Web Development

For those just entering the field, web development can seem like an illusive career filled with coding and back-end website operations. If you’re looking for a pandemic-proof job, anything in technology is still in a growth phase.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates web development will grow about 13% through 2030—a faster than average rate. If you’re interested in the work, there should be ample opportunities. The average web developer makes about $37.12 per hour with a bachelor’s degree. While not everyone in the industry has a traditional college education, it can help open doors to positions at larger corporations.

The daily tasks for a web developer are varied and might include meeting with clients, coming up with website interfaces, writing code in HTML or PHP and monitoring website metrics. Think of web development as a big picture type role where you handle things on the back-end, front-end and everything in between.

Bringing a Vision to Life

Web developers take a concept, talk to the client about their needs, do tons of research on the target audience and create something out of nothing. They bring a seed of an idea to fruition through sheer creativity and coding.

Do you enjoy working on long-haul projects? It takes an average of four to six weeks for a website developer to build a site from scratch. In the initial phases, you might meet with clients and plan the layout of the site. You’ll choose a platform and a thousand other minor details.

However, web development is about more than just creating a site. You also need to understand how an audience interacts with the online presence. What elements do you need on the page? Have they all been tested to ensure everything works as expected?

Excellent web developers understand the user experience is as important as the aesthetic of the design.