Career profile for Web Developer

What does a Web Developer do?

Web Developers develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces.

In addition, Web Developers

evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices,
optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes,
may develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.

What kind of tasks does a Web Developer perform regularly?

Web Developers are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

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.
Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision.
Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites.
Perform or direct Web site updates.
Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups.
Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements.
Respond to user email inquiries, or set up automated systems to send responses.
Renew domain name registrations.
Confer with management or development teams to prioritize needs, resolve conflicts, develop content criteria, or choose solutions.
Document test plans, testing procedures, or test results.
Communicate with network personnel or Web site hosting agencies to address hardware or software issues affecting Web sites.
Collaborate with management or users to develop e-commerce strategies and to integrate these strategies with Web sites.
Establish appropriate server directory trees.
Recommend and implement performance improvements.
Document technical factors such as server load, bandwidth, database performance, and browser and device types.
Develop or implement procedures for ongoing Web site revision.
Create Web models or prototypes that include physical, interface, logical, or data models.
Provide clear, detailed descriptions of Web site specifications, such as product features, activities, software, communication protocols, programming languages, and operating systems software and hardware.
Evaluate or recommend server hardware or software.

The above responsibilities are specific to Web Developers. More generally, Web Developers are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Working with Computers		Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Thinking Creatively		Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge		Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Working with Computers

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Thinking Creatively

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

What is a Web Developer salary?

The median salary for a Web Developer is $77,200, and the average salary is $85,490. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Web Developer salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Web Developers earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Web Developers earn less than $40,750 per year, 25% earn less than $55,390, 75% earn less than $107,620, and 90% earn less than $146,430.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Web Developers is expected to change by 12.8%, and there should be roughly 17,900 open positions for Web Developers every year.

Median annual salary: $77,200
Typical salary range: $40,750 - $146,430
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 12.8%

What personality traits are common among Web Developers?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Web Developer are usually higher in their Conventional, Investigative, and Realistic interests.

Web Developers typically have strong Conventional interests. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Also, Web Developers typically have strong Investigative interests. Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Lastly, Web Developers typically have moderate Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Web Developers typically have moderate Artistic interests. Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Web Developer tend to value Independence, Working Conditions, and Achievement.

Most importantly, Web Developers strongly value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Second, Web Developers strongly value Working Conditions. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Lastly, Web Developers strongly value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Web Developers must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, persistence, and analytical thinking.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Web Developers, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence		Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Analytical Thinking		Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility		Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Persistence

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Analytical Thinking

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Adaptability/Flexibility

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

What education and training do Web Developers need?

Web Developers often have training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Web Developers usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

Educational degrees among Web Developers

0.7% did not complete high school or secondary school
5.0% completed high school or secondary school
14.9% completed some college coursework
9.7% earned a Associate's degree
54.3% earned a Bachelor's degree
14.2% earned a Master's degree
1.1% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Web Developers

Web Developers may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as computers and electronics, mathematics, or communications and media knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Web Developers might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Computers and Electronics		Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Communications and Media		Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Design		Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Communications and Media

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Important Abilities needed by Web Developers

Web Developers must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Web Developers need abilities such as deductive reasoning, oral comprehension, and written comprehension in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Web Developers, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Deductive Reasoning		The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Problem Sensitivity		The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Critical Skills needed by Web Developers

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Web Developers frequently use skills like programming, critical thinking, and reading comprehension to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Web Developers, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Programming		Writing computer programs for various purposes.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension		Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Complex Problem Solving		Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Operations Analysis		Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Programming

Writing computer programs for various purposes.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Operations Analysis

Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

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