Learn More About Web Development Classes in Chicago
Web design and web development sound similar, but are different fields. Web design focuses on the visual design of a website, using tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Dreamweaver. You’ll work specifically on integrating unique visual elements like photos, text, animations, and more into a coherent and appealing whole. It’s an essential skill for creating great websites.
In contrast, web development is the process of creating a website’s inner workings and uses programming languages to create the skeleton and guts of a website. For example, you’ll work with HTML and CSS (cascading style sheets) to create the front-end or visible side of a website. Once it’s created, you can integrate web design elements, like blogs, landing pages, and more.
Back-end languages such as JavaScript connect the visual elements of a website to the networks running the internet. Other coding syntax options that help with back-end include Python, Ruby, and PHP, which run search features, links, online storefronts, and blogs. Learning web development gives you powerful skills with the world’s most powerful platform.
Before embarking on a study of web development, you will need to choose a path. There are many careers and specialties under the umbrella of web development, including front-end, back-end, and full-stack development. You could choose to learn HTML, PHP, Python, JavaScript, WordPress, Git, or many other tools before starting your career in Chicago.
Each of these languages has its own roles to play in web development and can help you begin a rewarding Chicago-based web development career. There are many, many web development firms in this city, meaning it shouldn’t be too hard to find an option that works for you. Even better, Chicago training courses can get you on the right path for success in this field.
What Can You Do with Web Development?
Web development is a diverse skill that provides many unique career opportunities for expert coders. If you develop your techniques to the highest level, there are many things you can do – in fact, a whole world of unique tasks opens up to you. Even if you don’t start a career in web development, you can use these skills in your downtime to:
- Create front-end designs, i.e., the visual aspects of websites
- Handle back-end coding, i.e., the networking factors for webpages
- Pursue a coding career beyond web development
- Create fun and attractive apps to use online
- Join a marketing team and provide high-quality design skills
- Market yourself by creating online portfolios of your work
- Progress to game development, depending on your overall abilities
Web development is considered one of the most future-proof skill sets you can learn. There’s always going to be a vibrant internet scene filled with billions of websites and millions of companies that need them. Thousands of design firms exist for that purpose, and mastering web development can help you join a vibrant and exciting field filled with lots of career growth.
You could even start a web development firm, if you want, to improve your career opportunities even further. This bold move will take a lot of careful work to ensure that you get steady opportunities from your clients. If you’re a go-getter who has a lot of contact with potential customers, it’s worth diving headfirst into a business, as long as you know the inherent risks.
Is It Worth Learning Web Development?
Learning web development is a great investment, no matter how you use it. For example, you could master basic HTML and CSS skills to create a personal portfolio of your work to share with employers. Even if you never use web development beyond that step, mastering it can expand your skill set and give you a new creative activity you can use in your day-to-day life.
Even better, if you’re interested in starting a new career in a tech-related field, web development is a fantastic skill to learn. It’s one of the most in-demand abilities in the market today and opens you up to a broad range of different careers. Whether you’re into visually designing websites or want to work with networking and security, web development is an amazing thing to master.
Is Web Development Hard to Learn?
Web development isn’t incredibly difficult to learn – in some ways, it’s easier to master than general programming. You don’t have to be a computer genius or math wizard to understand the basic HTML and CSS skills. That said, it does take work and practice to master these techniques because web development requires a hands-on approach to ensure high quality.
For example, even after your learning course is over, you should perform regular exercises to ensure that your skills don’t atrophy. It’s basically like learning a whole new language, and if you’ve ever practiced Spanish, German, or French, you know that there’s nothing better than using a language regularly to keep your comprehension sharp and avoid loss of knowledge.
How Long Will It Take to Learn Web Development?
The time it takes you to learn web development will vary based on many factors. First of all, everybody learns at different speeds. What might take you no time at all to master could take another person of equal intelligence a longer period to master. That’s because learning is influenced by many factors that can greatly impact your success, including things like:
- Personal Learning Style: Some people learn best by listening to lectures and watching other people do things for them. Others have to take a hands-on approach and learn by doing. Try to find a course that suits your learning style to improve your web development education.
