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Web Developers and Digital Designers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Web Developers and Digital Designers
Summary
What They Do
Work Environment
How to Become One
PRINTER-FRIENDLY
Pay
Job Outlook
State & Area Data
Similar Occupations
More Info
Summary
Summary
Quick Facts: Web Developers and Digital Designers
2020 Median Pay
$77,200 per year
$37.12 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
None
On-the-job Training
None
Number of Jobs, 2020
199,400
Job Outlook, 2020-30
13% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2020-30
25,500
What Web Developers and Digital Designers Do
Web developers create and maintain websites. Digital designers develop, create, and test website or interface layout, functions, and navigation for usability.
Work Environment
Some web developers and digital designers work in the computer systems design and related services industry. Others are self-employed. Still others work in
industries including publishing, management consulting, and advertising.
How to Become a Web Developer or Digital Designer
Educational requirements for web developers and digital designers vary, ranging from a high school diploma to a bachelor’s degree.
Pay
The median annual wage for web developers and digital designers was $77,200 in May 2020.
Job Outlook
Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 17,900 openings for web developers and digital designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to
result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
State & Area Data
Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for web developers and digital designers.
Similar Occupations
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of web developers and digital designers with similar occupations.
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about web developers and digital designers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and
occupations.
What They Do ->
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
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Web Developers and Digital Designers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What They Do
What Web Developers and Digital Designers Do
Web developers create and maintain websites. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects,
such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the
site can handle. In addition, web developers may create content for the site. Digital designers develop,
create, and test website or interface layout, functions, and navigation for usability. They are responsible
for the look and functionality of the website or interface.
Duties
Web developers and digital designers typically do the following:
Meet with clients or management to discuss the needs, design, and functionality of a website or interface
Create and test applications, interfaces, and navigation menus for a website
Write code for the website, using programming languages such as HTML or XML
Work with other team members to determine what information the site will contain
Work with graphics and other designers to determine the website’s layout
Some developers work with graphics and other
designers to determine the website’s layout.
Integrate graphics, audio, and video into the website
Monitor website traffic
Create prototypes and mockups of websites or applications
Design and develop graphics
When creating a website, developers and designers have to make their client’s vision a reality. They build particular types of websites, such as ecommerce, news,
or gaming sites, to fit clients’ needs. Different types of websites require different applications. For example, a gaming site should be able to handle advanced
graphics, whereas an ecommerce site would need a payment-processing application. The developer decides which applications and designs will best fit the site,
and the designer focuses on the look and usability of these elements across browsers or devices.
Some developers and designers handle all aspects of a website’s construction, and others specialize in a certain aspect of it. The following are examples of types
of specialized web developers or digital designers:
Back-end web developers are responsible for the overall technical construction of the website. They create the basic framework of the site and ensure that it
functions as expected. Back-end web developers also establish procedures for allowing others to add new pages to the website and meet with management to
discuss major changes to the site.
Front-end web developers create the technical features for a website’s look. They develop the site’s layout and integrate graphics, applications (such as a
retail checkout tool), and other content. They also write webdesign programs in a variety of computer languages, such as HTML or JavaScript.
Web and digital interface designers are responsible for creating the look and feel of a website or interface with regard to photos, color, font type and size,
graphics, and layout. They also are responsible for the functionality, usability, and compatibility of the website or interface.
Webmasters maintain and update websites. They ensure that websites operate correctly, and they test for errors such as broken links. Many webmasters
respond to user comments as well.
<- Summary
Work Environment
Work Environment ->
Work Environment
Web developers and digital designers held about 199,400 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of web developers and
digital designers were as follows:
Self-employed workers
Computer systems design and related services
18%
15
Publishing industries (except Internet)
9
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
5
Advertising, public relations, and related services
4
Work Schedules
Most web developers and digital designers work full time.
Developers build websites for all
types of businesses.
<- What They Do
How to Become One
How to Become One ->
How to Become a Web Developer or Digital Designer
Educational requirements vary for web developers and digital designers, based on work setting and other factors.
Education
Educational requirements for web developers and digital designers range from a high school diploma to a bachelor’s degree.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
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Web Developers and Digital Designers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Some employers prefer to hire web developer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in a specific field,
such as computer science or programming.
Web developers need to have a thorough understanding of HTML programming. Many employers also
want developers to understand other programming languages, such as JavaScript or SQL, and have
knowledge of multimedia publishing tools, such as Flash. Throughout their career, web developers must
keep up to date on new tools and computer languages.
Employers of digital designers may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in a field such
as web design, digital design, or graphic arts.
Web developers and digital designers may not need specific education credentials if they can demonstrate
their abilities through prior work experience or projects.
Developers often have both programming and
graphic design knowledge.
Advancement
Web developers and digital designers who have a bachelor’s degree may advance to become project
managers. For more information, see the profile on computer and information systems managers.
