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Job outlook for front end developers in the United States
Front end developer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected front end developer job growth rate is 13% from 2018-2028.
About 20,900 new jobs for front end developers are projected over the next decade.
Front end developer salaries have increased 11% for front end developers in the last 5 years.
There are over 218,350 front end developers currently employed in the United States.
There are 124,876 active front end developer job openings in the US.
The average front end developer salary is $92,147.
Are front end developer jobs in demand?
Front end developer job and salary trends over time
Front end developer jobs over time
Front end developer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 218,350 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 152,155 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 50,165 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 35,800 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 35,404 | 0.01% |
Average front end developer salary over time
Front end developer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $92,147 | $44.30 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $89,111 | $42.84 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $87,094 | $41.87 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $85,287 | $41.00 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $82,954 | $39.88 | +1.8% |
Front end developer jobs by state
Most common states for front end developers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 767 | 111% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 3,480 | 47% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,823 | 45% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 461 | 44% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 422 | 44% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 267 | 43% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,508 | 41% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,381 | 35% |
| 9 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,077 | 35% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 365 | 35% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,344 | 32% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 426 | 32% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 244 | 32% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,754 | 31% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 588 | 31% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,669 | 30% |
| 17 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 167 | 29% |
| 18 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 2,414 | 27% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 352 | 26% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 222 | 26% |
Most common cities for front end developers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 8 | 20% | $84,344 |
| 2 | Alpharetta | 7 | 11% | $81,332 |
| 3 | Washington | 49 | 7% | $96,764 |
| 4 | Atlanta | 33 | 7% | $81,331 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 11 | 4% | $87,631 |
| 6 | Boston | 19 | 3% | $87,638 |
| 7 | Arlington | 7 | 3% | $91,543 |
| 8 | Dallas | 20 | 2% | $88,401 |
| 9 | San Francisco | 19 | 2% | $118,538 |
| 10 | Minneapolis | 8 | 2% | $83,472 |
| 11 | Chicago | 29 | 1% | $81,753 |
| 12 | Austin | 13 | 1% | $89,069 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 10 | 1% | $88,191 |
| 14 | Baltimore | 9 | 1% | $84,358 |
| 15 | Denver | 9 | 1% | $78,845 |
| 16 | San Diego | 9 | 1% | $101,994 |
| 17 | Charlotte | 7 | 1% | $83,121 |
| 18 | New York | 42 | 0% | $92,534 |
| 19 | Los Angeles | 18 | 0% | $104,095 |
| 20 | Houston | 9 | 0% | $88,674 |
Front End Developer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of front end developer experts
Nova Southeastern University
Texas A&M University San Antonio
Mount St. Joseph University
University of Richmond
Idaho State University
Wright State University
University of Tulsa
Xavier University of Louisiana
University of New Haven
Murray State University
University of South Alabama
University of Pittsburgh - Bradford
Montana State University
Indiana University South Bend
Pennsylvania State University - Erie (The Behrend College)
Illinois Wesleyan University
New Mexico State University
What Front End Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Frank Mitropoulos Ph.D.: Maximizing your salary potential as a new graduate with a Computer Applications degree involves strategic positioning, skill enhancement, and effective negotiation. Following are a few strategies to help increase your salary now and in the future: Specialize in High-Demand Areas: Identify and specialize in high-demand areas that generally offer higher salaries. Build a Strong Portfolio: Develop a portfolio that showcases your skills. A compelling portfolio can strengthen your position during salary negotiations. Develop Soft Skills: While technical skills are essential, soft skills like problem-solving, communication, and leadership hold equal significance. Enhancing these skills can give you an edge in negotiations. Do your Homework and Negotiate: Some industries and locations offer higher salaries. Decide what type of industry you want to focus on and do the background research needed to determine whether your skills will help as leverage. Use your portfolio, certifications, and skill set to strengthen your position. Be ready to articulate your value and how you can contribute to the company's success.
What will help Front End 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.
Izzat Alsmadi
Associate ProfessorTexas A&M University San Antonio
Computer Science
What general advice would you give to a Front End Developer?
Izzat Alsmadi: Computing fields are unique that they have a very large spectrum of possible jobs.
New graduates should be open and flexible to seek opportunities beyond a narrow focus that they may have in mind.
The degree itself is a great start but in most cases will not be enough and you have to seek own training in new software, tools, etc.