- Previous Experience: Do you have any experience at all with web development? Even a few basic HTML lessons can greatly improve your learning speed in your class. Don’t worry – most bootcamps are designed for rote beginners to help streamline your educational experience.
- Class Format: Web development classes typically occur in a few formats: in-person or online. Even digital courses have different options – including live or asynchronous learning that includes video lessons that you can take whenever you want.
- Innate Abilities: Some people naturally understand programming or web development very quickly, while others may struggle. That doesn’t mean you can’t master this ability eventually – it might just take you a little more work and practice to get there.
- Time Commitment: Courses typically have a specific length, such as a few days or months, and shorter classes usually don’t provide as much support. That doesn’t mean they’re useless, but that they’re more useful as a primer for getting ready for learning.
- Teacher Quality: Not every professor is made equally, and some might struggle to communicate ideas, even if they understand them fluently. As a result, you might struggle if your teacher isn’t strong or if they simply don’t understand you.
Generally speaking, you can probably master the general skills needed for web development in a few weeks and then move on to more comprehensive tasks within a few months. Typically, practicing more often will improve your learning time, so don’t hesitate to use the supplemental videos, exercises, and forms you get with your training to improve your knowledge base.
Web Development Careers in Chicago
Billions of webpages are created every single year, with many replacing inactive websites that no longer get updated. This heavy demand for sites makes web development a promising field for those looking for a future-proof career. Put simply, unless the internet suddenly disappears overnight, there’s a good chance that you’ll always find work as a Web Developer.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for Web Developers from 2022 to 2032 sees an increase of 34,700 new jobs. That’s 16% job growth, which is triple the average career growth rate. It’s also the population of a small American city – as you can see, now is the best time to jump into this promising career to improve your life and find a dream job.
Career Types to Consider
Thankfully, there are many career types in this field that may appeal to you and suit your specific skills and abilities. Front End Developers work with programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to design a user-friendly interface. These languages, while challenging to learn, focus heavily on visual elements. They work well for people with an artistic side.
By contrast, Back End developers use Ruby on Rails, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and others to develop the infrastructure that keeps a website running smoothly. Often, you’ll be working with complex networking concepts and internet tools to produce efficient websites. Those with a more analytical mind will likely find this career the most rewarding for their skill set.
If both of these paths sound interesting to you, jump into full-stack development. Full Stack Developers learn all these tools to provide end-to-end support. Often, these jack-of-all-trades are also masters who make a great wage. They’re also in heavy demand because people who can lay out HTML structure and integrate JavaScript coding are increasingly rare.
Why Learn Web Development in Chicago?
As home to the nation’s second-largest number of Fortune 500 companies, Chicago is an excellent place to begin a career in coding, with major employers such as Allstate, Abbott Laboratories, Accenture, and many promising startups. As a result, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find a beginning career or to progress into a myriad of jobs with relative ease.
Chicago offers a thriving landscape for professionals in web development and related digital fields. The city is home to a wide range of web design and development agencies such as Codal, Orbit Media Studios, UPQODE, Flamingo Agency, and PopArt Studio, all of which provide opportunities to work on cutting-edge websites and digital experiences for local and global clients.
In addition to agency work, many Developers find success as in-house web professionals at some of Chicago’s largest corporations. Companies like Boeing, Motorola Solutions, United Continental Holdings, and McDonald’s maintain corporate offices here and frequently seek skilled developers to manage and enhance their digital platforms.
Chicago’s vibrant tech and FinTech scenes also offer strong demand for web development expertise. Major technology players, including Google, Salesforce, Motorola, and Tempu,s have a significant presence in the city, while innovative FinTech startups such as Braintree, Halo Investing, M1 Finance, and Enova are constantly hiring to support their growing digital ecosystems.
Chicago is also a fun and engaging place to live, and it includes many unique experiences that should keep you engaged. Whether you’re into almost daily concerts, amazing theatrical performances, improvisational comedy (the legendary Second City troupe performs here), or just love big-city life, Chicago is a fantastic place to settle and begin your coding career.
Specific Web Development Careers in Chicago with Salaries
Now that you have a general understanding of the various web development careers available, let’s take a deeper look at specific jobs in Chicago that may interest you. Understanding each of these positions’ duties and salaries can help you choose a career path that interests you. Just as importantly, it can ensure that you get the right training for your specific needs.
