Back End Developer Job Search Tips & Best Practices

Skilled Back End Developers are sought after all over the country, and this career is predicted to continue to see strong growth in the future. No matter where you live, you’re likely to find open Back End Developer Jobs. In some cases, Back End Developers have the option to work remotely, meaning that they can work from any location that they choose. However, while jobs in this field can be found in many different locations, statistics reveal that they are more concentrated in certain metropolitan areas. Keep reading to learn more about the cities that are most likely to provide a high number of back end development jobs.

What Is a Back End Developer?

Every website has both a front end and a back end. The front end is made up of all the elements that website users see and interact with. The back end is those things that users don’t see, but are essential to the function of the site. Back End Developers are responsible for building and maintaining the back end. They work with the server, databases, architecture, and application programming interfaces (APIs). Their job includes coding, designing, testing, debugging, and ensuring that the sites they create are secure.

While the work that a Back End Developer does is not visible, it is a crucial part of the online user experience. Some people call the back end the engine that makes the website run. It processes the requests that are made by users, and generates responses that it sends back to the front end. For instance, when a user adds items to a shopping cart, the back end makes calculations about the cost of the item, tax, and the shipping cost, and then sends that information to the front end where it is viewed by the user. A Back End Developer is responsible for making sure that all of these behind-the-scenes actions happen quickly and seamlessly. 

People have been working in back end web development since the creation of the very first website, which went live in 1993. Their jobs have continued to evolve over time in response to the continual evolution of web technology. For example, as mobile devices have become an increasingly popular way to access websites, the concept of responsive design has become important, where websites need to adapt to a variety of screen sizes and orientations.

Where to Find Back End Developer Jobs

New York City

New York City is a tech hub and offers many different opportunities in web development, including back end development. NYC International Business, a website created by the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, reports that over the past ten years, New York City has seen 18 percent growth in jobs in the tech sector. It calls this city “the fastest-growing tech hub in the United States. According to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), of all U.S. metropolitan areas, New York has the highest employment level for Web Developers, employing almost 6,000 people. The annual mean wage there is about $95,000.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is also known for its tech scene. According to the Washington, D.C. Economic Partnership, a nonprofit organization that promotes economic development in Washington, D.C., this city is the third-best city in the country for tech. The organization says, “Washington, D.C. tech companies are engineering the next digital revolution in one of the hottest East Coast tech hubs.” BLS reports that the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area employs more than 4,000 Web Developers, making it second among U.S. metropolitan areas for overall employment of Web Developers. It is also a top-paying area, with an annual mean wage of about $118,000.

Seattle

Seattle is another U.S. tech center. The City of Seattle website explains, “Seattle is a global leader in technology and innovation, with decades-long history of being at the helm of software, retail/ecommerce, gaming, and new emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and AR/VR.” CompTIA estimates that almost 13 percent of Seattle’s workforce--or almost 290,000 people--is employed in tech. Seattle employs almost 4,000 Web Developers, according to BLS, making it the third-largest employer among U.S. metropolitan areas. It is also the third-highest paying area, with an annual mean wage of about $125,000.

San Francisco

The San Francisco area has long been a tech hub. In an article titled, “The 25 Best Tech Companies in San Francisco to Work for--A Flatiron School Guide,” the Flatiron School states, “For the past three decades, the Bay Area has been the hub for technology-driven economic growth in the US.” It reports, “Silicon Valley is home to some of the most prominent companies in the world including Apple, Google, Facebook, and Intel.” According to BLS data, among U.S. metropolitan areas, San Francisco ranks in the top five both for employment levels for Web Developers, and for wages. Approximately 2,800 people are employed in this profession there, with an annual mean wage of about $148,000. 

Los Angeles

Los Angeles provides many job opportunities in tech, including for Back End Developers. In 2023, CBRE ranked Los Angeles as a top tech market, placing it in the number fourteen spot on its annual Scoring Tech Talent list. It reports that the area added 36,650 tech jobs between 2017 and 2022. The Los Angeles metropolitan area employs about 3,200 Back End Developers, according to BLS, making it a top-ten employer among U.S. metropolitan areas. The annual mean wage in this city is $105,000.

