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Job outlook for application software developers in the United States
Application software developer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected application software developer job growth rate is 21% from 2018-2028.
About 284,100 new jobs for application software developers are projected over the next decade.
Application software developer salaries have increased 10% for application software developers in the last 5 years.
There are over 278,303 application software developers currently employed in the United States.
There are 299,719 active application software developer job openings in the US.
The average application software developer salary is $104,724.
Are application software developer jobs in demand?
Application software developer job and salary trends over time
Application software developer jobs over time
Application software developer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 278,303 | 0.08% |
| 2020 | 548,107 | 0.16% |
| 2019 | 285,600 | 0.09% |
| 2018 | 618,334 | 0.19% |
| 2017 | 593,796 | 0.18% |
Average application software developer salary over time
Application software developer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $104,724 | $50.35 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $101,273 | $48.69 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $98,980 | $47.59 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $97,232 | $46.75 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $95,599 | $45.96 | +1.9% |
Application software developer jobs by state
Most common states for application software developers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 834 | 120% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 3,163 | 43% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,595 | 42% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 406 | 42% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 254 | 41% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 280 | 37% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 378 | 36% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,316 | 34% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,936 | 32% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 990 | 32% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 273 | 31% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 179 | 31% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,226 | 30% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,639 | 29% |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 376 | 28% |
| 16 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 375 | 28% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 279 | 27% |
| 18 | California | 39,536,653 | 10,324 | 26% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,408 | 24% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 412 | 24% |
Most common cities for application software developers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Herndon | 6 | 25% | $93,307 |
| 2 | Englewood | 6 | 18% | $84,838 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 6 | 15% | $92,644 |
| 4 | Juneau | 3 | 9% | $89,751 |
| 5 | Dover | 3 | 8% | $98,775 |
| 6 | Huntsville | 5 | 3% | $79,253 |
| 7 | Tallahassee | 5 | 3% | $81,393 |
| 8 | Lansing | 3 | 3% | $87,202 |
| 9 | Little Rock | 3 | 2% | $77,795 |
| 10 | Boston | 6 | 1% | $102,101 |
| 11 | Washington | 6 | 1% | $97,748 |
| 12 | Sacramento | 5 | 1% | $131,323 |
| 13 | Atlanta | 4 | 1% | $87,992 |
| 14 | Des Moines | 3 | 1% | $84,735 |
| 15 | Fayetteville | 3 | 1% | $90,412 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $80,743 |
Application Software Developer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of application software developer experts
California State University - Sacramento
Nova Southeastern University
Carnegie Mellon University
Seminole State College of Florida
Eastern Washington University
Northwestern University
Southwestern University
Texas A&M University
Nova Southeastern University
Aurora University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Mount St. Joseph University
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of Hawaii at Hilo
University of Minnesota - Crookston
Gannon University
The University of Arizona
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Sepehr Mohammadian: 2. Computer science remains in high demand in today's job market, with California exemplifying this trend. In recent years, the number of open positions in the state has exceeded the average demand rate by 1.5 times. At the University of the Pacific, our CS program is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and experiences to thrive in this landscape. Through our co-op program, in collaboration with recruiters such as Nvidia, HP, and Lawrence Livermore National Lab, students have the opportunity to participate in paid internships lasting approximately 8 months. These internships provide invaluable exposure to real-world work settings and allow students to apply their knowledge in practical contexts and gain valuable industry insights. It is worth noting that many of our graduates choose to return to the same company post-graduation.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sepehr Mohammadian: 1. This is a pretty broad question. CS degree graduates can engage in different tasks and responsibilities based on the nature of their profession. Examples include 1) software engineering, in which the individual's efforts are toward leading or contributing to software development projects, 2) IT management, where the individual mainly oversees technology strategies and their implementation, 3) cybersecurity, where the individual's responsibilities are associated with the protection of systems and data from cyber threats, and 4) data and AI engineering, where the individual works on machine learning applications and analyze and derive insights from large datasets.