, and attractive pay.
Full Stack Developer Satisfaction Rates
In an annual developer survey of 381 responses, Payscale found out that the job satisfaction rating is four out of five for full stack developers. This indicates that overall, professional developers are satisfied in their job roles.
Most employers of full stack developers also offer health benefits to their employees. Payscale reported that 81 percent of full stack developers enjoy full medical coverage. In addition, 73 percent of full stack developers benefit from a dental plan. Further, 64 percent enjoy vision care. Only 18 percent receive no medical coverage from their employers.
A more significant percentage of professional developers in the survey said they work in a great environment with a positive culture, job flexibility, and numerous opportunities for career progression.
What Makes Full Stack Development Jobs Satisfying?
Full stack developers are the jack of all trades in the software development world with a broad skillset to work with backend and front end development technologies. Since they are versatile on both sides of the spectrum, they enjoy numerous perks in their job roles that make the job role satisfying. Listed below are some of those factors.
Good Salary
A full stack developer salary is one of the highest in tech. Their wide range of web and software development abilities allows them to leverage their skills to earn high amounts. ZipRecruiter reports that entry-level full stack developers earn an average of $58,040 per year. With a higher level of experience, full stack developers earn average annual salaries of $102,744.
High Demand
There is a huge demand for professionals with knowledge of full stack development. Companies typically prefer to work with full stack developers who can do more than one role rather than a specialist for both backend and front end development due to the cost-effectiveness.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts about 189,200 job openings for full stack developers every year between 2020 and 2030. As such, job seekers with full stack development skills will be stable in the job market in the coming years.
Career Flexibility
Full stack developers enjoy maximum flexibility in their jobs. Since they are knowledgeable about the different parts of the software development process, they can work in any area they choose. This lets them control their work-life balance and pursue work where their interests align.
Better Productivity
Full stack developers work across the whole length of software development. As a result, they see everything and they know what’s happening at both ends. This allows them to see the big picture and make better decisions.
Opportunities for Career growth
Many professional developers start their careers as front end developers or backend developers and later move up the ranks as they learn other skills and technologies. However, full stack developers enjoy the advantage of speedy career growth because they start with knowledge of both server-side and client-side technologies.
Full Stack Developer Stress and Rewards
Like all other tech jobs, there is also stress that comes with a full stack developer job. Your experience in the job may depend on your abilities and how well you can fulfill the job description. When you have the proper skillset and understand the duties of your role, you will enjoy your work more.
Full Stack Developer Stress
- Too many responsibilities. Full stack web developers tend to have a large workload. They have numerous duties from the front end to the project’s backend. As such, it may be easy to get overwhelmed.
- Must constantly stay updated on the latest trends and technologies. A full stack developer typically learns various technologies over a short time period. As the latest tools, innovations, and technologies become available, it may be overwhelming and difficult to keep learning and stay up to date with them.
- Time pressure. A project may be completed faster with a front end and backend developer rather than a full stack developer trying to complete both roles. As such, in this position, you may feel a lot of pressure to complete your work quickly.
Full Stack Developer Rewards
- Adaptability. Full stack developers are fully adaptable. They can switch to any side of the project whenever they need to, so they are very useful on a team.
- Experience. Full stack developers typically have more hands-on experience than other developers due to their work in different phases of web development. This can make them prime candidates for career growth opportunities.
- Problem-solvers. They have a bird’s eye view of the project. Due to this, full stack developers can quickly identify faults and recommend solutions. This helps optimize project efficiency and minimize setbacks.
Life as a Full Stack Developer
Professional developers have their hands full almost all of the time. The job involves using many programming technologies such as programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and databases. As a full stack developer, you’ll need to keep learning throughout your career to keep up with changing technologies.
Full Stack Developer Work Environment
A full stack developer may work in the software engineering department of a big corporate organization on a part-time or a full-time basis. They may also choose to work remotely from the comfort of their homes. A professional developer may also work as a freelancer and offer their skills to various clients and organizations.
Full Stack Developer Benefits
A full stack web developer job role comes with many job benefits. They are highly valued by employers and IT tech professionals alike. By combining a front end and backend developer’s skillset as a full stack developer, you can earn considerably more than other types of web developers.