Back End Developer Salary and Job Outlook

Salary and employment data show that back end development jobs tend to pay very well, and that strong growth is expected in this field in the future. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a federal agency that gathers and analyzes information about the U.S. labor market. It projects 8 percent job growth over the next decade for Web Developers and Digital Designers. This is much faster than the average growth rate of only 4 percent. BLS says that about 16,500 job openings are expected each year on average between 2023 and 2033. The average salary for a Back End Developer is between $88,000 and $155,000 yearly.

According to BLS, consumer demand is one factor driving the growing need for web developers. It explains, “Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow as ecommerce continues to expand. As retail firms keep increasing their online offerings, demand for these workers is expected to grow.” In addition, says the agency, the widespread use of mobile devices is impacting demand. It says, “The continued use of mobile devices to search the web is expected to generate demand for web developers and digital designers to create websites and interfaces that work on mobile devices with many different screen sizes.”

Learn the Skills to Become a Back End Developer at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers a number of different classes designed for aspiring Back End Developers. Its course options include in-person and live online classes, in addition to a variety of flexible scheduling options such as part-time programs and courses that run on weeknights and weekends. All classes come with a certificate of completion and the option of a free retake within a year. Noble Desktop is based in New York City, and is licensed by the New York State Education Department.

• The Full-Stack Web Development Certificate is a popular Noble Desktop offering. It covers both front end and back end web development. In this class, you’ll learn to code with HTML and CSS, in addition to learning JavaScript. The course also covers Node.js for web apps, MongoDB for working with databases, and Express.js for API development. Learning is project-based, and by the end of the course, you will have developed a portfolio of working web applications. The course comes with ten one-on-one mentoring sessions, which can be used for career support or extra help with challenging concepts. In 2024 it was awarded Best Full-Stack Developer Bootcamp by Forbes Advisor. 

• The Python Developer Certificate covers all the skills that you’ll need to become a Python Developer. In 2024, it was awarded Best Python Bootcamp by Forbes Advisor. You’ll learn the fundamentals of Python, and you’ll also learn web development with Django and Django REST. In addition, you’ll learn about object-oriented programming, how to work with APIs, and how to use Git and SQL. You’ll also work on a portfolio of projects and receive guidance from the lead instructor. This class comes with four one-on-one mentoring sessions. Students should have basic HTML and CSS skills.

• In the JavaScript Development Certificate, you’ll gain a variety of in-demand skills that will prepare you to work in web development with JavaScript. In addition to learning JavaScript, you’ll learn how to create web applications with React and Node.js, how to work with APIs, and how to incorporate third-party frameworks and libraries. You’ll also create a portfolio of projects. In order to take this class, you should have basic HTML and CSS skills. The class includes eight one-on-one mentoring sessions.

• Another Noble option is the Software Engineering Certificate. This is a comprehensive, multi-week course. You’ll learn about front end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development. This includes learning a variety of front end tools including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You’ll also learn Flexbox and Grid for layout and adapting to different screen sizes, and Git for version control. As part of the course, you’ll create a working desktop application with React and deploy it using AWS. In addition, the course covers Python, including syntax, dictionaries, sorting algorithms, and custom functions. Finally, you’ll learn to use Django and Django Rest. Twelve one-on-one mentoring sessions are included, and you’ll also create a portfolio.

Noble Desktop also offers a number of shorter classes that only take a day or two to complete, where you can learn a smaller set of skills. For example, if you’re looking to improve your coding skills, Noble offers a short beginner class called Web Development with HTML & CSS, where you can learn to create webpages by coding with HTML and CSS. In this class, you’ll learn to use HTML to create webpages that have text and images. You’ll also learn to use CSS for styling content, creating centered page layouts, adding background images, style navigation, and for making responsive pages that adapt to various screen sizes. If you already know the basics of HTML and CSS, you might be more interested in Noble’s Advanced HTML and CSS class. This class covers a variety of advanced topics including SVG, CSS variables, gradients, shadows, positioning, transitions, transforms, and responsive images.