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Sepehr Mohammadian: 3. The appeal of computer science among students is often attributed to the relatively short journey from concept to execution. Unlike many engineering fields where hardware constraints can impede the swift realization of ideas, the development of software offers a streamlined process. With nothing more than access to a computer and relative proficiency in programming, individuals can swiftly transform their ideas into tangible solutions. This accessibility and agility contribute to the popularity of CS among aspiring students. On the other hand, CS heavily relies on abstract analysis as a fundamental skill for success. Students who struggle with grasping abstract concepts may find themselves frustrated or disengaged with the field.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: As a Computer Science graduate, it’s vital to work on independent projects outside of course projects or assigned tasks. This allows you to apply your knowledge and explore new areas and opportunities. Showcasing these projects in a digital portfolio provides a visual and tangible representation of your skills and growth. Emphasizing your attention to clean coding and documentation reflects your professionalism and attention to detail. The field is vast and rapidly evolving, so stay curious, keep learning, and enjoy your professional journey. Avoid getting caught up in fleeting trends. Understanding the difference between work, job, and career is crucial; find work and jobs that contribute to your long-term career aspirations while steadily maintaining your focus on your career goals. In addition, being aware of the organization’s environment and culture at the workplace you intend to work at is important. Familiarize yourself with workplace methodologies like Agile, Just-In-Time (JIT), DevOps, Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Feature-Driven Development (FDD), Extreme Programming (XP), Rapid Application Development (RAD), and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) (to name a few). Each organization will have its unique blend of these elements, and knowing what works best for you will help you thrive in your chosen career path. Remember, the key to success in this dynamic field is continuous learning and adaptation.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: To optimize your earning potential in the field of Computer Science, it’s important to establish a solid educational foundation and master widely-used programming languages and technologies. Internships offer invaluable hands-on experience, and obtaining industrial certifications in specialized areas can significantly increase your marketability. Cultivating a robust professional network and honing your salary negotiation skills are also key. It’s important to stay updated with the latest technological advancements, salary trends, and consider focusing on a niche area in high demand. From the outset of your career conversations, it’s beneficial to communicate clear salary expectations. Conduct thorough research on the current market rates for the role you’re targeting to ensure your expectations are realistic. Understanding your worth in the market is crucial, and you should aim for a salary that not only reflects your skills and experience but also keeps you motivated and invested in your work. Remember, while salary is a significant factor, aspects like work-life balance and job satisfaction also play a vital role in your overall career satisfaction. Aim for a win-win salary negotiation where both you and your employer feel the compensation is fair and equitable.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Sridhar Ramachandran: The field of Computer Science is a dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape. Over the next 3-5 years, several skills will gain prominence. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will be indispensable due to the surge in data generation. Cybersecurity will become critical as our reliance on digital systems intensifies, and it will be everyone’s prerogative to ensure the security of their digital assets. Essential cybersecurity skills will include understanding of network security, proficiency in security software tools, knowledge of threat and vulnerability assessment, and the ability to implement incident response and recovery plans. Proficiency in Cloud Computing platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure will be sought after as businesses increasingly transition to the cloud. Data Science and Analytics will continue to be pivotal for data-driven decision making. Quantum Computing, though nascent, holds the potential to revolutionize the field. Soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving will be vital in managing complex, interdisciplinary projects. In this dynamic field, employees who know how to learn, unlearn, and relearn will have a competitive advantage. This is particularly true with the emerging importance for AI programming languages like Julia, Swift for TensorFlow, and Rust.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Kin Chung Kwan: Computer science is rapidly growing, with new technologies emerging daily. The desired skill set can vary from year to year. We should always stay updated on the latest global developments and prepare to learn something new. Keeping your skills up-to-date and aligning them with the current needs of employers and target customers is crucial to maximizing salary potential.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kin Chung Kwan: We are in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution. AI development will continue to be a global priority and dominate the tech landscape in the next few years. For computer scientists seeking career progression, gaining a comprehensive understanding of AI is crucial. Furthermore, understanding limitations, ethical considerations, safety and security measures associated with AI is an important responsibility that every computer scientist should be aware of.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Kin Chung Kwan: Programming is the cornerstone of computer science. Solving problems effectively through proficient programming is a vital key to career success. Learning programming is like athletic training. One cannot become a skilled athlete solely through attending lectures. Programming skills can only be improved with consistent practice. Learning new techniques and repeated practice can help professionals refine their programming abilities and achieve career success.