Certificates can be also important for some particular sub-disciplines (e.g. cyber security)
Rebecca Allen
Mount St. Joseph University
Special Education And Teaching
What general advice would you give to a Front End 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.
What will help Front End Developers increase their earning potential?
Rebecca Allen: I'd suggest that you hop in to coding and just get started. Even a tiny bit helps. Python is a very popular language, and free to download (Python.org). Once you download, there are some many ways to start learning coding. My personal favorites are Mimo and LearnPython.org. You can also ask ChatGPT for suggestions-remember that ChatGPT can often help your write and explain simple code. Don't understand something? Ask ChatGPT!
Ahmed Temani
Senior InstructorUniversity of Richmond
Computer/Information Technology Administration And Management
What general advice would you give to a Front End Developer?
Ahmed Temani: A lot of the buzz is about using chatbots to improve coding efficiency. However, there is a great need for systems level thinking and design as software is deployed across cloud and edge computing devices. Gaining more experience in systems design provides you with additional skills that complement whatever AI-based technology gets deployed.
What Front End Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ahmed Temani: This one I'm not sure how to answer as it is too broad. I would say work hard and do quality work, but that seems obvious.
What Front End Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nikyra Capson: Don't be afraid of being rejected. If they see a job they want, apply. Even if they don't think they'll get it, still apply. The worst thing that could happen is being told no. Not applying is an automatic no, so they might as well try.
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Interim ChairWright State University
Information Systems and Supply Chain Management Department
What skills stand out on Front End Developer resumes?
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.: Web Developer: JavaScript, HTML5, CSS, PHP, Python, APIs, Web user interface design.
What soft skills should all Front End Developers possess?
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.: Communications skills are mostly for web developers since they interface more with clients, team work.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Front End Developers?
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.: Particularly for a web developer, HTML/CSS skills, scripting langue competency.
What skills will help Front End Developers earn the most?
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.: Particularly for a web developer, HTML/CSS skills, scripting langue competency, communication skills.
Sal Aurigemma Ph.D.
Associate Professor of CIS, J. Bradley Oxley Professor of Computer Information SystemsUniversity of Tulsa
School of Accounting and CIS at the Collins College of Business
What hard/technical skills are most important for Front End Developers?
Sal Aurigemma Ph.D.: Students graduating with Information Systems and related degrees usually have little problem finding employment upon graduation. However, the pandemic upended that paradigm for some. For those who recently graduated and are still looking for employment, keep the faith and develop your technical skills. Developers should show prospective employers that they are familiar with agile programming methodologies and modern DevOps stacks and processes. Data analysts should be focused on presenting their ability to work with structured and unstructured data, effectively query data using SQL & NoSQL, and, most importantly, provide actionable insight by making data accessible and relatable to decision-makers at all levels of an organization. Those interested in cloud architecture and cyber security careers have to keep current on their skills and certifications. Cloud engineers need to stay aware of the constant changes happening at the major providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and, as with all other IT fields, provide tangible evidence of your skills via real projects that you have worked on. Prospective cyber security analysts should first focus on identifying their first specialization because there are too many security roles to learn them all at once, especially as beginners. Two popular entry-level cyber security jobs include information security consultant and Security Operations Center (SOC). Both of these roles require a sound foundation in networking fundamentals, vulnerability identification and mitigation, and an understanding of organizationally relevant security and privacy frameworks and regulations.
Ashwith Chilvery Ph.D.
Director, Dual-Degree Engineering Program, Assistant Professor of PhysicsXavier University of Louisiana
Department of Physics and Computer Science
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Front End Developers?
Ashwith Chilvery Ph.D.: The coronavirus pandemic has made a substantial impact on every industry across latitude and longitude. It adapted us to the new normal, which some industries see as a boon and others as bane. HigherEd, which happens to be the oldest and mature industry, is no exception. The cohort of graduates who are very special because they are flexible, comprehend concepts via simulations, videos and peer mentoring. The benefits of these pedagogies are unique, thought provoking and content rich. Subsequently, our conventional methods to calibrate or gauge student's learning outcomes were fine-tuned to current circumstances. Moreover, the prominence of online learning has also enabled us to bridge the gap. So, the repercussions of pandemic on current graduates would be narrow and low-gravity.
What's a good job out of college for Front End Developers?
