How long does it take to become a web developer? Well, this is one of the most frequently searched questions on the internet these days. If you have some interest in the development domain, you must have seen people asking this question again and again.
Do you have the same query in mind? Looking for a potential resource to get a clear picture of what to do in the future and how long it will take for you to get over the line? This is the guide you can’t miss reading through. It presents everything, including steps to becoming a web developer, degrees you may need, and possible career options.
Let’s get the discussion started.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Web Developer?
Well, there is no fixed answer to this question, as the scenario varies from one person to another. Multiple degrees are available in this domain, and each requires a different amount of time to complete. Let’s have a look.
Associate Degree
If you are looking forward to getting a website development degree with a minimum budget and limited time, the associate degree is the best option for you. It takes 2 years to complete and offers fewer perks than those with bachelor’s degrees. The associate degree comes with fewer classes and offers a more focused approach toward the skill.
Bachelor’s Degree
It is the most popular and important degree for you to establish a good career in the future. You need 4 years to complete this degree program. It consists of both theoretical and practical parts to develop a better understanding of the skill. Most reputable organizations prefer to hire candidates with bachelor’s degrees in hand.
Master’s Degree
If you want to master your web development understanding and achieve an advanced degree, a master’s degree would be a perfect option in this case. It takes 2 years for you to complete this program. The minimum requirement to enrol in this degree is to have a bachelor’s degree (preferably in the same domain). If you have a master’s degree in website development, your chances to succeed in the industry are higher than those with a bachelor’s degree.
Must read: How to Become a Pro WordPress Custom Theme Developer?
Is It Necessary to Obtain a Degree?
No, not at all. It is not a compulsion to obtain a bachelor’s or any other degree first and then step into the website development industry. If you are short on time and are looking forward to earning soon, you can get relevant certifications to master your skills.
Is Obtaining a Degree Make a Difference in the Market?
Though you can become a website developer by getting certificates, obtaining a degree helps you stand out in the competition. Plus, most employers look for developers who have obtained degrees in this discipline. It indicates that degree holders get more opportunities than those with certificates.
Is It Worthy Enough to Become a Web Developer in 2023 & Beyond?
Web development has always been a great career path for tech enthusiasts. The same seems to happen in 2023 and beyond. Let’s take a quick look at the potential this career has.
1. Stable Career
Many developers are well-settled in their respective domains. A number of vacant positions are announced every year to hire potential resources. If we talk about the United States only, thousands of jobs are opened each year. The same is the case with other parts of the world.
2. Handsome Salaries
Though the website developers’ salaries vary depending on their skills and professional experiences, they earn a decent amount on average. As of May 20221, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a web developer can make $77,030 per year.
3. Good Job Growth
According to the BLS survey, 23% growth is expected in the web development industry between 2021 and 2031. During this period, around 21,800 jobs are expected to open for digital designers and website developers. It is indeed good news for those who are planning to step into this domain or are already been working for a while.
4. Option to Establish Your Own Business
Getting highly paid jobs is not the only benefit of choosing a website development career. It also provides you with a golden opportunity to start your own business in the same domain and take it to the next level as much as you can. Building strong client relationships and offering high-quality services at an unbeatable cost is the most important part of running your own setup.
Read more: Website Development or Digital Marketing: What to Choose?
A Step-By-Step Guide to Become a Credible Website Developer
Becoming a good web developer is not an overnight process. Well-known developers spend a lot of time in the industry to set their profiles apart. Below is a complete guide to making yourself stand out in this industry.
Step 1: Make Yourself Familiar with the Trendy Technologies
The website development is divided into two phases, i.e., front-end and back-end. Each phase has its importance. You can develop your career either in a single phase or both. Let’s look at the popular technologies being adopted these days.
5 Popular Front-End Web Development Technologies
The front end of a website is what you see on your screen when you open it. It plays a crucial role in improving user engagement. The top front-end technologies are listed below.
1. React JS
It is a flexible library (not a framework) that assists you in creating creative user interfaces to grab visitors’ attention. The APIs created with React JS are easy to understand, making it the developers’ best choice.
2. Next JS
It provides developers with a ready-made building block to build faster and more high-quality web apps. It doesn’t matter if you are a team or an individual developer; Next JS helps you create interactive, scalable, and dynamic web applications.
3. Vue JS
It is pretty similar to Angular and React JS. You don’t need deep learning to code with Vue JS. Plus, you can learn it easily, as it is an open-source framework. If you want to learn Vue JS, you must have a basic understanding of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
4. Flutter
It is an open-source kit designed to develop engaging user interfaces. The developers mostly use Flutter to build cross-platform applications for Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Google Fuchsia. It makes testing and debugging convenient.
5. Angular
This framework is introduced to help developers in creating single-page applications. Popular companies, like Virgin America, Netflix, PayPal, and Google, have used Angular to build their web apps. You can easily learn and implement this framework.
5 Popular Back-End Web Development Technologies
The top technologies to develop the back end of a credible website are as follows.