Junping Sun Ph.D.
ProfessorNova Southeastern University
Computer Software And Media Applications
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Junping Sun Ph.D.: Being capable to perform, being competitive to excel, being able to communicate as a team player, being a connoisseur to act, being a clairvoyance to perceive, being creative to innovate, being conscientious with professional integrity.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Junping Sun Ph.D.: Computer Science and its applications in various fields are very dynamic and constantly evolving, and anyone in the fields needs to prepare to be adaptive by lifelong learning.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Junping Sun Ph.D.: Computer science is an algorithm science for problem solving in real world applications. The skills of problem solving require critical thinking with solid foundation of the professional knowledge in the relevant domains. It is crucial to have strong critical thinking skill with sophisticated logical and philosophical perspectives.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Jonathan Aldrich: Hone your skills so you are great at what you do, and gradually build to be great at what you want to do next. When you are confident in your current position, look for the next step--which may be a promotion in your current organization or a new job outside it.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jonathan Aldrich: AI is a powerful new tool but it is also unreliable. Learn how you can use it but also what its limitations are, so that you can protect yourself and your customers from those limitations. Always have a way to double-check that the results of AI are sensible and appropriate. No one is a lone coder anymore--you'll be more effective if you can work with other people and with tools that multiply your capabilities. Work on your teamwork skills and keep your eye out for new tools and technologies that make you more effective.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Jonathan Aldrich: Be open to new experiences and focus on learning from them. A degree in computing gives you a foundation but there will be new challenges in every job; always be thinking about what you can do to become more effective at your tasks.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Holger Findling: Most companies have a fixed range in salary for new hires. There is very limited space to negotiate a higher pay. It used to be a standard practice not to stay more than three years with a company because salary increases are associated with labor grade ranges. A larger salary increase can be realized by moving to a different company. Typically, 5% increase vs 3% salary increase. However, a programmer needs to continue studying in the field of interest. Earn a master's degree. Be the best you can be!
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Holger Findling: Decide what technical area you would like to work in your field of expertise. Do you like to work for the aerospace industry? Decide what specific component you are interested in. Aircraft, Missiles, Energy, Navy - ships, Finance? The issue is that these components are developed in different states. For instance, in Florida Mid-Range missiles are developed and flight simulators. However, aircrafts are developed in Texas, Georgia, and Arizona, not in Florida. There are a lot of programmers needed for financial software. Most likely these jobs would be in New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, California and Massachusetts. In other words understand what industry you would like to work for, and understand that the industries are clustered in different states.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Holger Findling: Technologies are changing very fast, and you must change with it. Don't be rigid. AI is going to increase in the next five years, and the demand for programmers will be high. You would have to take courses studying AI concepts. Bio-Medical fields and Biometrics will be expanding in capabilities and these fields will need a lot of programmers. Take some additional courses, for example Biology and Chemistry.
Dan Tappan
Eastern Washington University
Computer Software And Media Applications
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Dan Tappan: As much as possible, become a subject matter expert in the domain you're working in. The biggest problems we have are in not understanding the customer's problem and not understanding the customer's problem domain. Neither side is conversant in the other's world. We can't expect the customer to learn software development, so we have to learn about their world to bridge this gap.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dan Tappan: This field changes so rapidly, it's hard to predict. Artificial intelligence has really taken off recently. There's no clear distinction between AI, machine learning, big data, and related areas anymore. They all blend together. These aren't just used as solutions to problems; they're also playing an ever-larger role in the tools we use to solve those problems. ChatGPT, for example, helps in writing documentation, and Google products help in writing code. Solid skills in these areas can streamline the development process.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Dan Tappan: There's not much room for salary negotiation as a new graduate with no experience. Every CS graduate shares roughly the same required background. What often distinguishes one applicant from another, or boosts the salary, is non-required experience with personal projects, contributions to open-source development, and so on. This shows not only applications of the required background, but also the initiative to learn and do more than is expected for the degree.
