What is a .NET Developer? Explore the .NET Developer Career Path

The Day-to-Day as a .NET Developer

.NET is a Microsoft framework that can be used to develop applications for web, mobile, and Windows. It’s compatible with C#, Visual Basic (VB.NET), F#, and C++. A .NET Developer might work alone as a freelancer or contractor or on a team with Front End Developers, UX/UI Designers, and project leads. Primarily, larger companies use .NET but you can also find some smaller companies who use the technology. .NET Developers usually work full-time, either onsite or remotely.

The daily tasks of a .NET Developer might include responding to emails and helpdesk tickets, programming .NET applications, design and architecture meetings, creating wireframes and virtual prototypes, testing and validating code, executing code sprints, meeting deadlines, troubleshooting, fixing bugs, and logging your tasks in a project tracker. A .NET Developer’s main focus will likely be building web or mobile applications.

What Skills Should .NET Developers Have?

A .NET Developer should be proficient in C#, F#, Visual Studio, and .NET. If they’re working with the web they should also know JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Typescript, and Angular or Node. For mobile applications, they should know Xamarin and for the cloud, they should know Azure. .NET developers will be using SQL and databases often. .NET is one of the few frameworks where knowledge of its history is beneficial to the coder. They should also know the Roslyn compiler well.

The .NET Developer will primarily be working with back end web development and application creation. They should understand the software development life cycle, various types of project flows, tools for task assignment, and how to test and patch their code. Being a good resilient analytical thinker with good communication skills will get you a long way in this development specialization.

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Learn the Skills You Need to Become a .NET Developer

Coding

Coding is another way to say computer programming. It is how humans "instruct" computers through the process of designing and building a functioning computer program. Computer and web programs are built using coding languages like C, Python, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, and more. Coding can be used to create desktop, mobile, or web applications.

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SQL

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is a computer language used to store, manipulate, and retrieve data which is stored in a relational database.

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Web Development

Web development is the practice of building, creating, and maintaining websites. Web development uses coding languages to build a website for the internet.

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SQL Server

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that was created by Microsoft. SQL Servers are used to store and retrieve data as requested by connected software applications on the same computer or within a network.
JavaScript

JavaScript is an object-oriented computer programming language. It is mostly used for interactive effects and user experience enhancements within web browsers. JavaScript also has frameworks which allow Developers to quickly find and execute small chunks of prewritten JavaScript in a standard, predictable way.

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.NET Developer Salaries

A .NET Developer in the United States makes, on average, $109,935 annually, according to Indeed.com.

Salaries for .NET Developers vary by region within the the United States. Listed below are some .NET Developer salaries for specific areas with the United States compared with the average national salary:

U.S. Average $109K source n/a
Houston, TX $145K source
+32.68%
Chicago, IL $134K source
+22.3%
Dallas, TX $133K source
+21.08%
Alexandria, VA $128K source
+17.19%
New York City $124K source
+13.47%
Orange County, CA $117K source
+6.47%
U.S. Average $109K source n/a
Los Angeles, CA $107K source
-2.3%
Fairfax, VA $106K source
-2.79%
Washington, D.C. $104K source
-4.81%
Miami, FL $89K source
-18.86%

Searching for .NET Developer Jobs

.NET is used primarily by larger companies, but you can find smaller companies using it too. Developers can find .NET positions at systems and software firms, telecommunications and information technology companies, computer service providers, engineering offices, research and development in IT, and other large companies. Freelance .NET Developers are also consistently rising in demand and so are their salaries.

You can look for .NET positions on these sites:

Freelance or remote .NET positions can be found on these sites:

Tips to Become a .NET Developer

If you don’t have a computer science degree or development experience, you should consider starting out freelance. This will give you experience, a portfolio, and references for any positions you might want to apply for in the future! Whether you want to go freelance, work remotely, or find a company near you to work at, you should consistently be contributing to open source code on GitHub or through the .NET foundation. This will boost your experience, keep your skills sharp, and put your name out there.

What Job Titles Would a .NET Developer Hold?

.NET Developers can find jobs in many different environments from agencies to startups, corporations to IT companies. .NET Developers might choose to focus on web applications, back end web development, mobile applications, or software solutions.

Depending on the specialization, you might look for these job titles:

.NET Software Developer
.NET Software Engineer
.NET Web Developer
.NET Developer
.NET Engineer
.NET Mobile Developer
Dot Net Developer
.NET Architect or .NET Applications Architect
.NET Junior Programmer

The Day-to-Day as a .NET Developer

What Skills Should .NET Developers Have?

Learn the Skills You Need to Become a .NET Developer

Coding

SQL

Web Development

SQL Server

JavaScript

Dev Bootcamp

Software Engineering

.NET Developer Salaries

Typical Qualifications to Become a .NET Developer

Searching for .NET Developer Jobs

Tips to Become a .NET Developer

What Job Titles Would a .NET Developer Hold?

Related Careers

Salary Comparison to .NET Developer

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