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What is a senior web application developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Experts
Brian Glas,
Kevin Treu Ph.D.

Senior web application developers run teams of web developers, including web designers and programmers as well. They are responsible for coordinating schedules, delegating tasks, and making sure projects are completed within deadlines. As a senior web application developer, you will oversee each phase of the work, from development, design, and coding to the implementation and testing of web applications.

You will be responsible for providing website maintenance as well. You will also be entrusted with determining project goals and selecting the best working methods and tools for the projects. You will be expected to provide guidance and resolve problems arising during work and help out with large projects working together with other senior developers.

What general advice would you give to a Senior Web Application Developer?

Brian GlasBrian Glas LinkedIn Profile

Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Union University

Build relationships: Different technologies will interest and challenge you, but throughout your career, you'll find that it's the relationships that are the most important. This is harder to grasp earlier in your career, but much easier to understand after 15-20 years.
Gain different perspectives: Spend time with people in other roles that your job interacts with, and gain a solid understanding of how they view things; this is most valuable for career progression and understanding of how your work fits into the big picture.
ScoreSenior Web Application DeveloperUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $100,403

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.2

Growth Rate 13%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 16.12%

Black or African American 6.48%

Hispanic or Latino 12.08%

Unknown 6.52%

White 58.37%

Gender

female 14.97%

male 85.03%

Age - 36
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 - 36
Stress Level
5.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.3

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.8

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Senior Web Application Developer career paths

Key steps to become a senior web application developer

  1. Explore senior web application developer education requirements

    Most common senior web application developer degrees

    Bachelor's

    65.8 %

    Master's

    22.2 %

    Associate

    7.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior web application developer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Java6.75%
    Web Application6.37%
    Scrum6.19%
    JavaScript5.49%
    Web Services4.76%
  3. Complete relevant senior web application developer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior web application 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 senior web application developer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior web application developer resumes.
  4. Research senior web application developer duties and responsibilities

    • Perform as JIRA administrator and manage documentation, tracking, and releases.
    • Manage multiple web and database servers in multiple locations to ensure constant availability, functionality, synchronization and security.
    • Develop the presentation layer using HTML5 and CSS according to internal standards and guidelines.
    • Create view-model and controllers and work with demo JSON data and services until API gets ready.
  5. Get senior web application developer experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior web application developer. The most common roles before becoming a senior web application developer include web developer, web application developer team lead and senior software engineer.
  6. Prepare your senior web application developer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior web application 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 senior web application developer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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    Senior Web Application Developer Resume
    Senior Web Application Developer Resume
  7. Apply for senior web application developer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior web application developer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How Did You Land Your First Senior Web Application Developer Job

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Average senior web application developer salary

The average Senior Web Application Developer salary in the United States is $100,403 per year or $48 per hour. Senior web application developer salaries range between $79,000 and $127,000 per year.

Average Senior Web Application Developer Salary
$100,403 Yearly
$48.27 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do senior web application developers rate their job?

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Senior Web Application Developer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Cons

I didn't like how technical it could become


profile
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


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Making your own website

Cons

Taking time to make it


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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