David Ostrowski
Northwestern University
Information Science/Studies
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
David Ostrowski: Create value in your position, become an expert in a few key areas to maximize value, concentrate on deep skill sets within a specific application domain, innovate and push the limits of technology.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Ostrowski: Keep Learning. Some in the past have held the understanding that learning stops after college. While college gives you the foundation and insight, one needs to continually be learning throughout their career. Maintain an entrepreneurial mindset - even and especially if you plan on working for a large corporation (intrapreneur). Take a portion of your workweek to pursue new ideas and innovate. Maintain a portfolio of your work internally or externally. Love your work.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
David Ostrowski: Deep technical software skills, incorporating and innovating with AI, programming languages like Golang, Solidity, Rust, JavaScript, understanding and appreciation of the functional programming paradigm. Innovation and pushing the limits of technology.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Jacob Schrum: When it comes to any technology-based field, it is extremely important to be able to learn new things. The tools that today's graduates end up using down the line probably don't exist yet, but there are still foundational skills that are important for graduates to have. The Southwestern University Computer Science program teaches students the core knowledge in data structures, algorithms, programming languages, and more that they need to succeed in various careers related to computer science, but we also give them the chance to do meaningful project-based work that sets them up for career success. This is especially true in the CS Capstone course, which involves meeting with a real-world client, discussing their needs, and then engineering a software solution to meet those needs. This experience allows students to engage with modern tools in an applied context, and requires them to develop the soft skills of communication and negotiation to satisfy the needs of their client.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jacob Schrum: Generative AI is obviously affecting many industries. Although these systems can write code, this will not eliminate the need for skilled coders and problem solvers. However, those entering the field now can use generative AI systems to quickly write formulaic boiler-plate code, which will give them more time to focus on real problem solving. Systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can also serve as interactive troubleshooting tools that can be more effective than searching the web for a specific answer to a very obscure problem. Still, there is ultimately no substitute for having the actual skills to do these tasks on your own. These systems are improving, but they don't get everything right, and they have a major problem with knowing when they are wrong. Furthermore, certain companies and industries don't want their proprietary code disclosed to companies that own these AI systems, and thus do not allow employees to use them. I'll also note that skills not just in using AI systems, but in creating them will be in high demand. Granted, only a few big companies realistically have the kinds of resources to create the models behind ChatGPT, etc, but other companies can either use these models, or make their own much smaller scale models. Furthermore, Machine Learning skills were in high-demand even before generative AI hit the scene, so I would recommend focusing on those skills.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Jacob Schrum: This is definitely not my area of expertise as someone who has mainly been confined to academia for most of his career, but from what I can see, the demand for the skills our students have is still high enough. The main challenge seems to be landing that first job. Once that has been accomplished, it is on the student (now employee) to demonstrate their worth, and keep seeking opportunities to learn and improve. If the company is not giving them the chances for advancement or has a bad working environment, then they should be on the lookout for better opportunities. Granted, there have been some significant layoffs in the tech industry, and that does mean that new graduates entering the market are sometimes in competition with more experienced job candidates. However, the salary expectations of those experienced candidates can make entry-level positions less appealing to them, so there are still opportunities for those entering the field. I suppose this is sort of an unusual way to respond to a question about maximizing salary potential ... I understand that everyone wants to make money, but it is important to be realistic about the job market. Once you have an offer, you can bargain a bit, and you can always be on the lookout for better opportunities, but I think that early on it is a bit more important to gather experience and a steady work record. Ultimately, one will have to weigh the tradeoffs between the opportunities they actually have, and act accordingly.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Aakash Tyagi: (a) Ability to work at the intersection of AI/ML and vital fields like bioengineering, finance, environmental sciences, Cyberphysical systems, etc., (b) Continual learning and adaptability to changing technology landscape, (c) Critical thinking, problem solving in medium to large team structures.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aakash Tyagi: Treat your career as a marathon, not a sprint. Early years in one's career are best spent understanding the technology at its core and what drives innovation. You'll be a great developer and a great leader if your technical fundamentals are strong. This has never been so true than now in the age of generative AI and LLM where creativity and depth of understanding is what will set you apart from others (human and machine).
