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Freelance web developer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a freelance web developer. Freelance web developers usually study computer science, graphic design, or computer information systems. 68% of freelance web developers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 4,459 real freelance web developer resumes to see exactly what freelance web developer education sections show.
The most common colleges for freelance web developers are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.
There are also many online freelance web developer courses to help get the education required to be a freelance web developer.
There are certain freelance web developer certifications that you should consider. These freelance web developer certifications include Certified Web Professional - Web Developer and Master Certified Web Professional - Designer (CWP).
What education do you need to become a freelance web developer?
What degree do you need to be a freelance web developer?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 10%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a freelance web developer?
- Computer Science, 27%
- Graphic Design, 9%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for freelance web developers
| Freelance web developer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Full Sail University | 7.18% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.63% |
| Arizona State University | 6.35% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.35% |
| New York University | 5.52% |
Best majors for freelance web developers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 27.3% |
| 2 | Graphic Design | 8.8% |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems | 8.5% |
| 4 | Business | 7.4% |
| 5 | Information Technology | 6.5% |
Best colleges for freelance web developers
The best colleges for freelance web developers are Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University in St Louis, and Stanford University.
A freelance web developer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for freelance web developers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become freelance web developers.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
3. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$50,226
Enrollment
10,873
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
20 best online courses for freelance web developers
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5. Ultimate Web Designer & Web Developer Course
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6. Complete Web Design: HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, Vue, Git
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7. JavaScript Development (Part Time)
Gain fluency in JavaScript — the world's most popular programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build rich, interactive websites and applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
8. React Development (Part Time)
Expand your JavaScript programming skills, and boost your profile at work — and on the job market. Learn to build sophisticated, scalable web applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
9. Full Stack JavaScript Developer
Meet the growing demand for full stack developers and learn to build rich web experiences using a modern architecture and technology stack...
10. Cloud Developer using Microsoft Azure
The Developer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program teaches students how to deploy, build, migrate, and monitor applications on Azure, thereby preparing learners for success on Microsoft’s AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate Expert certification...
11. Complete Web Developer Course HTML CSS JavaScript PHP jQuery
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13. Intro to Coding
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16. Responsive Web & Mobile Development in HTML,CSS & Javascript
Create interactive and responsive web/hybrid mobile apps for android and ios using HTML, CSS and Javascript...
17. Learn website development using HTML, CSS, JavaScript & PHP
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18. Java Web Developer
Learn back-end development with the Java programming language, one of the most popular programming languages in the world and one a majority of large enterprises rely on for their infrastructure...
19. Intro to Programming
Learn fundamental skills used in web development, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python...
20. Learn Complete Front-End Web Development Course (2023)
Learn Complete Front End Web Development with HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap 5, Java Script, ECMAScript 6, Angular & React JS...
Top 10 most affordable universities for freelance web developers
The most affordable schools for freelance web developers are Brigham Young University, queens college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for freelance web developers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for freelance web developers.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
8. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
10. Brigham Young University - Hawaii
Laie, HI • Private
In-state tuition
$5,560
Cost of attendance
18,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for freelance web developers
The hardest universities for freelance web developers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University in St Louis, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for freelance web developers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for freelance web developers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
2. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for freelance web developers
The easiest schools for freelance web developers to get into are Wayland Baptist University, la roche college, and linfield college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a freelance web developer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for freelance web developers.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
3. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
8. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
9. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
10. Baker University
Baldwin City, KS • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,126
Average freelance web developer salary by education level
| Freelance web developer education level | Freelance web developer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $45,630 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,692 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,208 |
Freelance web developer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025