A Web Developer is in charge of writing code that instructs websites on how to run. Web developers are usually divided into two categories: “front-end” (“client-side”) and “back-end” (“server-side”) development.
While some successful web developers work full-time for one company. Freelancing has grown equally lucrative in recent years. With time, society’s perspective has shifted. So, freelancers are now treated equally.
Whether you’re a freelance developer or looking for more traditional employment, prefer frontend or backend work, or want to know which languages pay more, here’s a handy guide that will give you an idea on how to earn as a web developer.
Freelancers have the convenience of working from home. Moreover, they have the ability to create their work schedule. As a result of increased globalization and technological advancements. Tons of large opportunities have opened up in a variety of areas.
Regardless, whether you work full-time or as a freelancer. A solid understanding of programming languages is essential to earning well. While learning as many languages as possible is crucial, keeping up with new technological advances is also important. As it improves your profile and increases your chances of getting lucrative assignments.
It’s often difficult to estimate how much freelance web developers make with different sites quoting varying estimates. Also, various metrics determine the pay of a developer which are often highly variable from project to project or even from one employer to another.
If you are a complete beginner with a fairly new portfolio you will struggle to negotiate higher rates. However, this also boils down to how much convincing power you hold to make the employer believe in your capabilities as a developer.
It’s safe to say though, that web developers generally enjoy higher hourly rates than most other jobs. According to some resources the average hourly rate is around $60.
Also, it’s only fitting to mention that freelancers enjoy the flexibility of WFH. Also, in work hours compared to traditional office jobs they don’t have to clock in or out. They can adjust their working hours depending on each project while enjoying the privilege of working across borders.
Let’s now compare a “true” freelancer to people who are employed full-time but are allowed to work remotely hence enjoy some of the same benefits along with a sense of security. According to some estimates, the average salary of people working full-time remote web developer jobs is between $70,000 to $100,000.
According to 310 employees and past and present job postings on Indeed in the last 36 months, the average WordPress developer pay in the United States is $58,254 per year as of December 4, 2019. According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly compensation for a WordPress Developer in the United States is a little more than indicated on Indeed, at $63,478 per year as of December 2, 2019.
If you are new to the world of web development, let’s first go over what a front-end developer usually does. Front-end web development is also sometimes referred to as client-side development. It is the process of creating HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for a website or Web application. So that a user can see and interact with it.
It’s important to mention that with front-end development. The tools and technologies are changing in a constant way. So, you will have to learn and adapt. It’s important that the end product is not just responsive and interactive. Yet, also adaptable to different screen sizes and resolutions. There is also an added struggle with different browsers.
As there are tons of online web developer courses available. So, you can start with the basics of the front-end. Yet, to get as a developer you need a web developer degree with CS/SE/IT.
Now let’s talk about the pay scale. The salary will depend on the language you know. Yet, generally, front-end developers earn on average $75,000/year. There are different salaries quoted on different sites.
We will take a look at the top 3 sites:
Server-side development, referring to as back-end development. Databases, scripting, and website architecture are all covered under the umbrella of the back-end.
It describes the operations that take place behind the scenes. When a user performs a specific activity on a website. It could be logging into an account or purchasing anything from an internet retailer. Back-end developers write code that allows browsers to interface with database information.
Back-end developers generally earn more than their front-end counterparts. Thus, the average earning is around $100,000k/year.
A full-stack developer is someone who works on both the front and back ends of a website or application. This means they may work on projects involving databases, user-facing websites. Also, even working with customers during the planning stage.
As a Full-Stack developer, you should be familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You should also know at least one back-end language.
Although most full-stack engineers specialize in one back-end programming language. Such as Ruby, PHP, or Python, some, especially if they’ve been working as a developer for a while, work with many others. In most job postings, you’ll find phrases like “full stack Ruby developer” etc.
You will get surprised to know that some places need full-stack developers. So, to know project management as well as UI/UX. Full-Stack developers generally earn the highest in the trio. The average salary of a full-stack developer is anywhere around $91,000/year.