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Aakash Tyagi: Salary potential is truly in the eyes of the beholder. Technical depth of knowledge and skills is quintessential, followed closely by a demonstrated track record of willingness to learn and adapt, and ability to communicate clearly.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Frank Mitropoulos Ph.D.: As we look toward the future of careers in Computer Applications, several skills stand out for their growing importance. These skills revolve around specific technologies that are expected to continue to grow and evolve. Technologies related to Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and Data Science are quickly evolving and being applied across the technology sector. Cloud Computing: Given the widespread adoption of Cloud services, Cloud computing expertise is indispensable. Understanding how to leverage platforms like Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud is crucial to developing scalable, efficient solutions that meet business needs. Artificial Intelligence: AI and Machine Learning are transforming the world. Skills in these areas to solve real-world problems will be even more critical in the future. Cybersecurity: Digital threats are becoming more sophisticated. Safeguarding data, networks, and systems will require encryption, intrusion detection, development, and regulation skills. Data Science: Skills in Data Science will be increasingly sought after as businesses embrace data-driven decision-making. Extracting meaningful insights from extensive datasets and effectively communicating these findings will be essential. Soft skills: Finally, soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication cannot be overlooked. Adapting, communicating, and leading will be essential for success.
Dr. Ramona Baima
Senior Lecturer of Mathematics & Field Experience SupervisorAurora University
Mathematics
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Dr. Ramona Baima: For sure, in the next 3-5 years the level of technology will increase exponentially with the addition of AI. It is very important for graduates to continue to want to learn and improve their skills in the field of computer science and advanced mathematics in order to be able to be creative, come up with and implement unique ideas.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Ramona Baima: They can maximize their salary potential by choosing carefully the company they are starting to work for. They should look for companies that offer incentives such as paying for continuing education (such as master degree, certificates), possibility of exchanging ideas with international colleagues, investments within the company (such as 401K and pension). They also should be informed about the actual job hierchacy within the company and the possibilities of advancing their job position.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Ramona Baima: They can maximize their salary potential by choosing carefully the company they are starting to work for. They should look for companies that offer incentives such as paying for continuing education (such as master degree, certificates), possibility of exchanging ideas with international colleagues, investments within the company (such as 401K and pension). They also should be informed about the actual job hierchacy within the company and the possibilities of advancing their job position.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Ahmed Imteaj PH.D.: Research Salary Trends: Before entering the job market, research salary trends for entry-level positions in your field and location. Websites like Glassdoor, PayScale, and LinkedIn Salary can provide valuable insights into typical salary ranges for different roles.
Acquire In-Demand Skills: Identify in-demand skills and technologies in your field and focus on acquiring them through coursework, certifications, internships, or personal projects. Skills such as machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data science are highly valued and can command higher salaries.
Gain Relevant Experience: Prioritize gaining relevant experience through internships, co-op programs, part-time jobs, or freelance projects. Practical experience can significantly increase your market value and make you more attractive to employers.Customize Your Resume and Cover Letter: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that align with the job requirements. Highlighting your unique qualifications can increase your chances of landing interviews and negotiating a higher salary.
Prepare for Salary Negotiations: Before entering salary negotiations, research the typical salary range for the position and location, considering factors such as cost of living and industry standards. Practice articulating your value proposition and be prepared to negotiate confidently for a salary that reflects your skills, experience, and market value.
Consider Additional Benefits: In addition to salary, consider other benefits and perks offered by employers, such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and bonuses. These benefits can add significant value to your overall compensation package.
Ali Alouani
Professor of ECEWhat Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ali Alouani: Be confident, work hard, and have good communication skill.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Ali Alouani: Have co-op/internship experience, good GPA, and impress the recruiter.
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Ali Alouani: Engineering and Computer Sciences
Rebecca Allen
Mount St. Joseph University
Special Education And Teaching
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Rebecca Allen: AI, for sure. I have heard it said that AI might not replace humans, rather humans who know how to use AI well may replace humans who don't.
