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Front end developer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a front end developer. Front end developers usually study computer science, graphic design, or computer engineering. 72% of front end developers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 12,683 real front end developer resumes to see exactly what front end developer education sections show.
The most common colleges for front end developers are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online front end developer courses to help get the education required to be a front end developer.
There are certain front end developer certifications that you should consider. These front end developer certifications include Certified Web Professional - Web Developer and Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
What education do you need to become a front end developer?
What degree do you need to be a front end developer?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a front end developer?
- Computer Science, 30%
- Graphic Design, 10%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for front end developers
| Front end developer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 6.85% |
| Full Sail University | 6.85% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.85% |
| DeVry University | 6.31% |
| University of Phoenix | 5.77% |
Best majors for front end developers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 30.5% |
| 2 | Graphic Design | 9.9% |
| 3 | Computer Engineering | 8.2% |
| 4 | Information Technology | 7.2% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 7.1% |
Best colleges for front end developers
The best colleges for front end developers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A front end 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 front end 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 front end developers.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
9. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$55,453
Enrollment
4,312
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
20 best online courses for front end developers
Advertising disclosure
1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)
Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more...
2. Front-End Web Development (Part Time)
Start building responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a versatile skill set with powerful applications in a variety of design, marketing, and other tech-adjacent roles. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. Full Stack Web Developer
Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...
4. Agile Software Development
Learn best practices for using the Agile methodology to build better products faster and more efficiently...
5. Front-End Developer
This specialization is geared toward beginning users who would like to learn and build Front-End Developer Skills. The courses in this series cover SOAP Web Services with JAX-WS, RESTful Web Services with JAX-Rs, and HTML - Front-End Developer among others, to help learners build a solid foundational knowledge...
6. Developing Front-End Apps with React
React is one of the most popular frameworks in the Web and Front-end application Development category. In this course, you will - build rich Front-End applications with React and ES6 - connect React components using data and state - write rich React components with advanced features like Hooks and Redux In addition, you will explore how to access the React web framework user interface (UI) library and run rich React applications. You will find ways to use React components and change their...
7. 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...
8. Front End Web Development Ultimate Guide
You'll learn all the fundamentals of Front-End Web Development and how you can Use them to start creating websites!...
9. 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...
10. 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...
11. 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...
12. 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...
13. IBM Front-End Developer
Prepare for a career in the lucrative field of software engineering. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills like UI/UX design, programming, and web development to get job-ready for an entry level role in front-End Development in less than 3 months. No prior experience needed to get started.\n\nThe role of a front-end developer is to build and optimize the user experience of a website or application They focus on creating the interactive and visual elements of a website, the physical...
14. Introduction to Front-End Development
Welcome to Introduction to Front-End Development, the first course in the Meta Front-End Developer program. This course is a good place to start if you want to become a web developer. You will learn about the day-to-day responsibilities of a web developer and get a general understanding of the core and underlying technologies that power the internet. You will learn how front-end developers create websites and applications that work well and are easy to maintain. You’ll be introduced to the core...
15. Front End Web Development Bootcamp - Build a Twitter Clone
Build a Twitter Clone using HTML, CSS, CSS Flexbox, CSS Grid, and Java Script. Master your Front End Web Developer Skills...
16. The Complete Front-End Web Development Course
Get started as a front-end web developer using HTML, CSS, Java Script, j Query, and Bootstrap!...
17. Intro to Coding
Discover if coding is a career fit for you In this free, two-hour livestream, explore the building blocks of the web — HTML and CSS — and learn how you can apply these programming languages to develop your own simple sites. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to write your first line of code!...
18. Intermediate Python
Gain practitioner-level skills with Python and learn the language powering transformation in Data Science, Machine Learning, and beyond...
19. C++
Learn C++, a high-performance programming language used in the world's most exciting engineering jobs -- from self-driving cars and robotics, to web browsers, media platforms, servers, and even video games...
20. Meta Front-End Developer
Want to get started in the world of coding and build websites as a career? This certificate, designed by the software engineering experts at Meta—the creators of Facebook and Instagram, will prepare you for a career as a front-end developer.\n\nIn this program, you’ll learn:\n\nHow to code and build interactive web pages using HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. In-demand design skills to create professional page layouts using industry-standard tools such as Bootstrap, React, and Figma. GitHub...
Top 10 most affordable universities for front end developers
The most affordable schools for front end developers are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for front end 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 front end developers.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Brigham Young University - Hawaii
Laie, HI • Private
In-state tuition
$5,560
Cost of attendance
18,043
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Arecibo, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,872
Cost of attendance
13,476
9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
10. Trident University International
Cypress, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,240
Cost of attendance
17,912
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for front end developers
The hardest universities for front end developers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for front end 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 front end 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,449
5. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
6. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
7. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for front end developers
The easiest schools for front end developers to get into are Nyack College, saint martin's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a front end 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 front end developers.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
6. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
74%
SAT average
1,061
9. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,148
10. Longwood University
Farmville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,065
Average front end developer salary by education level
| Front end developer education level | Front end developer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $99,256 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $93,883 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $89,495 |
Front end 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