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Web Developer

$92,650
median / year
$48,100 – $162,290
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Build and maintain websites, writing the code and layouts that make pages work and look right.

You may also see this posted as: Web Architect, Web Design Specialist, Webmaster, Technology Applications Engineer.

Where you work

Offices or remote; at a desk, most of the day at a screen.

The hours

Usually full-time; some freelance and deadline crunch.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
  • Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
  • Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems.
  • Select programming languages, design tools, or applications.
  • Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems.

Good fit if you like…

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

Artistic

creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script

O*NET job zone 3 of 5

Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.

Work styles that matter most

Attention to DetailInnovationDependabilityIntellectual Curiosity

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Amazon Web Services AWS softwareApache KafkaAtlassian JIRAC#Cascading style sheets CSSDocker

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$92,650
per year
Hourly median
$44.54
per hour
What most earn
$48,100–$162,290
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~5,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+7.5%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
70,190
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 5.3% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Degree optional with a strong portfolio.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required; a portfolio is the main credential.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

CreativityAttention to detailProblem solvingCommunication

The honest take

The most portfolio-forgiving door into tech.

Standard Occupational Classification 15-1254. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.