After all, there are different languages you’ll need to master as a Front End Developer than you will as a Back End Developer. The broad diversity of programming languages (there are an astonishing 700 available as of 2024 and likely to be more in the future) means you must focus your education on mastering those that will provide your job with the most benefits.
Front End Developer
Every time you visit a website, you interact with visual elements that require a Front End Developer to lay out. If you’re an artistic person who enjoys graphic design, this web development career may work best for you. Its coding languages, while not simple, are easier to learn and produce immediately obvious results that visually oriented people can grasp.
In a sense, a Front End Developer is an entry-level job in this field, with many people progressing from lower-earning roles to better positions with time. In Chicago, expect a low-end salary of $66,000 and high-end earnings of $77,000. Even better, there’s an average of about $73,000 for this job in Chicago, though higher-paid jobs in this field are available, as you’ll see below.
Back End Developer
As a Back End Developer, you’ll handle the server-side of web development using languages like Python and Ruby. In your day-to-day job duties, you’ll synchronize the servers and networks that run the internet with the visual side of a website. For example, you’ll ensure that all webpages link together properly and share information online effectively and securely.
While front-end development is definitely a complex skill, Back End Developers often make a little more money. In Chicago, expect a range between $89,000 and $111,000, with an average salary of just over $99,000. That doesn’t mean front-end developers aren’t vitally important; it just means that back-end programming is more challenging and, therefore, higher paid.
Ful Stack Developer
When you provide both front- and back-end development, you’re a Full Stack Developer. This title gives you the ability to build all elements of websites from the ground up, including syncing the visual aspects of a site with the networks that run it. In this way, you can provide comprehensive services and can even start a company designing websites.
Full Stack Developers in Chicago make a strong wage, ranging from $64,000 to $84,000 with an average of $73,000. It might seem strange that this more comprehensive role makes a little less than Back End Developers, but specialists often make more than generalists. The real benefit of pursuing this career path is starting a business for yourself to make even more cash.
Web Developer
As a Web Developer, you’ll build webpages using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other coding languages. This career is the bread and butter of the web development world and the most common job in this field. Career development options are available, as you may progress to a management role or a more hands-on planning expert as your skills develop and improve.
It’s also a high-earning role in Chicago, earning you a strong average wage of $97,000. However, you may earn as low as $84,000 and as much as $112,000 in this field in the city. As a result, even lower-earning Web Developers make a pretty good wage. Just as importantly, the demand for this job is so high in Chicago that you’ll likely easily advance in your market.
Software Engineer
While becoming a Web Developer is a rewarding career path for many, others may be more interested in developing web-based software such as games, networking tools, security protection, and much more. Thankfully, you can use web development languages to become a Software Engineer in Chicago and develop fascinating programs for your customers.
The more demanding duties required in this role translate to a higher average salary of $136,000 in Chicago. While it’s true that the lowest earners in this field make just $75,000 in the city, the highest paid earn $196,000. Clearly, there’s a broad array of potential salaries in this field, meaning you could easily work your way up to a very comfortable life in this job.
Product Manager
A career as a Product Manager (or Product Development Manager) includes guiding new products (including websites and other internet-based items) from early ideation to market availability. You’ll not only master coding languages but also learn market research and create customer-centered products that help you reach a broader range of potential buyers.
Expect to make a six-figure salary in this role in Chicago, with even lower-earning product managers earning about $127,000 every year. Furthermore, the average wage is about $147,000, and the high-end salary is $169,000. Those are impressively high earnings, even at the lowest range, meaning this career is a smart one to invest in if you want to live in Chicago.
.NET Developer
As a .NET Developer, you’ll use the Microsoft framework to produce software applications online, creating appealing and attractive programs for consumers to use every day. This field focuses heavily on Microsoft concepts, which somewhat limit you because other fields utilize Apple and even Linux operating systems. However, it’s still a great job option to consider.
Your earnings for this role in Chicago are strong, with a low-end of about $89,000 for many entry-level employees. That said, expect an average salary of about $100,000 with a high range of $114,000. Those earnings aren’t as broad as other careers, which means they’re likely more consistent. As a result, you’re likely to earn six figures in this job in the Windy City.
Software Project Manager
A Software Project Manager typically handles complex development processes to create new programs from the ground up. You’ll use web development concepts and many coding languages to produce appealing software that makes sense for your customers. Furthermore, you’ll also handle scheduling, sequencing, budgeting, and project management for your customers.
Like with most web-related jobs, you’ll earn a high wage in this career. Expect to make an average salary of $122,000 in Chicago, with earnings ranging from $109,000 to $137,000. That amazing wage range means that you’ll come into this career making six figures. Even better, you can progress to higher-earning jobs in this field to take your career to even better places.
Web Development Classes in Chicago
Front-End Web Development Certificate
If you’re interested in the visual elements of web development, Noble DEsktop’s Front-End Web Development Certificate is a good place to start. You’ll learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, all essential languages for front-end development. However, you’ll also study more intensive subjects, such as using Git and GitHub to collaborate with other developers when producing websites.
Like most Noble Desktop courses, you’ll get benefits like free class setup, small group sizes, one-on-one learning opportunities, and even a free retake opportunity. As you progress through your classes, you’ll build active websites that you can use on your portfolio. While fast-paced, you should feel comfortable applying to an entry-level job as a front-end developer.
Python Developer Certificate
The Python Developer Certificate is a longer program offered by Noble Desktop that focuses on teaching you all about this very popular coding language. As a beginner-friendly class, it will work you up from a blank slate to complete mastery, teaching you about basic Python syntax. You’ll also learn about software and web development, including a multitude of more complex programming concepts.
These include subjects like Django, Django REST, Git, and SQL. Tools like these help you become a better coder and improve your career exponentially. Just as importantly, they can make web development easier by ensuring that you understand databases, collaborative programming, and much more. It’s a smart investment in your future coding career.
Python for Data Science Bootcamp
Python is one of the most popular coding languages in the world, and mastering it can help with the back-end of web development. In Noble Desktop’s Python for Data Science Bootcamp, you’ll not only learn the ins and outs of this language but also how to use it to produce digital databases. That’s a critical skill for web development because they often rely heavily on these data storage centers.
Other subjects you’ll cover include proper database syncing, effective coding practices for data security, and much more. You’ll practice with your professor in a small group and even get one-on-one learning opportunities. By the time you’re done, you’ll have the basic skills needed to pursue a career in this field successfully, especially after completing your portfolio.
Full-Stack Web Development Certificate
Noble Desktop’s Full-Stack Web Development Certificate combines front- and back-end coding concepts into a singular whole to produce a unique and effective learning opportunity. You’ll study HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as you would in a front-end course. However, you’ll also practice synthesizing these elements with back-end concepts to produce more appealing and efficient sites.
This class takes a little longer than both the front-end and Python courses because you’ll cover far more back-end elements. For example, you’ll not only learn about Python and Ruby but also practice with Node.js and other important database languages. This comprehensive class will get you more than ready to handle the unique demands of a full-stack development career.
In the React Development Bootcamp, offered by Practical Programming, you’ll get a fast-paced training experience learning how to build dynamic and fascinating websites using ReactJS and React Native. Throughout this program, you’ll learn how to create strong apps and programs to integrate online, including using various types of JavaScript and HTML syntax to craft high-quality and innovative sites.
Note: You must take JavaScript Programming Bootcamp before taking this class to ensure that you have the necessary knowledge. Throughout this course, you’ll work hands-on with your professors to build a great portfolio of strong work that helps you stand out. You also get supplemental materials you can use after the class is completed to improve your skills.
Practical Programming’s Software Engineering Immersive gives you the support you need to master front-end development, JavaScript usage, Python coding, and much more. Subjects you’ll study include HTML, CSS, Flexbox, Grid, Bootstrap, React, Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB, and Python syntax. When you’re done, you’ll have a portfolio of fascinating work you can share.
Benefits of this course include not just portfolio projects but career prep support, one-on-one mentoring, and a free class retake up to a year after completion. You also get supplemental training material, such as exercises and videos,that you can use after the course is over to keep your skills strong. This support should get you ready for a web development career ASAP.
