How do I become a junior software developer?

You can become a junior software developer by earning a bachelor's degree and having programming experience, as well as a good understanding of operating systems and databases. At the junior level, typically an entry-level position, you don't need to be an expert already with years of experience. However, it would be important to build your foundations and some basic skills already through schooling. Employers usually require a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, and information technology. Having just an associate's degree may suffice if you have relevant experience to compensate for the lack of a bachelor's degree.

How long should you be a junior developer?

You should be a junior developer anywhere from 2 to 5 years. However, there is no consensus in the tech industry on how long it should take you to get from a junior developer to a senior one.

Is it hard to get a junior developer job?

No, it is not hard to get a junior developer job. As long as a person has a solid set of skills in software development, it is easy to get a job in this field due to the high demand for qualified applicants.

What makes a good junior developer?

What makes a good junior developer is professionalism, soft skills, and technical capabilities. While many key attributes make someone a good developer, these areas encompass much of what it takes to excel in this position.

How To Become A Junior Software Developer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a junior software developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Frank McCown Ph.D.,

Kevin Treu Ph.D.

Junior software developers are newbies who just joined the team of professional software developers. As entry-level colleagues, their job will be to assist the team in writing code and creating software design.

You will work under the development manager and carry out various tasks. You will attend team meetings to discuss works in progress. After you have gotten familiar with the codebase, you will contribute to writing code, fixing bugs, and collecting user data.

You will need a bachelor's in computer science to get on board, and basic programming experience will surely be appreciated. Knowing your way around databases and operating systems is a must, but don't get discouraged if you are not quite there yet. Practice makes perfect in this field as well, just like in many others.

What general advice would you give to a junior software developer?

Frank McCown Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Harding University

The market is stable for software developers, despite the economic challenges created by the pandemic. Before accepting a job offer, talk to the company's employees through online meetings or email, and see what they think of the company. Do they enjoy their work? Are there opportunities to learn new technologies? How does the company treat their employees? There's a good chance you will be working remotely in your first job, so you will need to exercise a lot of self-discipline, be punctual for online meetings, do the work you've been assigned, and know when to ask questions when you get stuck. Expect a steeper-than-normal learning curve if you are working remotely instead of in an office.

ScoreJunior Software DeveloperUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $70,486

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 29.89%

Black or African American 4.48%

Hispanic or Latino 8.23%

Unknown 4.81%

White 52.41%

Gender

female 19.49%

male 80.51%

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 a junior software developer

Explore junior software developer education requirements

Most common junior software developer degrees

Bachelor's

75.6 %

Master's

14.5 %

Associate

6.7 %

Start to develop specific junior software developer skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	14.13%
C++	14.06%
JavaScript	11.65%
Object Oriented Programming	8.89%
CSS	8.52%

Complete relevant junior software developer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New junior software 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 a junior software developer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real junior software developer resumes.

Research junior software developer duties and responsibilities

Create UNIX shell scripts to automate the build process, to perform regular jobs like file transfers between different hosts.
Implement a centralize configuration system for managing application settings, consisting of a desktop application with a WCF backend.
Help in writing server-side web application logic in python.
Develop web presentation layer using HTML and CSS according to internal standards and guidelines.

Prepare your junior software developer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior software 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 a junior software 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 junior software developer resume templates

Build a professional junior software 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 junior software developer resume.

Apply for junior software developer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a junior software 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

How do junior software developers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Junior software developer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023

Pros

Problem solving and cutting edge technology - always learning and evolving my skill set

Cons

Still have to deal with people :)

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

I enjoyed working on creative problems that dealt with the user interface

Cons

I didn't like how technical it could become

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Pros

Designing a new system or making changes to an old one.

Cons

Compensation. Pay and Benefits do not match the time spent on a project. Alabama is the Worst state to live in for SOFTWARE ENGINEER Salaries. 40 to 50 percent less than our peer States.

What is a junior software developer and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a junior software developer?

Junior software developer career paths

Key steps to become a junior software developer

Explore junior software developer education requirements

Most common junior software developer degrees

Start to develop specific junior software developer skills

Complete relevant junior software developer training and internships

Research junior software developer duties and responsibilities

Prepare your junior software developer resume

Choose from 10+ customizable junior software developer resume templates

Apply for junior software developer jobs

How did you land your first junior software developer job

Average junior software developer salary

How do junior software developers rate their job?

Junior software developer reviews

Junior software developer FAQs

How do I become a junior software developer?

How long should you be a junior developer?

Is it hard to get a junior developer job?

What makes a good junior developer?

Search for junior software developer jobs