Full Stack Developer Job Outlook

In today’s tech-centered online world, skilled experts in web development and software engineering are in high demand. But, when considering a new career path, you want to be as sure as possible of your career prospects. This article will outline all the basics for you including what job titles you’re likely to see, what industries and salaries you can expect, and the future growth available to you as a Full Stack Developer. 

What is a Full Stack Developer?

A full-stack developer helps build and maintain both the front end and the back-end of a website. They must be skilled in a variety of areas: programming, database management, user experience, project management, and client communication. They are also skilled in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, NodeJS, ExpressJS, Django, and PHP. Equally, full-stack developers understand various database management systems (DBMS) like MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and more. 

Software developers require slightly different skills, tools, and software knowledge for frontend and backend development. Full stack development combines both disciplines—meaning teams can build applications from start to finish in an integrated and cohesive manner. This makes Full Stack Developers particularly valuable in the field of web development, allowing for higher earnings and greater long-term job stability. 

What is the Job Outlook for Graphic Design?

Job Outlook

When considering your potential career course, it's helpful to know what job titles to look for. You’ll most likely see the below titles listed in job postings on sites like Indeed and LinkedIn:

• Full Stack Developer 
• Full Stack Engineer
• Web Developer
• Junior Developer
• Software Engineer

Additionally, being trained in both front end and back-end development also means you can work as a Front End Developer or a Back-End Developer. Being trained in full-stack development means you’re well suited for more roles than those who have trained in more specific fields. This not only opens up more initial opportunities but also ensures more pathways as your career progresses. 

Future Growth

While job outlook can be hard to predict for some fields, Full Stack Developers can be assured that their field isn’t going anywhere. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 13% job growth for Full Stack Developers between 2020 and 2030, which is more than double the 6% average for all jobs. It’s also estimated that the economy may create 17,900 new developer job openings every year based on potential retirement patterns and online business growth trends. The BLS also predicts that internet business expansion may increase the web developer job market by creating more potential job opportunities.

Industries

As a Full Stack Developer, you have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries. You could work in IT and computer science which according to the BLS, is the industry with the highest percentage of Web Developers and Digital Designers. The job outlook for computer science design and related services is also promising, with a projected 37.5% growth rate over the next ten years.

Software publishers are the second-highest employers of web and digital interface designers. They are also one of the top-paying industries for web development pros, with Web Developers earning an annual mean wage of about $93,000. In software publishing, well-known companies like Squarespace and Appfire offer solutions to help customers modernize their tech stacks, increase sales, and create valuable customer relationships.

The banking and financial services industry also offers numerous opportunities for Full Stack Developers. The rapid growth of online banking services, including mobile banking, has made the demand for Full Stack Web Developers more urgent than ever. Giant multinationals like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase call on development pros to monitor traffic, enhance website performance, and ensure security.

Finally, the education industry employs a substantial number of developers. This industry includes state, local, and private institutions of higher learning, from preschools to universities and all these organizations rely on Full Stack Developers to create and maintain their websites. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that U.S. post-secondary institutions spent $671 billion from 2019-2020, so there’s ample opportunities for the well trained. 

Salary

According to Indeed, the average salary for a full stack developer is $125,199 per year in the United States, well above the national average salary for all jobs. As you probably already know, salary ranges will depend on the location of the role. If you’re in a major metropolitan area, like San Francisco, New York, or Austin, you can expect higher salary ranges than those in areas like Cincinnati or Milwaukee. Some states require salary ranges to be listed on job postings but you may have to do some sleuthing for those that don’t. Sites like Glassdoor, Fishbowl, and Indeed allow previous and current employees to share their salary ranges as well as any feedback on the position they work and the company that employs them. 

How Do I Find a Full Stack Developer Job?

There are many ways to find a job in full stack development. If you attend professional training, you may be able to network with your instructor, fellow students, and other alumni. You’l also typically have the opportunity to create a portfolio of your work and receive coaching on applying and interviewing for positions. 

Job search sites are the easiest way to see everything that’s available. You can search in your current area, your desired area, or for fully remote roles. Most of these sites will allow you to filter your searches for specific job titles, pay ranges, and experience levels. It’s important to note that these sites rely on the job posters to remove their postings when the role is filled, which doesn’t always happen in a timely fashion. You’ll want to pay attention to posting dates or filter your search to list the most recent postings first to ensure you’re viewing the most up to date positions. 

While not as common, internships can be used to work your way into a full-time role. Internships can be paid or unpaid but both will offer you real-world experience and plenty of professional connections. If you work hard and prove your competence, the company may even hire you at the end of your internship, allowing you to begin your dream job without having to deal with the ups and downs of the job application process. 

Learn the Skills to Become a Full Stack Developer at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers several professional training courses that will properly prepare you for a career in full stack development. Held both live online or in-person at their office in New York City, Noble Desktop’s courses boast top-notch curriculum, industry-expert instructors, and additional career and support resources. Their certificate and bootcamp programs result in a certificate of completion that can be added to your LinkedIn profile and presented to potential employers during the interview process. Below are a few of the most relevant courses for those interested in becoming Full Stack Developers. 

Full Stack Web Development Certificate

This thorough certificate training teaches you how to program the visual appearance of a web application (the front end) and the infrastructure that allows it to function (the back end) to create complete web pages. Project-oriented, it will cover everything you need to know to code websites from scratch while building a portfolio of working web applications to showcase to potential employers.

This course takes 17 weeks for full-time students and ten months for part-time. This course includes 1:1 mentoring and one free retake, and financial assistance options (like installments and financing) are available for those in need. You’ll receive a certificate of completion at the end of this training that can be added to your resume, cover letter, or online portfolio. 

Software Engineering Certificate

This program is divided into front end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development. You will learn HTML to mark up web pages and CSS for styling; the fundamentals of JavaScript and Git; and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, reorder, and adapt web page content to different size screens. You’ll then move on to the fundamental JavaScript programming concepts, including variables, data types, loops, and DOM. Plus, you’ll cover topics like React, a powerful JavaScript library for web development, and master Node.js, MongoDB, and Express.js to round out your JavaScript development skills.

By creating a portfolio of projects, preparing for common interview questions, and polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile, this course will have you ready to pursue a new job in software engineering in as little as 20 weeks (on a full-time schedule). One-on-one mentoring and a free one-year retake are included in the cost of this course. Payment plans and tuition assistance are available, and this training requires no previous experience, making it great for beginners.

Python Developer Bootcamp

This three-week course teaches Python for software development with Django, Django REST, and other developer tools like Git and SQL. You’ll start by learning the basics of Python including its lexical syntax, then move to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. In week two, you'll learn object-oriented programming, how to work with APIs, and get an introduction to web databases using SQL. By creating projects that can be added to your portfolio, you’ll master URL dispatchers, querying models, and automating tasks with Django, as well as how to work with images, authentication, and use API endpoints with Django REST. 

It’s recommended that you are comfortable coding HTML and basic CSS. You should possess equivalent knowledge of Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS class, and mastery of another programming language is helpful, but not required. Payment plans and financing are available, in addition to extra perks like one-on-one mentoring, a free one-year retake, and a verified digital certificate are included with your purchase.