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Web developer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$92,650median pay per year, or $44.54 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $48,100lowest 10% earn less
  2. $64,23025th percentile
  3. $92,650median
  4. $126,23075th percentile
  5. $162,290top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

A web developer earned a median of $92,650 a year in May 2025, well above the median for all occupations[1][2]. BLS projects 3.8% job growth by 2035, close to the rate for all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.8%[3]
Openings per year
5,300[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do web developers make?

Web developers earned a median of $92,650 a year, or $44.54 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2], so web development pays above the all-occupations middle. The average (mean) was $98,770 a year[8].

The spread is wide:

Level Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[5][9] $48,100 $23.12
25th percentile[5][9] $64,230 $30.88
Median[1] $92,650 $44.54
75th percentile[5][9] $126,230 $60.69
90th percentile[5][9] $162,290 $78.03

A percentile is a boundary, so the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,100[5]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10]. These numbers cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[11]. That matters here because 17.5% of web developers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Washington had the highest state median for web developers at $130,440[13]. Virginia followed at $128,380 and California at $119,570[13]. California also had the most jobs at 7,320, then Texas at 4,910 and Virginia at 4,590[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $166,670, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was next at $152,450[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 4,200, with a median of $104,820[16]. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria came second on jobs with 3,840[16].

Show median pay in 43 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[13]$130,4404,430
Virginia$128,3804,590
California$119,5707,320
District of Columbia$114,690430
Maryland$112,6901,960
Missouri$103,7501,160
Minnesota$101,0201,200
Utah$100,1701,280
New York$98,5803,990
Massachusetts$98,4701,940
Michigan$98,4701,580
Rhode Island$98,140n/a
North Carolina$96,6102,030
New Jersey$95,1802,250
Wisconsin$90,6301,180
Georgia$90,3401,500
Pennsylvania$86,3801,670
Colorado$85,9501,680
Connecticut$85,930750
Texas$85,8004,910
Louisiana$85,330490
Illinois$84,8204,310
Vermont$84,55070
Nevada$83,220340
Kentucky$82,630270
Indiana$80,870860
Nebraska$80,350230
Idaho$79,290220
Oklahoma$78,580410
New Hampshire$78,260470
West Virginia$78,240400
South Carolina$78,190710
Arizona$76,2301,010
Delaware$76,020n/a
Tennessee$74,7601,620
Kansas$73,590500
North Dakota$72,190n/a
Wyoming$68,41050
New Mexico$68,120130
Oregon$64,4601,140
Iowa$64,210420
Montana$62,060550
South Dakota$51,100390
Arkansas$50,550400

How to become a web developer

The training details in this section come from a BLS profile that covers web developers together with digital designers, so it describes a wider group[17].

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education for web developers, with no related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[7]. The profile itself says requirements vary with the work setting and range from a high school diploma to a bachelor's degree[18][19].

In an ONET survey of 24 workers, 46% said a bachelor's degree is required, 17% a post-secondary certificate and 17% an associate's degree[23]. ONET places the job in Job Zone Three, which means previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience is needed[24]. With a bachelor's degree, people may advance to project manager[25].

What web developers do

Web developers build and run websites, web applications and the databases behind them. They also check that code works across browsers and devices[26]. Typical tasks include:

The BLS profile for the wider group says attention to detail matters, because a small coding error can stop a whole page working[28]. It also lists problem solving, communication and creativity[29][30][31].

Where they work

BLS describes full-time work as the usual schedule for web developers and digital designers[32]. Computer systems design and related services was the largest employer group for this wider group, at 21%[33]. Among web developers, 17.5% were self-employed in 2025[12].

Job outlook

BLS projects web developer employment to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 87,400 jobs to 90,600[3]. Employment across all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[4]. The two rates are close. These counts include self-employed workers[3], so they differ from the 70,190 wage and salary jobs in the pay data[34].

BLS names a factor that works against growth. Low-code tools and artificial intelligence are expected to automate more web development and let other workers do some of it[35].

About 5,300 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings count retirements and moves to other occupations as well as new jobs[6]. Each year, 2% of web developers are projected to leave the labor force and 3.6% to switch occupations[36].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay above the all-occupations median[1][2] and more than one way in, from a bachelor's degree to work samples[7][22]. The wide pay spread means results differ a lot, with a 10th percentile of $48,100 and a 90th percentile of $162,290[5]. Growth is close to the all-occupations rate[3][4], and BLS flags low-code tools and AI as a pressure on the share of employment[35].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[37].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a web developer make an hour?
The median was $44.54 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $23.12 and the 90th percentile was $78.03[9].
What degree do you need to be a web developer?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7]. Its profile of the wider group says requirements range from a high school diploma to a bachelor's degree[19].
Is web development in demand?
BLS projects 3.8% growth from 2025 to 2035 against 3.5% for all occupations[3][4], with about 5,300 openings a year[6].
What is the highest paying state for web developers?
Washington had the highest median at $130,440 in May 2025[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Web Developers in the US was $92,650 per year and $44.54 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Web Developers is projected to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 87,400 to 90,600 jobs (a change of +3,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Web Developers: 10th percentile $48,100, 25th percentile $64,230, 75th percentile $126,230, 90th percentile $162,290. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 5,300 openings for Web Developers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Web Developers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Web Developers was $98,770 per year and $47.49 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Web Developers: 10th percentile $23.12, 25th percentile $30.88, 75th percentile $60.69, 90th percentile $78.03. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 17.5% of Web Developers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Web Developers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Web Developers jobs: California 7,320; Texas 4,910; Virginia 4,590; Washington 4,430; Illinois 4,310. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Web Developers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $166,670; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $152,450; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $134,350; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $130,440; Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $111,560; Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $108,550; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $108,520; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $107,590. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Web Developers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,200 (median $104,820); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,840 (median $134,350); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,470 (median $130,440); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,790 (median $96,870); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,310 (median $107,290); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,660 (median $96,740). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Web Developers and Digital Designers" covers Web Developers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 15-1254.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 46%, Post-Secondary Certificate 17%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 17%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET 15-1254.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. O*NET description of Web Developers. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET task list for Web Developers. O*NET OnLine
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of web developers and digital designers in 2025: Computer systems design and related services 21%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 70,190 people were employed as Web Developers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  35. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Web Developers: Occupational substitution, capital/labor substitution - share decreases as low- and no-code tools, along with artificial intelligence (AI), increasingly automate web development and increasingly allow other workers to complete web development tasks. BLS Employment Projections
  36. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Web Developers: 2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  37. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.