Unlike different web development roles, full stack developers have the chance to choose where they want to work within software development. Most professional developers enjoy employee care packages like health plans, dental, vision, and many others that are typically offered within the corporate tech world.
Full Stack Developer Career Growth
Typically a full stack web developer will start their career in front end or backend development. As they amass skills and experience in their job role, they learn the other aspects of software development and later become full stack developers. Once this is done, there are many different career progression opportunities within the field.
Full Stack Developer Job Outlook, Salaries, and Career Growth
Tech professionals in full stack developer job roles enjoy a positive job outlook and a fair salary. Below, you can learn more about these aspects of the profession.
Is Full Stack Development In Demand?
Yes, it is. Full stack development is one of the most in-demand skills in the industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a positive job outlook of 13 percent for web developers and 22 percent for software developers in the next 10 years. These statistics indicate that the skills and expertise of web developers and software developers are in high demand within the labor market.
Full Stack Developer Salaries
Full stack developers earn an average base salary of $102,744 per year, according to ZipRecruiter. This is much higher than the national average for all occupations. average salary
The financial remuneration for full stack development depends on skills, experience, location, and demographics. Once you build a portfolio, you will be able to take on bigger projects with a higher difficulty level and earn more money.
High-Paying Full Stack Developer Jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Vice President Full Stack Developer | $134,565 |
| Principal Full Stack Engineer | $134,025 |
| Full Stack Python Developer | $128,150 |
| Full Stack Java Developer | $119,892 |
| Mobile Developer | $101,899 |
| Game Developer | $101,644 |
| Full Stack Infrastructure Engineer | $99,810 |
Vice President Full Stack Developer
- Average Salary: $134,565
A vice president full stack developer leads web development teams in the process of designing software and web applications. They write code, relay it to the development team members, and contribute to the overall development of the application or software.
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Principal Full Stack Engineer
- Average Salary: $134,025
A principal full stack engineer is a senior developer with expert knowledge of front end technologies, backend technologies, and project management. They work with product managers to coordinate the design and development of applications to meet client needs.
Full Stack Python Developer
- Average Salary: $128,150
Full stack Python developers specialize in Python for developing applications and software. Therefore, they must have an in-depth knowledge of Python programming and technology stack. They may work on a mobile app one day and a computer program the next.
Full Stack Java Developer
- Average Salary: $119,892
A full stack Java developer utilizes the Java programming language to create the entire technology stack of an application. They use Java to develop the front end and backend of the application such as the user interface, responsive design, graphic design, database, and the application code.
Mobile Applications Developer
- Average Salary: $101,899
Mobile app developers design, build, and implement mobile apps for smartphones, laptops, and tablets across different operating systems. Mobile developers work with UI/UX designers, programmers, and function designers to innovate app functionality and design.
Game Developer
- Average Salary: $101,644
One career option for full stack developers is working as a game developer. A game developer creates games for mobile phones, consoles, the Internet, personal computers, and more. The duties of a game developer include building the base code, designing concepts, and bringing the game ideas to life.
Full Stack Infrastructure Engineer
- Average Salary: $99,810
Full stack infrastructure engineers design, build, deploy, and maintain IT infrastructure. They also work with Agile technologies and server virtualization technologies to build web applications in the cloud.
Should I Become a Full Stack Developer?
Absolutely, if you have a passion for software programming and want to learn full stack development coding skills, then a career in full stack development might be the perfect fit for you. Full stack developers enjoy high job satisfaction, lucrative salaries, and numerous opportunities to grow in the industry.
Full Stack Developer Career Change FAQ
Yes, full stack development is an excellent career choice for people who want to work in software development. In addition, they currently enjoy one of the most attractive salaries in the industry.
Modern employers prefer to hire tech professionals with an interdisciplinary skillset that can be applied across many areas. Since full stack developers essentially do the tasks of a front end developer and a backend developer, this helps employers save on costs.
The most in-demand full stack languages are Java, C#, JavaScript, and Python. Full stack developers possess a mastery of front end and backend languages to work on the server-side and the client-side of projects, so they will often need to know more than one coding language.
You can learn full stack development by getting a relevant academic degree or attending a coding bootcamp. Coding bootcamps offer structured programs that equip students with job-ready skills so they can begin their careers in full stack development.
There are also massive online open courses on online training platforms like Skillshare, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Udacity, and Coursera. All you have to do is create an account and start learning.
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