How Much Does a Web Developer Make?

Understanding the web developer salary range may be a factor in your decision to pursue this career. Web developers work in the technology sector across all different industries and for businesses of all sizes. This job also has positive growth potential, making it more appealing to those who seek steady employment. In this article, we discuss the average web developer salary, factors that impact salary in this position, and what types of web developer jobs are available.

What is a web developer?

A web developer is responsible for creating websites, usually focusing more on the functionality of the site rather than the appearance. Some of the technical aspects they often focus on include the site's capacity, or how much traffic it can handle, and the performance and speed.

What is the average web developer salary?

In the United States, the average salary for a web developer is recorded here at $72,090 per year, though salaries for web developers are frequently updated on Indeed, including those listed by state. The range starts at $20,000 per year and goes up to $155,000 per year, so this position offers considerable growth potential.

Factors affecting web developer salaries

As with any area of career focus, a multitude of contributing factors will impact the salary of a web developer, such as:

• Areas of expertise: Those who specialize in a certain area of web design may be able to earn more. For example, a front-end developer working in the U.S. earns an average of $102,006 per year. The average salary for a full stack developer is $111,858 per year. When applying for positions, a web developer will likely need a portfolio of websites they have developed to show proof of their skills and abilities.

• Previous work experience: If you have a strong portfolio that includes websites across several industries and businesses of all sizes, you are likely to be on the higher end of the pay scale. Those who are starting will receive a lower income until they get more experience. Some web developers work on a freelance basis, offering their skills to multiple clients. Others may work for advertising and marketing agencies, or for individual companies with multiple sites that need to be built and managed.

• Education: The more credentials and skills you gain through coursework, the more you increase your chances of a higher salary. Working as a web developer often requires at least an associate's degree, although more positions now require a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as computer science. Web developers must also have proven skills, including coding with the most commonly used programming languages.

• Location: Where you choose to work will also impact your salary range.

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Highest web developer salary by state

Web developers working across the states in the U.S. can have widely varying salaries, for some perspective on salary variance by state compare the following sampling of states:

• Wyoming: $32,425 per year

• West Virginia: $55,972 per year

• Connecticut: $62,171 per year

• Alabama: $64,923 per year

• Ohio: $67,070 per year

• Washington: $81,799 per year

• Colorado: $69,826 per year

• Texas: $77,655 per year

• California: $77,953 per year

• Virginia: $87,069 per year

• New Jersey: $82,117 per year

• New York: $94,230 per year

What does a web developer do?

When creating websites, developers must first understand the needs of the client to build a site that reflects their vision. After learning what their clients want, developers must then apply their technical expertise to develop sites that can accommodate those needs. For example, a gaming site must be able to handle graphics and sound, while a news-based website could be simpler on the back end. A site that offers items for sale must have payment processing functionality. Some developers focus on specific types of sites or certain steps in the development process, while others offer more generalized service and can build any type of site from start to finish. Some of the most common job duties for web developers include:

• Discussing client needs and expectations

• Managing and meeting deadlines

• Creating and testing applications and plug-ins for a site

• Writing code

• Working with graphic designers and other team members to create visually appealing layouts

• Integrating video, audio, graphics and other components into a site

• Monitoring traffic to the site

• Testing websites for errors and functionality issues

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Web developer job list

Here are common web developer roles for those who have an interest in developing, building and maintaining websites and applications. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the link for each job title below:

1. Web designer

National average salary: $22.29 per hour

Primary duties: Web designers and developers are often mixed up, but their duties do differ slightly. A web designer is responsible for the appearance of the site, including the layout, look and features, so they must have an understanding of both web development and graphic design. Their primary duties include designing website layouts, creating backup files, working with web developers and other team members to complete the web development process, editing and maintaining sites, and identifying and resolving issues with code.

Related: How To Make a Stellar Graphic Design Portfolio

2. Web developer

National average salary: $72,090 per year

Primary duties: Web developers are responsible for writing code for websites that is efficient, well-designed and able to be tested. To do so, they must create website layouts and user interfaces through the use of programming languages, integrate data from databases and back-end services, maintain and create documentation, work with web designers for visual elements, and maintain, scale and expand sites as needed.

3. Application developer

National average salary: $86,085 per year

Primary duties: Application developers specialize in the development of web-based applications for mobile devices. Their main duties include developing software solutions that meet the needs of users, testing and debugging source code, evaluating existing applications, making modifications and updates to applications and developing technical manuals and handbooks for users.

4. Front end web developer

National average salary: $102,006 per year

Primary duties: A front-end web developer specializes in the design of a website, rather than the functionality. Their primary duties include designing elements for sites that strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality, optimizing designs for mobile devices, utilizing programming languages to code and develop sites, ensuring a positive user experience, and maintaining brand consistency.

5. Back end web developer

National average salary: $126,874 per year

Primary duties: Back-end web developers focus on the functionality of websites. They are often responsible for developing and maintaining application logic on the server-side of sites, writing APIs and web services used by front-end developers, building code that can be reused for websites in the future, designing and implementing solutions for data storage and optimizing sites for scalability and speed.