Wondering how much you can earn with a career as a web developer?
Web developers are responsible for building the websites that you interact with on a daily basis, such as Google and Twitter. Today, the demand for digital skills is higher than ever and the career potential for web developers is just as promising! With any profession, salary expectations make a huge impact on guiding your career change decision. And understanding this information can feel like an overwhelming task, which is why we’re here to help you make sense of it all!
To start, it’s important to note that there are a lot of factors that affect the salary outlook of a web developer, including experience level, skillset, company size, and location. At Juno, we gather annual data to build our Student Outcomes Report that highlights the success of our graduates in their very first web development job after completing our Web Development Bootcamp. In the future we hope to gather more insights into the career progression and growth of our graduates as they continue forward in their career.
In this post we’ll be sharing some key findings from our latest Student Outcomes Report, along with a salary guide for what you can expect to earn as a web developer!
What’s the Average Salary of a Web Developer?
In Juno’s latest Student Outcomes Report, we reported a median salary of $53,100 a year in graduates’ first job. These outcomes are based on the success of students that have graduated from our Web Development Bootcamp, which is designed to help people from non-technical backgrounds make a career change into web development, fast.
This closely data matches the salary information on PayScale, where the average salary for a web developer in 2021 is $53,952 a year, and the median salary of a web developer is around $54,000 a year.
Images Created Based on Data from PayScale
These salary expectations are for those early in their careers working as entry-level web developers, and the possibilities of career growth are even more exciting in the tech industry! With new trends constantly emerging, the opportunity to level-up and move your way up to a senior role is even more possible. At Juno, we’ve seen our grads consistently start off as Junior Web Developers and move their way up the career ladder to director and managerial positions over time.
Plus, as your career progresses, the salary expectations grow in relation to your experience levels. This is showcased in the graph below, that presents the average pay by experience level for web developers in Canada (salary numbers will vary by location):
Images Created Based on Data from PayScale
Average Salary Expectations by Role
There are a variety of job opportunities that fall under the web developer umbrella, and your experience level and coding skills play a huge role in securing a specific role. Below are some common web developer titles and the expected average salary according to PayScale:
Front-End Developer: A front-end web developer specializes in website development and makes sure websites are functional and optimized. They usually make around $61,531 a year with the potential to grow to over $73,165 in 5-9 years based on experience level. At Juno, the most frequent job title reported for our graduates is Front-End Developer with 18.5% of students being employed in this role in 2020.
Back-End Developer: A back-end developer manages the server-side or back-end of an application to ensure things are working well behind-the-scenes. They can expect to make $61,630 a year based on 1-4 years of experience and this can grow to $72,500 after five years of experience.
Full Stack Developer: A full stack developer works with both the front and back end of an application or website and they’re usually proficient in a number of coding languages. They typically earn $69,168 a year and after ten years of experience this can increase to $85,299 a year.
Software Developer/Engineer: A software developer is responsible for working with designers to help consolidate various program functions into one working system. The starting salary for this position is $76,082 a year and within five years can expect to grow to $82,814 a year.
It’s also worth mentioning that the web development industry has many freelance opportunities and some developers choose to turn to gig work rather than take on a full-time role, so that they can have more flexibility in their day-to-day. This choice entirely depends on your personal and professional preferences, and the salary expectations highly vary based on your personal rate and branding skills.
Career Outlook for a Web Developer in 2021
Web development is an industry booming with career potential. From 2019-2028, there are expected to be over 10,900 new job openings in the web development industry within Canada. That makes up over 54% of overall job creation!
Technology is a part of our everyday lives, so the demand for tech experts in this industry is on the rise! Almost every modern company needs web developers to help keep their websites functional and maintained on a daily basis. And with that, the possibilities of growing in your career as you continue to develop new skills is high. In the next section, we’ll go over some ways that you can level-up and make that career growth goal a real possibility!
How Can I Boost my Salary Potential as a Web Developer?
A career in web development can take you in various directions and, as with any profession, there are some things you can work on to increase your earning potential and climb your way up the salary ladder:
- Create an impressive portfolio to continue showcasing and updating your skills and work experience.
- Upskill or learn a new coding language to grow your knowledge base and be able to branch out in your career.
- Network to build credibility within the industry and be top-of-mind when new positions open up. Consider attending hackathons, industry conferences, and staying connected to past classmates and managers on LinkedIn.
- Keep up with the latest web development trends and industry news to make sure you’re staying up-to-date with new technologies that will affect your job role.
What Juno Students Have to Say About Web Development
Deciding to start a new career is a big decision, we know, and it’s one only you can make - but our team and grads are here to help throughout your entire journey! Hear from Anna Liang, a Juno graduate that launched their tech career journey through our 9-week Web Development Bootcamp:
“Before attending Juno, I was working in an industry that didn't excite or fulfill me. Every day, I felt lost and anxious regarding where the direction of my life was going. This prompted me to make a career switch, and after rekindling my love for web development, I decided a career as a web developer was the right fit for me. But after a year of trying to learn it on my own, I realized how much I missed being in a traditional classroom setting with instructors available at my fingertips to seek help from, and fellow classmates who I could work and share ideas with. After researching the different bootcamps in Toronto, I was drawn to Juno the most due to their overwhelmingly positive reviews, strong alumni community, and their emphasis on inclusiveness and diversity in the tech community.
Immediately since day one of bootcamp, I felt welcomed and supported. Students and instructors alike were all so kind and understanding and for the first time in a while, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere. Juno provided me with the confidence, skills, resources and support that I needed in order to achieve my dream of becoming a Front-End Developer (a goal that I wasn't even sure was attainable a few years ago). To the Juno staff, community members, and the students from Cohort 26, thank you so much for changing my life and making my dream come true.”
-Anna Liang, Front-End Web Developer at DRC Video
Ready to Start Your Career in Tech?
If you want to explore the possibilities of a career in web development, check out our free guide to Kickstarting Your Tech Career!