Last Updated on 2024/10/22 by BrieferBob
Web Design Career Outlook Is Strong!
Web Design occupational trends are on the rise! The market demand is ever-growing, ever expanding. The professional options are many.
From self-employed freelancing to corporate firm or even working for the federal Executive Branch, web design is here to stay. The projection for the market is growth!. The Bureau Of Labor Statistics projects that between 2014-2024, employment growth for web design will be faster than the average occupation. A 27% rate of growth compared to the average occupation growth of 7%. Those with creative minds and a drive to achieve need only apply!
Income Potential
As of February, 2017, the median annual income for a web designer was $72,140 with the typical salary ranging from just over $61,000 on the low side to slightly over $82,000 on the high side. Compare these salary ranges with what they were in 2012. The typical web designer in 2012 earned between $53,750 to $88,000. As the demand for e-commerce continues to outpace the on-site retail industry, web design professionals become premium to virtually any company offering a service or product to the public. In fact, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Buyers, a venture capital firm, reported back in 2015 that digital media consumption was being taken over by the mobile device market over traditional desktop platforms, and with no slowing in sight!
Variables do exist based on geographical location. For example, California is the largest employer of web designers. Major metropolitan cities like New York, Washington, DC, Chicago, or Portland, Oregon are major employment hubs for web designers. And the pay scale is at the upper end for these cities. But one of the benefits of working in the internet market is flexibility. You can live almost anywhere you choose and still work for anyone, located anywhere.
Educational Background
As surprising as it may seem, not all open positions for web design require a college degree. Practically any field of creativity involving the internet today is changing so fast that it requires constant learning of new and progressive platforms. You can’t ignore the explosive growth of social media and smart phones in just the past few years. Facebook became the new MySpace. Broadband internet connectivity replaced AOL. Flash is now on its way out. All of this happening while mobile devices are becoming the driving force over desktop computers.
Granted, a degree can’t hurt, but when it comes right down to it, there’s nothing that can be substituted for real hands-on experience. It’s a matter of finding what it is you really want to do, and then decide what will get you there sooner than later. Maybe it is a degree that you’ll need. Maybe not.
Getting Started
Courses like Designing Effective Websites can be a great launching pad for a new career in a field that shows no slowing in sight! Intermediate Java Programming or Responsive Design can also provide you with solid fundamentals to work from. You do not necessarily need to go deep into student loan debt. Yes, experience will dictate your earnings. Earning $20 an hour or $50 an hour is not initially based on whether you have a degree or not. As in any occupation, earnings follow your real work experience and skill.
In conclusion, if you’re artistic and computer savvy, if you have a desire to feed your own passion in life, then you’re already well on your way to success! Because, when it comes to web design, that potential client won’t care if you have a college degree or not. It’s your ability to do the job that counts!