Jane Sheppard, a renowned local news reporter in North Florida, brings you the latest insights on the web development industry. This industry has seen exponential growth over the last two or three decades, offering millions of individuals rewarding career paths and lucrative salaries. The median annual pay for a web developer in the United States stands at $92,750, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What do web developers do?
Web developers, in the words of Dan Martino, the digital director and founder of 914Digital, a New York-based digital media company, “take what a designer might put together and code the design” to create a website or webpage. These professionals are responsible for creating and deploying websites using various programming languages, whether working on the front or back end of the site. This specialized skill set is what traditionally makes web development a high-paying career.
Web developer salary variations
However, several factors can affect a web developer’s earnings. For instance, salary data from Indeed shows average base salaries for developers at just under $80,000 per year. Furthermore, a developer’s location can significantly influence their potential earnings. States like California, Washington, and Virginia, known for their large tech hubs such as Silicon Valley and Seattle, generally offer higher average salaries for developers.
But the tide is changing, says Nick Bunker, the Director of North American Economic Research at Indeed. He notes significant declines in web developer job numbers in San Francisco, Seattle, and San Jose, a part of the broader slowdown in the tech sector. However, developers “with the right skills, abilities, and ties to get in the door” are still likely to earn good salaries.
Cost of living considerations
The cost of living in different cities and states varies significantly, and this factor can affect how a web developer perceives their salary. For example, a web developer earning an average salary in California may not feel they have the same purchasing power as a developer earning the same salary in Wyoming. With the rise of remote work, developers now have more opportunities to navigate these complexities, potentially negotiating for a higher salary relative to local costs of living.
Web developer salary by state
Web developer salaries vary greatly by state, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here are the top five states with the highest average web developer income:
- Washington, D.C. – $112,490
- California – $111,910
- Washington – $108,410
- Virginia – $105,830
- Delaware – $102,450
These figures are balanced against each state’s cost of living index, as calculated by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). MERIC derives the cost of living index for each state by averaging the indices of participating cities and metropolitan areas in that state.
The takeaway
Web developers generally earn high relative salaries, but compensation can vary significantly depending on several factors, including location. Typically, developers are likely to command higher salaries in states that host tech hubs, such as California or Washington. However, with shifts in the tech sector and the rise of remote work, developers now have more options to weigh their options and possibly live in areas with lower costs of living. It’s also crucial to note that as of 2024, the tech sector is experiencing a slight contraction, with fewer jobs available than a few years ago. However, web development should still be an area of growth and opportunity in the long run.
