Work Environment

Web developers and digital designers held about 199,400 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of web developers and digital designers were as follows:

Self-employed workers - 18%

Work Schedules

Most web developers and digital designers work full time.

Job Outlook

Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 17,900 openings for web developers and digital designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow as ecommerce continues to expand. Online purchasing is expected to grow faster than the overall retail industry. As retail firms expand their online offerings, demand for these workers will grow. In addition, a rise in the use of mobile devices to search the web will lead to increased demand for web developers and digital designers. Instead of designing a website for a desktop computer, these workers will have to create sites and interfaces that work on mobile devices with many different screen sizes, leading to more work.

Because websites can be built from anywhere in the world, some developer and designer jobs could move to countries with lower wages. However, this practice may decline because the cost of managing workers in multiple countries can offset the savings to businesses. Furthermore, web developers and digital designers must understand cultural nuances that allow webpages to communicate effectively with users. U.S.-based developers and designers are better suited to this task, curtailing the work that may be moved to other countries.