Corporate Web Development Training in Chicago
Noble Desktop can develop custom web development programs to be delivered at your worksite in Chicago or at a learning center nearby, with the same level of personal attention offered in standard programs. Its best-in-industry levels of excellence can help make this experience easier for you and your team, and ensure you know how to handle web development
These corporate and onsite web development training sessions can take place virtually or through in-person training. Businesses can also opt to purchase multiple vouchers for employees to attend Noble’s open enrollment web development classes, for which a discount is available. That’s a great option for companies looking to save on their training.
Web development training can help your company start building critical in-house talent, and it’s an option many are turning to in the current digital era. Please email Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com to get matched with an instructional consultant who can help you design a learning experience for your employees. It’s more than worth the investment.
Learn From Noble Desktop’s Experienced Web Development Instructors in Chicago
In the heart of the Midwest’s finance capital, there’s opportunity everywhere. From tech startups in Fulton Market to powerhouse Fortune 500 firms in the Loop, Chicago offers a virtually endless array of ways to level up your skills in tech, business, data, and design. The city thrives on bold ideas, making it the perfect place to grow a career that is not only lucrative but also makes a real impact. With expert instructors with decades of experience, you’ll learn more about the subjects you’re interested in, all while receiving hands-on training. These instructors live and breathe to explore and work within their field, meaning they don’t just teach; they mentor, guide, and connect you to the heart of Chicago’s many successful industries and direct you to the most meaningful path to help you achieve your goals.
Noble Desktop’s partner school, Practical Programming, has state-of-the-art facilities conveniently located in downtown Chicago’s iconic Hayworth Building at 29 E. Madison Street, Chicago, IL, 60602. It’s an easy-to-find location for students from across the city to attend. The campus is modern, equipped with the necessary tech and tools you may need, and provides resources like Wi-Fi, comfortable workstations, and expert instructors and staff ready to help you learn. Getting there is simple, whether you’re commuting from the Loop, River North, or surrounding areas. The school is easily accessible from the CTA trains and buses, with nearby stops for major lines like the Red, Blue, and Brown. If you’re driving, you can park nearby at various parking decks and metered spots within walking distance. The central location means you won’t have to stress about making it to class, and that your training sessions can fit into any schedule with ease.
Web development skills are crucial for building the platforms and applications used throughout Chicago’s tech and business sectors. Students at Noble Desktop can expect to learn front-end and back-end concepts from instructors who’ve built real, production-ready systems.
Henry Gonzalez
Henry Gonzalez is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 30 years of experience in the federal government, leading engineering, program management, and acquisition initiatives in naval warfare, air traffic management, and homeland security. A retired senior executive, Henry now serves as a part-time instructor in Chicago, where he teaches project and program management, leadership, and strategic planning to professionals of all kinds. He holds the highest level of federal certification one can hold for acquisition program management and systems engineering. In addition, Henry was part of the core team that updated the Project Management Institute’s Standard for Program Management. Henry is also a certified Balanced Scorecard Professional and holds a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University, along with a dual Master of Science in Ocean Engineering and Ocean Systems Management from MIT.
Robert Simon
Robert Simon is a highly accomplished financial management professional and educator with more than four decades of federal and private sector experience. As a Financial and Management Curricula Instructor at Graduate School USA since 2007, he teaches courses in financial management, federal travel regulations, and organizational leadership, both virtually and in person. Prior to his teaching career, he held senior roles at the General Services Administration, overseeing a six-state regional budget of approximately $100 million, and at the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Management Service, where he led national training initiatives on electronic banking. Robert’s background spans accounting, budgeting, and program analysis, holding certifications as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager.
Edward Dillion
Edward (Scott) Dillion is a seasoned financial expert with over three decades of experience in the Department of Defense, where he specialized in a range of financial management areas like budgeting and auditing, as well as performance-based management and cost analysis. He holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Grove City College. After retiring in 2014, Scott pivoted to a second career in education and consulting. He teaches project management and marketing at Graduate School USA and has also taught courses in federal budgeting. Additionally, Scott serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Management Concepts Inc., where he helps develop financial management course materials. He also has a lifetime membership with the American Society of Military Comptrollers, holds a Top Secret security clearance with the Department of Defense, and is a recognized Tier 2 instructor at Graduate School USA for his wealth of experience.