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E-commerce
Amazon, Shopify, Walmart
Web Developers
Web developers build and maintain websites and web apps, often moving between visible front-end work and the back-end systems that power logins, forms, search, and online sales. The job is distinct because you have to balance design, speed, and reliability at the same time: a site has to look good, load fast, and keep working when something breaks.
Also known as Web DeveloperWeb Application DeveloperFront-End Web DeveloperUI DeveloperFull Stack Web Developer
Median Salary
$90,930
Mean $98,790
U.S. Workforce
~79K
5.4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+7.5%
86K to 92.5K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Web Developers sits in the Technology category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~79K workers, with a median annual pay of $90,930 and roughly 5.4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 86 K in 2024 to 92.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Web Development, or a Related Field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Junior Web Developer and can progress toward Web Development Manager. High-value skills usually include Programming, JavaScript, HTML/CSS & Responsive Design, and SQL & Database Design, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, and Operations Analysis.
Core Responsibilities
- Talk with clients, managers, or product teams to figure out what the website needs to do.
- Build and update pages, forms, and interactive features with code and site-building tools.
- Create rough mockups or prototypes to test layouts and user flows before launch.
- Connect the site to databases or other back-end systems so logins, orders, and content work correctly.
Keep exploring: more Technology careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Talk with clients, managers, or product teams to figure out what the website needs to do.
02 Build and update pages, forms, and interactive features with code and site-building tools.
03 Create rough mockups or prototypes to test layouts and user flows before launch.
04 Connect the site to databases or other back-end systems so logins, orders, and content work correctly.
05 Work with designers, hosting providers, and other developers to fix bugs, compatibility problems, and outages.
06 Back up websites and check for problems so the team can restore a site quickly if something breaks.
Industries That Hire
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Software and SaaS
Google, Microsoft, Adobe
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Media and Publishing
The New York Times, Netflix, Disney
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Finance and Insurance
JPMorgan Chase, Capital One, Fidelity
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Healthcare
Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealth Group
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Mean pay is $98,790 and median pay is $90,930, which is strong for a job that typically does not require prior work experience.
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Employment is projected to grow 7.5% by 2034, with about 5.4 thousand annual openings, so steady demand should continue.
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The work is often remote-friendly, so many developers can do the job from home or in a hybrid setup.
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The skill set transfers across industries, from retail and media to healthcare and finance, because almost every organization needs a website.
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You can build a visible portfolio quickly, since finished pages and features are easy to show in interviews.
Challenges
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Most workers still enter with a bachelor's degree, and 45.83% of the distribution points to that path, so self-taught applicants usually need a strong portfolio to compete.
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The 7.5% growth outlook is solid but not explosive, and 5.4 thousand annual openings still leave room for competition in popular markets.
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Routine website work is increasingly standardized by CMS tools, templates, and AI-assisted builders, which can squeeze out simpler jobs.
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When a site breaks, the problem can be urgent and public, so outages, bug fixes, and late-night troubleshooting are part of the job in some teams.
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The role can hit a ceiling unless you branch into software engineering, UX, product, or management, because pure web developer ladders are often narrower than broader tech paths.
Career Progression
Junior Web Developer
0-2 years
$55K-$72K
Usually handles content updates, small fixes, and simple features while learning the team’s tools and codebase.
Web Developer
2-5 years
$73K-$112K
Builds and maintains websites more independently, often working on both visible page features and the backend pieces behind them.
Senior Web Developer THIS ROLE
5-8 years
$113K-$145K
Owns larger features, reviews other people’s code, and helps make technical decisions that affect performance and stability.
Lead Web Developer
8-12 years
$146K-$180K
Sets standards, coordinates across teams, and makes sure major releases ship without breaking key parts of the site.
Web Development Manager
10+ years
$181K-$220K
Leads a team, plans projects, and balances business needs, deadlines, and technical quality across multiple sites or products.
Education Paths
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Web Development, or a Related Field
The most common entry point, held by 45.83% of workers in this role, and it matches the BLS expectation of a bachelor's degree.
Associate's Degree in Web Development or Software Development
A smaller path, used by 16.67% of workers, often paired with a strong portfolio and internships.
Post-Secondary Certificate or Coding Bootcamp
Another 16.67% come in with a post-secondary certificate, which can work if you can already build and debug sites well.
Some College Courses or Self-Taught Portfolio Route
A small share of workers report some college courses (4.17%), and another 4.17% report less than a high school diploma, showing that strong proof of skill can sometimes outweigh formal schooling.
Key Skills
Technical
Programming 82%
JavaScript, HTML/CSS & Responsive Design 80%
SQL & Database Design 74%
React, TypeScript & Front-End Frameworks 72%
Git, GitHub & Version Control 70%
Browser DevTools, Testing & Debugging 68%
CMS Platforms (WordPress, Drupal & Shopify) 66%
Web Hosting, DNS & Deployment 64%
Accessibility (WCAG) & Cross-Browser Testing 62%
REST APIs & JSON 60%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingOperations AnalysisReading ComprehensionActive LearningActive Listening Job Outlook and Trends
+7.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
5.4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 86K to 92.5 K over the next decade, representing 7.5% growth. Around 5.4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently High availability. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.