Ashwith Chilvery Ph.D.: With increasing unemployment rates, it would be challenging for most of the graduates to find suitable and relevant jobs. More precisely, the pandemic has increased the competition by reducing the number of job vacancies. However, the students with prior internships and research experiences have an advantage to be absorbed quickly but the majority would still be on a hunt mode. In this perspective, they may want to be strategic and pursue jobs that are at a junior level but aligned with their strengths and passion. Self-employment could be other means where they could be on the learning curve and hone skills that are desired. Volunteering has always rewarded those who have embraced it. In short, graduates have to digest the current scenario and strategize their skill sets to land in their dream job.
What technical skills for a Front End Developer stand out to employers?
Ashwith Chilvery Ph.D.: In any job market, employers always desire graduates with sound technical skills that complement their teams. For instance, graduates may want to be cognizant of disruptive technologies in their fields such as software programming, coding, designing, 3d printing, project management, digital marketing, technical writing, data analytics and etc. In addition, employers have special fondness for graduates with multidisciplinary capabilities and skills. Having such sound skills would enable them to evolve as an independent thinker and thrive as a team player.
What's a good job out of college for Front End Developers?
Christopher Martinez Ph.D.: The best job you can have out of college is a job you have passion for and will set you up to advance your career. If you have always wanted to work in aerospace, then you should seek out that field from the start. I hate to see students settle for a job because of pay or because they feel they can move to their dream field later.
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceMurray State University
Computer Science and Information Systems
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front End Developer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.: I'm no economist, but based on what I've seen, the job market in the computing industry has stayed relatively strong. There are still lots of software development and IT job openings right now. Since the pandemic has started, the biggest change is the move to working remotely. More people are just working from home now. There are currently way more remote job postings now than I've ever seen, though many of them state that working remotely is only temporary. Since schools have closed, that also means people have to deal with working while also trying to keep their kids on track with their school work. It's a difficult time for everyone right now.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Front End Developers?
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.: A bachelor's degree in computer science is extremely valuable. It has been and continues to be one of the most valuable college degrees a student can pursue. I really think all areas of computing are in demand, but web and mobile computing might be one of the strongest. Some employers do like to see extra certifications in addition to the bachelor's degree. There are literally hundreds of certifications available in the computing industry. They all vary in the required amount of time, effort, and money. I think anything that can set a candidate apart from other candidates is valuable, and that includes any certification. I would not recommend investing thousands of dollars into additional certifications after completing a bachelor's degree, but I don't think it's a bad idea for students to pursue one of the free or lower-cost certifications that are available - especially those students who might not have strong internship experience, extracurricular activities, projects, etc. to put on their resumes. I think anything DevOps related or cloud-based like Amazon's AWS or Microsoft's Azure are especially valuable right now.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Front End Developers?
Bob Sweeney Ph.D.: I don't think so but I can't predict the future. The job market in this area seems to be solidifying and there are numerous local, regional, and national employers participating in our University's career fair this semester.
What's a good job out of college for Front End Developers?
Bob Sweeney Ph.D.: Very likely there will be more remote workers at least for the near future. Many organizations are hiring and expecting workers in their facilities. Students have been getting more exposure to Zoom, Slack, Discourse, Discord, Git, and other remote collaboration tools during their last semesters which should ease their transition to a workplace using these applications.
What skills stand out on Front End Developer resumes?
Dr. Y. Ken Wang: We encourage our students to prepare their online portfolio starting from their first year at college. The projects they've done and the commits they've recorded on Github are the best presentation of their skills and experiences. We emphasize both technical and social skills. In terms of technical skills, we ask our students to take Linux operating system with Apache and PHP, two programming languages (C#, Python, PHP, Java, or Javascript), and a networking practicum class. These are the core competency we found competitive on the job market.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Front End Developers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Y. Ken Wang: Other than San Francisco Bay, Seattle, New York, Boston, DC, we found Pittsburgh is a popular place for our students as well.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front End Developer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Y. Ken Wang: The major impact on our students is the shrink of internship opportunities. Students, especially those living in rural areas are more difficult to find internships. Online internships are insufficient in terms of quantity or quality. The lack of internship opportunities a challenge to both students and their families. Students from resourceful families are less affected. But those from first generation, rural, and minority families often feel frustrated and helpless.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front End Developer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Brock LaMeres Ph.D.: Businesses that do primarily computer-based work have not been impacted by COVID as much as trade-based businesses. They have figured out how to continue operations with the majority of their employees working from home. I feel like the types of jobs that people will hire into will have a significant "work-at-home" component. There will also be a surge in businesses trying to provide the resources for work-at-home employees.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Front End Developers?
Hang Dinh Ph.D.: I don't think there will be an enduring impact from the coronavirus on graduates of mathematics and computer science. The Internet and technology industries are booming during the pandemic, which needs graduates in math and computer science.
What type of skills will young Front End Developers need?
Hang Dinh Ph.D.: In the coming years, when life is still being impacted by the pandemic in some way, graduates who enter the workforce may need skills that help them work efficiently from home. Those skills would include time management, self-motivation, and the ability to use technology. Of course, they still need the skills that are usually needed for their jobs, such as communication skills, teamwork, etc.
What experience really stands out on Front End Developer resumes?
Hang Dinh Ph.D.: Determining which experiences stand out on resumes depends on the position. For example, when we look for developers for ExtentWorld, we would love someone with experience in building complex or large scale systems and in designing advanced algorithms. The experience of simple coding would not stand out for such a position. At ExtentWorld, we have code-generating tools that help us build a complex one-stop social media platform at Extentworld with just two developers. This means the simple coding tasks can be automated. Graduates of computer science should have more than just coding experience.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Front End Developers?
Elisa Beshero-Bondar Ph.D.: Yes, there certainly will. My digital project design course this fall involved seniors working entirely remotely on teams, and learning to work with GitHub, as well as Slack and Discord to coordinate together. Everything was more virtual than ever this year, and I know that these students learned more than ever before the pandemic about virtual task management and teamwork, because they relied on it more than ever to be connected with each other. They're marked by that awareness, and my colleagues indicate that those who graduate will be more resourceful and productive than before, and ready to work at a distance as needed.
What type of skills will young Front End Developers need?
Elisa Beshero-Bondar Ph.D.: Our graduates will need the vital skill of "looking stuff up" to find the most reliable and cost-efficient technological tools for a task. They need strong virtual as well as in-person communication skills, and they need experience with careful data and file curation. They need to be good at debugging problems and finding solutions, rather than presuming that the tech a company relies on will "just work." These things will help our students find good jobs and become indispensable employees.
What experience really stands out on Front End Developer resumes?
Elisa Beshero-Bondar Ph.D.: Designing and developing a whole project from plan to completion, whether solo or on a team. A student with coursework involving coding won't stand out as much as a student who has applied what they have learned to a project they made themselves or with a clearly defined role on a team. A student who successfully leads a project team (during a pandemic!) clearly has much to offer the workforce.
Brian Law
Assistant Professor of Computer ScienceIllinois Wesleyan University
Computer Science Department
What general advice would you give to a Front End Developer?
Brian Law: i) Explore your options thoroughly. Too many students get bewitched by Big Tech companies, with their bold promises, their fancy campuses, their big recruitment events, and their nice swag. Nowadays, this also happens to students with start-ups. But those jobs are not only highly competitive, but they also have very similarly exacting work cultures and very little work-life balance. These are cutthroat environments that are, frankly, not suited for everyone. Instead, many graduates would probably be happier working at, say, medium or small-size companies where they can find a workplace culture that fits them rather than the other way around, or non-tech companies where the pressure is lower because the goal is more stability and support rather than rapid innovation. Of course, this is the exact same dynamic that plays out with young consultants, accountants, lawyers, and doctors, who are also often initially attracted to high-powered, high-pressure environments but often end up deciding it's not for them, especially as they get older and start thinking about families.
ii) Specialize. There's no job out there with the title, "Computer Scientist." Employers are looking to hire you for a specific set of skills and knowledge. If you can identify the area of Computer Science you're interested in and the work you want to do in that area, you can again get a big leg up over your competition if you can demonstrate that you actually want to do what your future employer wants you to and that you're good at it. If you want to work with databases, then take those extra database electives and learn some other database technologies on your own time, and your resume will stand out amongst all the others for any DBA job.
iii) Don't sweat it too much. You've probably been alive for 22 years or so, so you'll probably be in the labor force for 50+ years. Your first job is not going to be your last job, and you may easily find your career path taking unexpected turns that you never even knew existed. Just like you didn't know what the areas of computer science were as a freshman, there are many many CS-related job types out there that you're not even aware of, and 50 years from now, there will probably be even more. While it may seem like your first job will set you on one path for the rest of your life, really it starts you towards 5000 possible paths out of millions in total. No, you don't get the stability of a "job for life" anymore, but that can also be freeing in a way. Don't worry about finding that "perfect" job; even if you did find it, you and the world around you will change over time anyway, so just take your first step confidently and always keep an eye out for your next one.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Front End Developer job market given the pandemic?