Travis Stouffer
Assistant Professor of Information Systems, ChairUniversity of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Department of Information Systems
What general advice would you give to an Application Software Developer?
Travis Stouffer: Operate with a high-level of attention to detail. Superiors always appreciate a new or old employee who is self-sufficient and doesn’t need their hand to be held. Secondly, do everything you can to support the development process. You want to be seen a key cog in the development process, even if you are not writing code. You want to be the person with answers. Research APIs to use as datasources, write detailed requirements, support those requirements with detailed wireframes and mockups which blueprint the end-state of the application, test coded features and lastly just volunteer to do anything that will lighten the burden on the programmers of the team. Doing these things will also position you with a well-rounded experience that will help you ascend to project management type roles.
What Application Software Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Travis Stouffer: Agile Project Management and Rapid Prototyping will continue to be critical in reducing the amount of rework that development teams face. If either of these two aren’t done well, software projects will continue to experience high levels of failure. Even if developers are leveraging artificial intelligence to write code more efficiently, business analysts acting as liaisons will still need to utilize practices to ensure AI tools are helping to construct applications that align with the goals and objectives of its users.
What will help Application Software Developers increase their earning potential?
Travis Stouffer: As a graduate entering the workforce, look for employers that will foster a continuous learning environment and mentorship to help build upon what you’ve learned at the undergraduate level.
Travis Mandel Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Hawaii at Hilo
Department of Computer Science
What skills stand out on Application Software Developer resumes?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: The number one thing that employers typically look for is a project that demonstrates your ability to program something new and useful. The best projects are ones that someone undertakes independently or with a small group of others - if it is the latter, you need to clarify what you contributed. It's even better if you include a link to public code on Github so that employers can look around your Github page and get a sense of your coding style. A working demo is also very impressive. Ideally, this wouldn't be something you were forced to do for a class but rather something you took the independent initiative to do.
College GPA doesn't matter as much as people think it does - most companies care much more about what you can do than how well you did in class. Unless it is extremely low, it shouldn't be a problem. Listing courses can be useful, but even better would be listing skills you learned in classes. For instance, the class "Artificial Intelligence" means completely different things at institutions. So employers may not necessarily understand what skills you learned in that class unless you highlight them.
What soft skills should all Application Software Developers possess?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: Although computer science seems like a highly technical field, soft skills are really what differentiates software engineers. One of the most important qualities of any software engineer is explaining their code clearly at various levels of technical depth and explaining why certain design decisions were made. You could write code that does amazing things, but if that code consists of snippets you pasted from StackOverflow without really fully understanding them, it will be a huge headache for anyone who needs to come into the codebase later and maintain or update it.
Another one is asking the right questions. Imagine you are dropped into a huge codebase and asked to add a new feature (very common!). There's no time to understand everything that is going on, but on the other hand, you need to understand enough of the code to do your task effectively, which involves asking questions. A failure to ask questions will likely result in you wasting a huge amount of time working on something that is ultimately not useful, for instance, re-implementing a complex function that already exists somewhere in the codebase.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Application Software Developers?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: Being comfortable with refactoring code is definitely one of the big ones here. Absolutely no one writes perfect code right off the bat - a good software engineer should recognize that and always be open and receptive to suggestions about improving their code. Even in the absence of such suggestions, a software engineer must be able to independently recognize that "the tower is about to fall over"! Meaning, if the code is turning into a real mess, a good software engineer will be able to realize that and independently begin refactoring it into a better state, even if that takes time away from implementing new features.
Another one I'll mention briefly is designing class inheritance diagrams to solve a new problem. The right structure here can allow components to be easily re-used and extended. But the wrong structure can lead to disastrous consequences, so it requires a lot of thought about how things will likely evolve in the future.