Important Qualities
Communication skills. Web developers and digital designers need to communicate effectively with coworkers to coordinate work on projects.
Creativity. Web developers and digital designers often are involved in creating the appearance of a website and must make sure that it is appealing as well as
functional.
Customer-service skills. Webmasters have to respond politely to user questions and requests.
Detail oriented. Web developers and digital designers must focus for long periods and write code precisely, because a minor error could cause an entire
webpage to stop working.
Problem-solving skills. Web developers and digital designers must check for coding errors and fix any that they find.
<- Work Environment
Pay
Pay ->
Pay
The median annual wage for web developers and digital designers was $77,200 in
May 2020. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation
earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned
Web Developers and Digital Designers
Median annual wages, May 2020
less than $40,750, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $146,430.
In May 2020, the median annual wages for web developers and digital designers in
Computer occupations
$91,250
the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Publishing industries (except Internet)
$123,870
Computer systems design and related services
75,450
Advertising, public relations, and related services
71,930
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
70,790
Most web developers and digital desginers work full time.
Web developers and digital
$77,200
interface designers
Total, all occupations
$41,950
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
<- How to Become One
Job Outlook
Job Outlook ->
Job Outlook
Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow 13 percent
from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.
Web Developers and Digital Designers
Percent change in employment, projected 2020-30
About 17,900 openings for web developers and digital designers are projected each
year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result
from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the
Computer occupations
13%
labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow as
ecommerce continues to expand. Online purchasing is expected to grow faster than
Web developers and digital
13%
interface designers
the overall retail industry. As retail firms expand their online offerings, demand for
these workers will grow. In addition, a rise in the use of mobile devices to search the
web will lead to increased demand for web developers and digital designers. Instead
Total, all occupations
8%
of designing a website for a desktop computer, these workers will have to create
sites and interfaces that work on mobile devices with many different screen sizes,
leading to more work.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
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Web Developers and Digital Designers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Because websites can be built from anywhere in the world, some developer and designer jobs could move to countries with lower wages. However, this practice
may decline because the cost of managing workers in multiple countries can offset the savings to businesses. Furthermore, web developers and digital designers
must understand cultural nuances that allow webpages to communicate effectively with users. U.S.-based developers and designers are better suited to this task,
curtailing the work that may be moved to other countries.
Employment projections data for web developers and digital designers, 2020-30
Web developers and digital interface designers
SOC Code:
15-1257
Employment, 2020:
199,400
Projected Employment, 2030:
224,900
Change, 2020-30 (Percent):
13
Change, 2020-30 (Numeric):
25,500
Employment By Industry:
Get data
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
<- Pay
State & Area Data
State & Area Data ->
State & Area Data
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These
estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps
for employment and wages by state and area.
Web developers and digital interface designers
Projections Central
Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state
projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com
. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared
among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data
may be retrieved.
CareerOneStop
CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles
with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare
occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool
to search for wages by zip code.
<- Job Outlook
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations ->
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of web developers and digital designers.
Computer and Information Systems Managers
Job Duties:
Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$151,150
Computer Programmers
Job Duties:
Computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$89,190
Computer Support Specialists
Job Duties:
Computer support specialists provide help and advice to computer users and organizations.
Entry-Level Education:
See How to Become One
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
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Web Developers and Digital Designers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
2020 Median Pay:
$55,510
Computer Systems Analysts
Job Duties:
Computer systems analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and find a solution that is more efficient and effective.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$93,730
Database Administrators and Architects
Job Duties:
Database administrators and architects create or organize systems to store and secure data.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$98,860
Graphic Designers
Job Duties:
Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$53,380
Information Security Analysts
Job Duties:
Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$103,590
Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers
Job Duties:
Software developers design computer applications or programs. Software quality assurance analysts and testers identify problems with applications or
programs and report defects.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$110,140
Special Effects Artists and Animators
Job Duties:
Special effects artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.
Entry-Level Education:
Bachelor's degree
2020 Median Pay:
$77,700
<- State & Area Data
More Info
More Info ->
Contacts for More Information
For more information about web developers and digital designers, visit
World Organization of Webmasters
For more information about computer careers, visit
Association for Computing Machinery
Computing Research Association
IEEE Computer Society
For information about opportunities for women pursuing information technology careers, visit
National Center for Women & Information Technology
CareerOneStop
For a career video on web developers, visit
Web Developers
O*NET
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
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Web Developers and Digital Designers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Video Game Designers
Web Developers
Web and Digital Interface Designers
<- Similar Occupations
SUGGESTED CITATION:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Web Developers and Digital Designers,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm (visited May 16, 2022).
Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2021
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Avenue NE Washington, DC 20212-0001
Telephone:1-202-691-5700 www.bls.gov/ooh Contact OOH
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