Whether you’re just starting your own coding journey, or you’re simply looking to switch from one tech role to another, you most likely ended up here because of one thing: curiosity. You’re probably wondering if a junior front end development gig is right for you. While money isn’t everything, it can certainly make a world of difference among those who are currently on the job hunt! So, let’s get down to it…what can you expect from a junior front end developer salary?
What Is a Junior Front End Developer?
Before we can get into how much a junior front end developer salary can be worth, we should give a quick reminder as to what they do in the first place. You’ve probably heard of backend developers as well as front end developers. For the sake of this article and to avoid confusion, we’re only going to focus on front end development roles. Junior front end developers do many of the same things that senior front end developers do. Many developers will work with a team to create websites and applications.
As far as your “junior” statues goes, this basically means that you will be paired with a senior front end developer as a kind of mentorship program. While you will have someone with more years of experience to answer to, this most certainly isn’t a bad thing. In addition to creating sites and apps, you will also be able to meet with clients, provide website maintenance, and gain experience.
After you’ve put in the time and made the right connections, you’ll definitely be a prime candidate for a senior front end development position! Anyway, let’s get back to the present. Here’s what you’ll be making once you land your first junior front end development job!
How Much Do Front End Developers Make?
According to Payscale, the average junior front end web developer salary is a little under $50,000 per year. “Average,” meaning that about 50% of junior developers currently make something close to this salary.
However, this pay scale can fluctuate dramatically based on your location and who you’re employed by. We’ve seen junior front end developer salaries as low as $33k and as high as $71k.
Skills to Pay the Bills
So, if that number strikes your fancy, you may be wondering how to get started. Some of the most important skills that a junior front end developer will need include JavaScript, testing/debugging, HTML/CSS, and version control/Git. These are just a few of the many skills needed to earn a job title as a junior front end developer.
Technically, these are just some of the skills that are listed on paper–if we’re talking about unspoken skills, then those include teamwork, listening skills, discipline, patience, and more. While some of those can seem fairly obvious, really taking the time to make sure that you embody the skills above can definitely give you a leg above the competition.
How to Get Started
If you’re ready to become a junior front end developer, you may be wondering where to begin. Have no fear, Career Karma is here to take the first step with you as you break into your new tech career. Aside from practicing the skills above, it’s also imperative that you have a solid portfolio full of self-built websites and apps before applying.
While that may seem daunting, it’s important to remember that every major coding master had to start somewhere. With the help of Career Karma, you can figure out if attending a coding bootcamp is worth it for you, as well as participate in our 21 day coding challenge!
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.