When you think about a well-paying career, what do you imagine? If you’re thinking about skilled trade professionals, lawyers, and medical professionals, you’d be right—but there’s a new and lucrative position that also pays very well. As we already know, the technology industry added thousands of new jobs to the American economy, and this profitable field pays extremely well. Web development is one of the best jobs to have in the industry, and these programmers make a very good wage in most parts of the country. In this article, we’ll go over how much a web developer makes, along with what you can do to break into this high-earning profession.
What is Web Development?
Web developers perform several tasks, and this field can be broken up into a few separate categories. Fundamentally, web developers design and build websites. Front end developers use their coding skills to design and build the part of a site that users interact with. A good front end developer is visual and can create functional and attractive web features. Backend developers design the part of a website that connects the front end to a server. Backend or ‘server-side’ development is very important, as a site would cease to transfer data without it. Because of their complex work, back end developers often earn a little more than front end developers. Full stack developers perform both front and back end coding tasks, which earns them the highest average salary of the bunch.
How Much Do Web Developers Earn?
How much you earn as a web developer will depend on where you live and what specific skills you possess. You are more likely to earn a higher wage in big cities with established tech industries such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Nationally, web developers earn higher wages than many other careers, so let’s break it down and see what the nationwide statistics are.
- Front End Developers
Front end developers, otherwise known as ‘client-side’ developers, earn an average salary of about $100,000 annually. Entry-level front end coders earn around $60,000 to $70,000 per year, while people in senior positions take home about $105,000.
- Backend Developers
Backend developers, also called ‘server-side’ by some, earn an impressive average of $117,000 per year. Entry-level backend programmers still earn between $60,000 and $70,000 annually, and senior professionals can make over $120,000.
- Full Stack Developers
Full Stack developers combine the skills of both front and backend programmers. These skilled professionals earn an average of $109,000 annually in the United States. Junior front end developers can earn between $60,000 and $80,000 per year, and senior ranking programmers can make more than $120,000.
How to Become a Web Developer
Now that you’ve seen how much a web developer makes, you’re probably interested in learning more about how to become one. While many high-paying careers require a college degree, web development doesn’t—in fact, you can train to become one in less than a year thanks to coding bootcamps. Tech companies recognized the fact that four years of school often don’t prepare people for this kind of work, and even if they do, they cost far too much and often teach unnecessary subjects. If you’re just focused on education for a career, a coding bootcamp can be an excellent, fast, and economical choice. Hundreds of these programs exist around the country, so click the link below to find out more.
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