Web Developer
Information Technology
Build the websites and web apps people use every day.
Why it matters here: Every DMV agency and contractor needs web presence work.
Labor Market — DMV Region
Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS releases (DMV metro and nationwide) plus MD, VA, and D.C. workforce agencies.
Local cost of living is why DMV pay often differs from the national median.
- DMV & state figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS wage & employment estimates and Employment Projections, with OEWS area pay relatives for the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro, Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia · View source
- Occupation profiles & skills: O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor) · onetonline.org
All salary figures are published estimates for groups of workers, not offers or guarantees for any individual role.
Education & Career Pathways
Multiple ways to get here — pick the one that fits your life.
Career Progression
How you can grow — with expected salary at each step.
- Entry-level Web DeveloperLearning the role, supervised work, building core skills.$67,580
- Web Developer (experienced)Independent work, mentoring newer team members.$92,610
- Senior / Lead Web DeveloperOwning projects, specialization, higher responsibility.$134,070
- Manager or specialist trackSupervising a team or moving into a high-demand specialty.$160,884
Skills Required
What you'll actually do — and how you'll be judged.
Agency or in-house desk, weekday hours, launch deadlines
Where you work
An agency studio, an in-house marketing team, or freelance from home.
Hours and schedule
Weekday hours with intense stretches right before a site launch or campaign.
Pace and pressure
Project-based with visible, fast feedback — your work is public within days.
Who you work with
Close collaboration with designers, content writers and clients who change their minds.
Physical demands
Desk work.
What people wear
Casual; smart casual for client meetings.
Remote reality
Very remote-friendly, and one of the most common freelance paths in tech.
Workplace culture: what's normal here
- Client feedback rounds are structured and billed; scope creep is managed openly.
- Accessibility and mobile performance are checked before launch, not after complaints.
- Sharing components and templates across projects is how agencies stay profitable.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Work Environment, with regional detail for the DMV.
Official data behind this career
Federal statistics for DMV Region, translated into plain language.
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metro area
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP03, DP02, DP05)
- The DMV functions as one labor market: workers routinely cross state lines to get to work.
- The largest employment destinations are D.C., Fairfax County and Montgomery County.
Top places these workers go to work
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — BEA regional GDP and personal income, most recent published year
Private-sector payroll data from ADP. It is a supplemental near-real-time indicator and does not replace BLS government employment statistics.
Source: ADP National Employment Report — Most recent monthly ADP National Employment Report
- 1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH, OEWS, Employment Projections, CES) — Primary source for occupation wages, outlook, projected openings, education and training.
- 2U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey — Primary source for income, educational attainment, labor force and demographic context by place.
- 3Census LEHD (LODES / OnTheMap) — Primary source for where workers live versus where they work, and local workforce flows.
- 4U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Primary source for regional GDP, industry contribution, compensation and personal income.
- 5ADP National Employment Report — Supplemental near-real-time private-sector employment and pay indicator. Not a replacement for BLS.
Figures describe groups of workers, not any one person. Where an official figure is not published for a category, this page says “Data unavailable for this category.” rather than estimating.
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