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Mobile applications developer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a mobile applications developer. Mobile applications developers usually study computer science, computer engineering, or electrical engineering. 69% of mobile applications developers hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,544 real mobile applications developer resumes to see exactly what mobile applications developer education sections show.
The most common colleges for mobile applications developers are the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia.
There are also many online mobile applications developer courses to help get the education required to be a mobile applications developer.
There are certain mobile applications developer certifications that you should consider. These mobile applications developer certifications include Associate Android Developer Certification and Certified Web Professional - Web Developer.
What education do you need to become a mobile applications developer?
What degree do you need to be a mobile applications developer?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 24%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a mobile applications developer?
- Computer Science, 43%
- Computer Engineering, 15%
- Other Majors, 23%
Most common colleges for mobile applications developers
| Mobile applications developer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Georgia | 17.50% |
| New York University | 7.50% |
| Monroe College | 7.14% |
| University of Delaware | 5.71% |
| University of Florida | 5.36% |
Best majors for mobile applications developers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 43.3% |
| 2 | Computer Engineering | 15.1% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 9.8% |
| 4 | Information Technology | 8.5% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering Technology | 3.2% |
Best colleges for mobile applications developers
The best colleges for mobile applications developers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications developers
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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. Data Science Immersive (Full-time)
Harness the power of data science to solve the world’s most challenging problems by developing your skills in predictive modeling, pattern recognition, data visualization, wrangling massive data sets, forecasting trends, and informing strategy across diverse industries like public policy, robotics, and FinTech...
3. Programming for Data Science with R
Prepare for a data science career by learning the fundamental data programming tools: R, SQL, command line, and git...
4. 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...
5. Mobile Development and JavaScript
This course is the first in a series that will allow you to expand your skills as an Android developer into the world of cross-platform mobile development. This will allow you to use your foundations as an Android developer to build cross-platform mobile applications. The first step in this expansion is learning to program in JavaScript. This will prepare you to learn to use the React library for mobile development. JavaScript is the programming language that powers the modern web. In this...
6. Web Applications for Everybody
This Specialization is an introduction to building web applications for anybody who already has a basic understanding of responsive web design with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Web Applications for Everybody is your introduction to web application development. You will develop web and database applications in PHP, using SQL for database creation, as well as functionality in JavaScript, jQuery, and JSON.\n\nOver the course of this Specialization, you will create several web apps to add to your...
7. 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...
8. Web Development HTML CSS JavaScript jQuery NodeJS
Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp HTML Project HTML 5 CSS 3 Java Script Bootstrap ES6 j Query Node JS...
9. Data Science (Part Time)
Create robust predictive models with statistics and Python programming. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex machine learning problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
10. Python Programming (Part Time)
Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
11. Android Kotlin Developer
Master Android app development with Kotlin, a modern programming language that enables developers to be more concise and productive. Build professional apps for the world's most popular mobile platform using Android Studio and Kotlin...
12. Artificial Intelligence for Trading
Complete real-world projects designed by industry experts, covering topics from asset management to trading signal generation. Master AI algorithms for trading, and build your career-ready portfolio...
13. iOS 10 and Xcode 8 - Complete Swift 3 & Objective-C Course
A Complete i OS 10 and Xcode 8 Course with Swift 3 & Objective-C...
14. JSON in Action: Build JSON-Based Applications
Learn JSON from Scratch! Learn Java Script Object Notation (JSON) to Build API-Based Apps! Develop 2 JSON-Based Projects...
15. 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...
16. 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...
17. Data Engineer
Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets...
18. iOS Developer
Master the Swift programming language, and create a portfolio of iOS apps for iPhone and iPad to showcase your skills!...
19. iOS 11 and Xcode 9 - Complete Swift 4 & Objective-C Course
A Complete i OS 11 and Xcode 9 Course with Swift 4 & Objective-C...
20. iOS 12 & Xcode 10 - Complete Swift 4.2 & Objective-C Course
A Complete i OS 12 and Xcode 10 Course with Swift 4.2 & Objective-C...
Top 10 most affordable universities for mobile applications developers
The most affordable schools for mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications developers
The hardest universities for mobile applications developers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications developers
The easiest schools for mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications 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 mobile applications developer salary by education level
| Mobile applications developer education level | Mobile applications developer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,271 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $97,506 |
| Doctorate Degree | $113,067 |
Mobile applications developer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025