What skills will help Application Software Developers earn the most?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: Solid foundational skills in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Even if you are not an AI researcher or machine learning engineer, with AI becoming so pervasive, chances are your code will have to interact with it at some point. Although listing many of the latest technologies (Tensorflow/Keras, Pytorch) looks great on a resume, what is even more valuable is a solid grasp of the fundamentals that transcend specific libraries. Employers will be impressed by someone who can analyze large data sets in languages like Python, communicate effectively with the machine learning teams, and identify new potential ways to integrate machine learning into the product. This is a highly in-demand skillset that can easily help unlock higher-paying positions.
Christine Bakke
LecturerUniversity of Minnesota - Crookston
Math, Science & Technology Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Application Software Developer job market given the pandemic?
Christine Bakke: For many years remote tech support has been a growing field, but it was not the norm. Today, remote tech support and IT management have become crucial for daily operations. Remote work requires a solid IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, capable equipment, and quality software. The need for educated and experienced MIS / ITM / CIS will continue to increase.
Trends toward remote offices will become more acceptable and common; while some companies will return to the office en masse, others will allow more flexibility or become hybrid, and some will truly embrace the remote office. Use of remote tools such as Zoom will stay strong, as they provide global access at a huge cost benefit.
How have salaries changed over time for Application Software Developers?
Christine Bakke: In previous questions, I have used my own wording; however, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is the most accurate source for an answer to this question:
The median pay for ITM, MIS, & CIS (all listed together at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics):
$146,360 per year
$70.37 per hour
"Employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. These occupations are projected to add about 531,200 new jobs. Demand for these workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and information security. "
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Application Software Developers?
Christine Bakke: MIS is a technical business degree which is offered with slightly different emphasis depending on the school's home department. For example, if a business department houses the degree it is often referred to as MIS; however, when Information Technology or Computer Science departments house this degree, the program would be called Information Technology Management (ITM) or Computer Information Systems (CIS). Each university has the autonomy to offer variations based on their specializations. Even though the programs can differ slightly, in general students receiving any of these three degrees receive an education in three areas: technical, management/business, and soft skills. Note that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics directs queries for all three fields (ITM, MIS and CIS) to the same data page (see answer to question 3).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Application Software Developers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Computing is ubiquitous, and with more industries moving to remote work, location is becoming less critical. If the internet reaches a place reliably, computing jobs can be located there.
How do you envision technology impacting Application Software Developers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Breadth and depth: Computing is becoming more like engineering; where the value of the product, its lifetime risks, costs, and benefits are more critical than just it's roll-out. So the engineering competencies that have always been a part of computing will become more central. Computing is also expanding; the role of data and the shift of once-research technologies (like machine learning) into production applications will continue to require computing graduates to broaden their base and continue as learners. This will cause shifts in what is considered 'fundamental' and the need for professionals to continue to hone and redevelop their technical skill sets.
Tyler Conklin
LecturerThe University of Arizona
Computer science Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Application Software Developer job market given the pandemic?
Tyler Conklin: The impact of the pandemic on the job market is limited in computer science. We are lucky to be in a field where remote work was routine long before the pandemic. This isn't true of all software engineering jobs, but many can be done with only a computer and internet access. The biggest changes come in the interviewing process and how the actual work will occur. It may be a long time before new hires ever meet their coworkers face to face.
How have salaries changed over time for Application Software Developers?
Tyler Conklin: Computer scientists and software engineers have been fortunate in seeing salaries continually increase in the field. Computer science student enrollment has continued to skyrocket, leading to a larger workforce, but it appears that demand continues to grow even faster.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Application Software Developers?
Tyler Conklin: A bachelor's degree in computer science will always help job prospects. I would consider it a great investment. However, some companies have made it clear that they are willing and happy to hire graduates of computer science boot camps. These are shorter courses aimed at teaching the student one specific technology or a very specific set of skills so that student can acquire a job in a certain subfield of software engineering. This is a much cheaper alternative than a traditional four-year degree. The tradeoff is less breadth of knowledge and more limited job options, and of course missing out on everything else that comes with a four-year degree. An even more efficient way to increase job prospects is to work on personal projects. Few things impress an interviewer more than a candidate showing off an application that he or she built on their own. What can show an interviewer that you can do the job better than a project demonstrating the required skills and knowledge?