Let’s look at some of the estimates given on some sites:
When looking for jobs or even when researching online. So, you must have come across terms like a junior web developer or a senior web developer. Some companies also classify these jobs such as an entry-level web developer, a mid-tier web developer, and a high-tier web developer.
For senior positions at least 5+ years of experience is required after a professional degree such as a bachelor’s. According to Skillcrush, for an entry-level front- end web developer, you can expect to earn on average $61,000/year.
If you have experience of 3 – 5 years this can go up to $100,000+/year as you will now be considered a mid-tier or experienced web developer and will have a nice portfolio as well. So it’s safe to say that experience counts!
However, even if you are just starting out and have no experience under your belt, not all is lost. One way to build experience and a great portfolio is to look for projects that are open-source and want developers to contribute to.
A great example of this is Shopify. All of Shopify’s themes are built on an open-source theme framework and tonnes of “Shopify” jobs that are advertised on platforms like Upwork right now. If you contribute to this, a potential Shopify client down the label will definitely consider this as a good and relevant experience.
Experience also allows you to specialize and “become an expert” so to speak. According to John Morris following the completion of Michael Hyatt’s membership site, a group of his followers sought to build something similar to what he had.
They then began the hunt for the developer who was behind it. And because he was the only person (literally) on the planet who knew the exact code and could create it for them, he was able to convince every single one of those clients to employ him!
Whether you are working full-time or as a freelancer managing your finances is key to long-term success and financial independence. If you are a freelancer ask yourselves these questions:
Are you able to cover the rent for the following month?
What about the rent for the following six months?
Are the lights going to stay on?
Will you be able to pay your auto loan on time?
Having a game plan with how you manage your money allows you to reinvest in things that can ultimately help you earn more or supplement your income. If you are thinking of transitioning from a full-time role to a freelance one, don’t risk it all at once.
Transition slowly from a 9 to 5 by taking up smaller side projects before shifting completely. This allows room for mistakes and also allows you to save up to re-invest e.g into learning a new skill, a new more advanced tech stack, etc.
You’ll end up getting hired for more work but getting paid less if you spread yourself too thin (presumably by offering too many services).
As an expert, on the other hand, you’ll charge significantly greater prices despite controlling only a small portion of the market. The difference between an expert and a beginner, at the end of the day, is that specialists work smarter, not harder.
The clients you work for and the other skilled professionals you encounter will become your network. To meet new people and develop relationships with people from varied backgrounds, it’s essential to cast a wide net.
Referrals are the lifeblood of the freelancing sector, find people that have no qualms about directing someone to another competent expert that they trust.
As your network expands, you’ll notice an increase in the number of private leads coming in. This helps you to gradually minimize the amount of time you spend in a public forum looking for new tasks. Another advantage of preferred leads is that there is far less competition: these projects are usually shared with only one or two highly skilled specialists, rather than a hundred or more.
Your network and the relationships you build are what will get you repeat business. Providing your clients with a direct line of communication saves them time and allows them to avoid using the public forum entirely. You’ll almost certainly receive direct bookings for all of their future projects after you’ve shown your worth.
Joining affiliate networks to make money for your referrals is a good idea. If you join a program like GoDaddy’s Affiliate Program, you should do it because you actually enjoy the service, not because you believe it’ll make you a fast money.
These are professional chances, therefore don’t be a spammer who offers unsolicited counsel to customers just to increase your bank account balance – clients can smell this garbage a mile away.
To round it out, a survey conducted by Payoneer revealed that of 23,000 freelancers in 180 countries. The average freelancer works 36 hours per week and earns $21/hour. That works out to $39,000 each year.
So, what do you earn as a freelancer or a full-time developer? It depends on varying degrees of experience, skill-set, job category, and even location.
Yet, with our perception. Freelancing is the fastest way to earn extra money as a web developer. Hope you have an idea of how to make money as a web developer.
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