Typical entry: Bachelor's degree
Front-end web developer
Front-end developers build the parts of websites and apps people see and click, using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and a framework such as React. They work with designers and back-end developers.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a front-end web developer makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$92,650
$44.54 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $64,230
- 75th percentile
- $126,230
- 90th percentile
- $162,290
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 50%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +3.8%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 5,300
- BLS projections
Read this before you plan on it
How people get in without a degree
The Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate teaches the React stack employers list, and a public GitHub with two or three deployed projects is the credential that gets interviews. Freelance sites and small-business work build the first paid experience.
The work, as O*NET defines it: Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.
The next step
Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate
- Typical cost
- $49 per month on Coursera, typically $200 to $350 total
- Time to complete
- About 7 months at 10 hours a week
Where to start Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a front-end web developer?
Not always. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, but 50% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). Employers that hire without one look for the credential and the work described on this page.
How much does a front-end web developer make?
The median pay was $92,650 a year ($44.54 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $64,230 and $126,230, and the top 10 percent earned more than $162,290.
How long does it take to become a front-end web developer?
About 7 months at 10 hours a week. The typical cost is $49 per month on Coursera, typically $200 to $350 total.
Is front-end web developer work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035 with about 5,300 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 15-1254.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile