How To Become An Information Technology Applications Developer: What It Is and Career Path

What is an information technology applications developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Tao Ju,

Kevin Treu Ph.D.

Generally, IT applications developers are thought to be the behind the screen soul of the technological industries. Well, maybe they are; an application developer is someone who creates, tests, and programs applications software for computers. They work in teams to identify ideas and concepts for the general public or a specific need brought to them by a customer.

As an IT applications developer, you must hold a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, MIS, information technology, or software engineering. Additionally, you may also need six months to one year of previous experience alongside goods skills in programming.

The BLS reports that graduates who gravitate toward this field end up laying claim to annual earnings that top out at $107,510. The current median pay for a IT applications developer ranges from $64,240 to $164,590 in the US. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your experience, skills, or organization.

What general advice would you give to an information technology applications developer?

Dr. Tao Ju

Vice Dean for Research & Professor, Washington University in St. Louis

They are not in this alone. The opportunities are out there, but it is up to them to be proactive and take ownership of their career. They should become familiar with and use all of the resources available to them-alumni, faculty and career advisors, job search sites, mentoring programs, career fairs, professional associations, and networking events. Take advantage of their existing network and seek out ways to make further connections. Keep an eye on trends, follow news, and research companies. Dream big but be flexible. In this time of constant transition and change, graduates who can shift their plans to the conditions of the job market will have less stress and more success. Talk with companies they've never heard of and explore careers they've never considered. They might be surprised at what they find and where it leads them. Lastly, remain confident and positive. They've worked hard to get to this point and they can be rest assured that their choice to pursue engineering will pay off in the short and long run.

ScoreInformation Technology Applications DeveloperUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $95,731

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.0

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 30.05%

Black or African American 4.31%

Hispanic or Latino 8.03%

Unknown 4.76%

White 52.69%

Gender

female 24.86%

male 75.14%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an information technology applications developer

Explore information technology applications developer education requirements

Most common information technology applications developer degrees

Bachelor's

70.7 %

Master's

16.4 %

Associate

11.3 %

Start to develop specific information technology applications developer skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	7.16%
Application Development	6.98%
C++	5.90%
JavaScript	5.75%
Development Life	4.98%

Complete relevant information technology applications developer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New information technology applications developers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an information technology applications developer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real information technology applications developer resumes.

Research information technology applications developer duties and responsibilities

Manage complete SDLC for development projects including gathering and determining business requirements.
Utilize jQuery to update HTML and input elements and CSS selectors to emulate responses to user input using jQuery events.
Web components are developed using JSP, JavaScript, and HTML.
Make basic changes to existing pages by hand editing HTML.

Prepare your information technology applications developer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your information technology applications developer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an information technology applications developer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable information technology applications developer resume templates

Build a professional information technology applications developer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your information technology applications developer resume.

Apply for information technology applications developer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an information technology applications developer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average information technology applications developer salary

The average information technology applications developer salary in the United States is $95,731 per year or $46 per hour. Information technology applications developer salaries range between $73,000 and $125,000 per year.

Average information technology applications developer salary

$95,731 Yearly

$46.02 hourly

How do information technology applications developers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Information technology applications developer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Cons

Stressing and you have to keep always updated

Pros

Improve every day, a good salary, a lot of job opportunities

What is an information technology applications developer and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an information technology applications developer?

Information technology applications developer career paths

Key steps to become an information technology applications developer

Explore information technology applications developer education requirements

Most common information technology applications developer degrees

Start to develop specific information technology applications developer skills

Complete relevant information technology applications developer training and internships

Research information technology applications developer duties and responsibilities

Prepare your information technology applications developer resume

Choose from 10+ customizable information technology applications developer resume templates

Apply for information technology applications developer jobs

How did you land your first information technology applications developer job

Average information technology applications developer salary

How do information technology applications developers rate their job?

Information technology applications developer reviews