How Much Do Web Developers Earn?

There’s never been a better time to start a career in web development. The field is booming and expected to continue growing at a rate of 13% per year over the next decade which equals more than 17,000 positions opening up each year. With the increasing demand for Web Developers, it’s no wonder they tend to earn high salaries. But how much do Web Developers make? Let’s take a closer look at the earning potential for Web Developers and the various factors that can affect salary ranges.

Specialty

How much money you make as a Web Developer largely depends upon what area you choose to specialize in and the types of positions you apply for. If you look through job listings, you might see positions advertised for Web Developers, which is a broad term used to describe anyone who creates or maintains web applications. People who work under the job title “Web Developer” typically earn just $68,500 per year on average in the United States.

The earning potential is much higher, however, when you start looking for jobs that target the three main specializations within web development: Front End Web Developer, Back End Web Developer, and Full Stack Web Developer. Though there’s some variation in salary between these three specialties, people working in these positions tend to earn significantly more than those working in a general “Web Developer” role. For example, Front End Web Developers earn an average yearly salary of $102,000 in the U.S. with Back End Web Developers earning $115,000 and Full Stack Web Developers making $107,000 on average.

You can also specialize in specific programming languages, which will change your earning potential. If you’re well-versed in Ruby, you could choose to work as a Ruby Developer earning more than $131,000 per year on average. Java Developers earn a bit less, making just over $100,000 every year while Python Developers earn an average of $108,000. Those who prefer working with JavaScript could earn a bit more; the average salary for JavaScript Developers runs around $111,000. Another potential career option — one that has become increasingly popular over the past few years — is Mobile Developer where you can make an average of $120,000 per year in the United States.

Location

Where you live will also affect how much money you make as a Web Developer; salaries tend to reflect whether you’re located in an area with a high or low cost of living. For example, the average salary for Front End Web Developers across the United States is $102,271. If you live in a state like California with a relatively high cost of living, you’ll earn more — the state-wide salary average for Front End Web Developers in California is $121,448.

On the other end of the spectrum, Front End Web Developers living in Mississippi, a state with a low cost of living, will only earn $54,671 on average. In Texas, which has a cost of living slightly lower than the national average, Front End Web Developers earn $101,295, which is just under the average national salary for that job role.

Skillset

The kinds of skills that you have to offer an employer will also influence how much money you make. In essence, the more you know, the higher your earning potential. For example, a Back End Web Developer with an average understanding of just one or two programming languages won’t earn nearly as much as someone with extensive knowledge of three or four back end languages.

As a Web Developer, you’re also expected to know how to implement some of the most commonly used libraries and frameworks. On the front end, that would include React and jQuery, the most popular front end libraries, plus Angular and Vue.js, the most widely used front end frameworks. On the back end, the most commonly used frameworks include Express, ASP.NET Core, Spring, Flask, and Django.

To earn more money, it’s also important to add some of the most essential Web Developer tools to your skillset. For example, every good Web Developer needs to know how to track and control changes made to their code through a tool like Git. Other tools that are commonly used while working in web development include VSCode, Sass, and npm. With these and other essential tools in your skillset, you’re more likely to earn a higher salary.

Experience

The amount of experience you have also plays a role in how much money you earn. If you’re just starting out as a Web Developer, you can expect to earn quite a bit less than an experienced programmer would. You can see this disparity when looking for jobs online. Let’s look at JavaScript Developers as an example. The average salary for Junior JavaScript Developers in the United States is $74,401. That’s approximately $37,000 less than a Senior JavaScript Developer in the U.S. who earns $111,433 on average. The good news is that starting salaries in web development are much higher than most professions and your earning potential will increase considerably after just a few years of experience.

Size of Company

The size of the company you work for will have some bearing on the amount of money you’ll earn as a Web Developer. If you’re lucky enough to land a job at a Fortune 500 company or other large corporation, then it’s pretty likely you’ll end up earning six figures. You might also be able to negotiate a decent compensation package at a startup, depending upon how well funded they are. Startups that have solid financial backing have been known to offer high salaries plus stock options to attract high-caliber talent. You might find the salary at small companies lacking, however; they don’t have nearly the resources that large corporations and well-funded startups do, so they’re likely to offer less compensation.

Education

Your potential earnings could be affected by the level of education you’ve obtained. When applying to web development jobs, a person without a university education may be offered less money than a candidate who holds a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Similarly, a person who has received certification in web development will likely earn more starting out than someone who taught themselves online without any formal training.

This news may be discouraging to some, but it shouldn’t be. Salaries for Web Developers are still quite high regardless of your level of education. What typically matters most to employers is that you’re able to do the job well. As long as you can demonstrate your competence, you’ll be well-compensated. And if you’d like to increase your salary by getting more education, you can always enroll in web development classes; your employer might even help you out with tuition since it benefits them as well.

Become a Web Developer

If you’re interested in becoming a Web Developer, the fastest and most efficient way is to enroll in a web development bootcamp. These are intensive, skills-focused programs that are designed to get students ready for a new career in just a few short months. Depending on your location, you might be able to find local bootcamps in your area. If you need scheduling flexibility or prefer to learn from home instead of commuting to a school, the best option is to take a web development bootcamp live online.

If you want to work towards your goal of becoming a Web Developer but you don’t have the time to take a full bootcamp, you could always enroll in individual web development classes. You may be able to find some in-person web development classes in your area, but those offerings are often limited. To get the widest range of options, you should check out the many web development classes that are available live online. A high-paying career is within your reach; all you have to do is take the first step.