1. PHP
It is a short form of Hypertext Preprocessor. C. Rasmus Lerdorf introduced this scripting language in 1995. The programs you create with PHP do not depend on any online browser; instead, they are executed on web servers.
2. Python
As an object-oriented programming language, Python is usually used to build Rapid Application Development. The concise syntax of this semantic language makes your learning simple and improves readability at the same time.
3. JavaScript
Web developers use JavaScript (previously known as LiveScript) extensively to build web pages. It is easy to learn this robust programming language. At the same time, you can implement it conveniently. It comes with high interoperability.
4. Laravel
This PHP web application framework has quite an expressive syntax. Laravel is easy to access and assists developers in creating large, complex websites. The best thing about this framework is that you can learn it easily.
5. Django
This is an open-source Python-based framework. It uses Model Template Views (MTV) architecture. The major purpose of using Django is to make it simple to build complex websites. It is faster than many frameworks out there and offers robust security
Step 2: Choose Your Educational Path
Now that you have the know-how of the popular technologies used for website development. It is time to enhance your knowledge and get some sort of technical training under the supervision of a credible institution. It is an inevitable fact that no one is going to hire you until you have the right skill and a clear path to your career.
Now, look for a reputable school, college, or university offering web development or relevant degrees to enrol yourself. Remember, never select an institution without having the necessary information about it. There are a few factors (as listed below) you must keep in mind when selecting the right school to get a degree.
- Federal bodies must accredit the institution..
- Fee structure
- Timing (morning or evening)
- Curriculum (online or on campus)
- Faculty reputation (must be highly qualified and experienced)
- Students’ feedback
All these parameters help you choose the perfect institute to get yourself enrolled in. The most popular program millions of students worldwide enrol in is a bachelor’s degree.
Step 3: Select the Most Suitable Career Option
This domain offers a couple of promising career options for you to choose from. The three most commonly known career paths in web development are listed below.
1. Front End Website Development
The main responsibility of front-end developers is to build interactive and attention-grabbing user interfaces. They work on improving user experiences for businesses operating around the globe. Anything you see when you open a website is what front-end developers do.
2. Back End Website Development
The individuals involved in the back-end development create programs for how a website is supposed to perform its tasks. For example, a checkout page of an ecommerce website is controlled by the program that back-end developers design.
3. Full Stack Website Development
If you don’t want to master a single skill, you have the option to choose full-stack web development. It covers both front-end and back-end parts. Thousands of full-stack development opportunities are available in today’s market.
Step 4: Build Your Portfolio Website to Stand Out
Once you obtain a degree and get a decent amount of experience by working in good organizations, you can build your own portfolio website to grab direct clients. As soon as your income becomes stable, you can even leave your job and continue your work full-time. It is far better than serving a company or working under any individual.
Learn more: How to Become a Web Content Developer?
How Much Does a Web Developer Make?
As stated earlier, web developers are capable of making decent amounts. In fact, thousands of them do the same. According to indeed.com, the annual salary of a website developer is $82,332 in the US, with $51,142 being the lowest and $132,544 being the highest. It becomes equal to $1,506 per week, $5,829 per month, and $33.39 per hour.
As far as the research of Glassdoor is concerned, they claim that web developers make $82,503 a year in the United States. It covers the base pay of $77,582 and an additional pay of $4,921. Most developers earn between $66,000 and $104,000, whereas the lowest income is $54,000 and the highest earning is $127,000, as shown below.
Learn more: How Much Web Developers Make in Georgia?
Who Can Become a Website Developer?
There is absolutely no restriction when it comes to choosing website development as a career. Anyone who has a passion for technology and loves coding and creating programs can become a web developer at any age.
Do you get attracted to coding things? Loves to get into the nitty-gritty of how websites are developed? If the answer to these questions is YES, you can also become a good developer in the near future. All you need is to follow the steps discussed above.
Final Words
How long does it take to become a web developer? Now that you know it takes 2 to 4 years to get the title of a website developer. However, it is not necessary to earn a degree to get into this domain. You can simply do some certifications and get experience instead. But remember, reputed industries usually look for degree holder web developers to take on board. For more information, don’t forget to read through the discussion presented above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Is there any specific age to become a web developer?
Answer: No, there is no fixed age to become a website developer in 2023 and beyond. All you need is to have a basic understanding of this skill and quality experience. However, if you want to obtain a specific degree in web development, there are some time restrictions that may vary from one institution to the other. Obtaining relevant certifications is possible at any age.
Question: How much does it cost to become a website developer?
Answer: Well, the cost varies depending on the degree you want to obtain in this domain. For instance, the cost of getting an associate degree in website development will be different from enrolling yourself in a bachelor’s or master’s degree. However, the average cost may vary between $5,000 and $300,000.
Question: How long does it take to become a web developer? Why is this question asked frequently?
Answer: Every individual has a different answer for this specific query. This is the reason why most newbies get confused and search more to find a credible answer.