Career change to web developer
Web Developers earn a median of $92,650 a year (BLS, May 2025). Below: the jobs whose skills carry over best, what you need to get in, and pay.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025 and BLS CPS 2025 · How we match careers
- Median pay
- $92,650
- Usual preparation
- 1–2 years (training or associate)
- Workers 45 or older
- 26%
- U.S. jobs
- 70,190
The best jobs to switch from
Jobs whose skills carry over best into web developers, by our career-change match score, with the skills people in that job usually need to build.
| If you are now… | Match | Your median pay now | Skills to build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop Publishers | 80% | $55,290 | Programming, Operations Analysis, Technology Design |
| Search Marketing Strategists | 73% | $78,760Broader BLS group | Operations Analysis, Programming, Troubleshooting |
| Graphic Designers | 62% | $62,960 | Programming, Troubleshooting, Equipment Selection |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | 62% | $102,030 | Programming, Operations Analysis, Quality Control Analysis |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | 52% | $55,490 | Programming, Operations Analysis, Instructing |
Skills to build: skills that are at least 0.25 points more important in the new career (O*NET 31.0 importance, 1–5). How we match careers
What you need to get in
Education
- 46% of workers say the job requires bachelor's degree
- 17% of workers say the job requires post-secondary certificate
- 17% of workers say the job requires associate's degree or other 2-year degree
Usual preparation: 1–2 years (training or associate) (O*NET 31.0 Job Zone). Most common on-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Similar careers to consider
The careers most like web developers by skills and daily work (O*NET 31.0).
- Data Warehousing Specialists83% similar · $139,500 · A bachelor's degree
- Web Administrators82% similar · $116,580 · A bachelor's degree
- Software Developers82% similar · $135,980 · A bachelor's degree
- Database Architects82% similar · $139,500 · A bachelor's degree
- Computer Programmers82% similar · $100,390 · A bachelor's degree
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers81% similar · $104,300 · A bachelor's degree
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Questions about switching to web developer
What jobs make it easiest to switch to web developer?
By our skill match, people working as Desktop Publishers (80%), Search Marketing Strategists (73%) and Graphic Designers (62%) have the most transferable experience.
What education do you need for web developer?
Web Developers: 46% of workers report bachelor's degree as required; 17% of workers report post-secondary certificate as required; 17% of workers report associate's degree or other 2-year degree as required (O*NET 31.0). Usual preparation: 1–2 years (training or associate).
Is it too late to switch to web developer at 40?
26% of web developers are 45 or older and their median age is 36.2 (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025).
How much do web developers make?
The national median is $92,650 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). Highest-paying states: Washington ($130,440), Virginia ($128,380), California ($119,570).