Brian Law: I'm not sure the pandemic has really changed anything, so much as it's accelerated existing trends. Large firms are still expanding their IT workforces - or planning to when the economy recovers - with increased interest in data science, artificial intelligence, and systems, especially with an eye towards contracting IT infrastructure and services, and moving towards decentralized work, whether that be in the form of remote work, "smart" technology, and/or the cloud.
All of these were happening already pre-pandemic as the various technologies matured, but the pandemic seems to have accelerated those trends as companies are both tightening their belts in the short-term and planning ahead for the long-term. Smaller firms may be struggling to survive, but technological progress has not stopped, so while overall job numbers may be down in any given month, that just means there's a lot of pent-up demand for when the economy recovers.
For example, the pandemic has pushed a lot of small businesses and restaurants to adopt online ordering and shopping systems; those systems aren't just going away when the pandemic ends, and new post-pandemic businesses will have to compete against incumbents with significant technology investments.
What Front End Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Brian Law: There are several areas that are "hot" right now, such as the previously-mentioned data science, artificial intelligence, and systems, but also cybersecurity and databases/data warehousing. That being said, the most important thing for a new graduate seeking employment to do is just to do anything, produce something. Tech employers don't and have never trusted computer science credentialing; that mistrust is the origin of the infamous "tech interview," used to verify whether a candidate actually has the technical skills to back up their piece of paper.
So to preemptively answer that question and get a leg up on other candidates, graduates should be sure to generate some artifact(s) that demonstrate(s) their technical and organizational skills. Show them that you can plan a project, design it, see it through in programming it, and do so in a responsible, organized manner (good coding style, readable code, well-documented, and using proper version control), and you'll have addressed your future employer's greatest worries right off the bat.
If it's a project in one of these "hot" areas or specifically tuned for the work the employer does, all the better, but anything the employer is doing is probably leagues beyond what a fresh graduate can do by themselves in a few months, so ultimately they're not going to be that impressed with your domain-specific technical knowledge. Instead treat it more as an opportunity to show off your "soft" skills, your programming maturity, and your ability to actually produce a product rather than just answer exam questions. And while you're at it, you might as well make it something fun for yourself so you'll be driven to finish it.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Front End Developers?
Dr. Shaun Cooper Ph.D.: For most graduates, no. Most employers have their own platforms, so the effects from the pandemic are not in play as the employer; the investment into the new graduate would be similar with or without the pandemic. The new graduate may have a more difficult time catching up from the loss of some educational experiences from the pandemic, but I think it will even out in twelve to eighteen months. Some examples of the biggest challenges for new graduates are the transitions to working with others and being in offices. The past eighteen months has allowed all of us to enhance our bad personal habits; the new graduate is likely to bring these to work and expect that this is normal (e.g., bathing, eating at the desk, playing games during work time).
What type of skills will young Front End Developers need?
Dr. Shaun Cooper Ph.D.: Most young graduates want to be game developers. Frankly, there are too few jobs in game development for students to find a reasonable change. The skills employers want are in using SQL with relational databases, and they want the ability to work in a full stack development environment and the willingness to learn new platforms and programming environments. The employer has a huge investment in their development stack, and the new employee has to learn that stack. Also, they want employees with the ability to communicate with management and, most importantly, the ability to work with others. The graduate should be solid in basic data structures and how they are applied to solutions. Additionally dynamic HTML web services are welcome.
What experience really stands out on Front End Developer resumes?
Dr. Shaun Cooper Ph.D.: The most important experience on a graduate's resume is the fact that they worked during their undergraduate years. Employers certainly prefer a student who has had a computer science-related internship, but regular employment experience is equally important. The recruiters want to see a person who has been in the employment system. A student who has never had any job is more of a gamble to an employer.
As for internships, one internship is good. A second one is even better. Preferably doing a different activity and maybe at a different employer.
As the Chief Information Officer at NMSU (now retired), I oversaw 100-plus regular employees. When we interviewed new graduates, it was very important to me to see that the applicant had consistent, continuous (part-time) employment.