How to hire a web application developer

How to hire a web application developer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step web application developer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a web application developer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new web application developer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a web application developer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a web application developer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect web application developer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of web application developers.

   Type of Web Application Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Web Application Developer	Web developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look of the site... Show more	$31-52
   Java/J2ee Developer	Java developers are in charge of the design, development, and management of Java-based applications. Whereas, J2EE or Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition developers are responsible for developing web and software enterprise-internet level applications... Show more	$33-56
   Software Developer	A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems... Show more	$32-54

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • JavaScript
   • Web Application
   • CSS
   • HTML
   • Java
   • Database
   • Html Css
   • Python
   • JQuery
   • GIT
   • Application Development
   • API
   • Web Forms
   • Front End

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage full-life cycle development of windows services and web-base applications.
   • Manage intranet updates while administering user access to corporate projects.
   • Manage, develop, integrate and implement relate applications components, including front-end development, server-side development and database integration.
   • Create and implement user interface solutions for complex web applications using JSP, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
   • Web-Base database application development responsibilities include database development, CGI script design and implementation and HTML data input/output page development.
   • Addressed mobile phone and tablet device compatibility with CSS3 media queries, AJAX, and HTML5.

   More web application developer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your web application developer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A web application developer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a web application developer in Colorado may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level web application developer usually earns less than a senior-level web application developer. Additionally, a web application developer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average web application developer salary

   $85,840yearly

   $41.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level web application developer salary

   $66,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average web application developer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$107,035	$51
   2	Washington	$101,646	$49
   3	Massachusetts	$90,663	$44
   4	New York	$90,491	$44
   5	New Jersey	$90,090	$43
   6	District of Columbia	$89,040	$43
   7	Connecticut	$83,390	$40
   8	Minnesota	$83,091	$40
   9	Virginia	$82,516	$40
   10	North Carolina	$81,666	$39
   11	Texas	$80,308	$39
   12	Arizona	$80,268	$39
   13	Pennsylvania	$79,310	$38
   14	Georgia	$78,412	$38
   15	Ohio	$76,399	$37
   16	Illinois	$75,438	$36
   17	Kansas	$73,895	$36
   18	Indiana	$73,134	$35
   19	Florida	$72,984	$35
   20	Michigan	$72,142	$35

   Average web application developer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$119,997	$57.69	256
   2	Intuitive Surgical	$112,648	$54.16	2
   3	Conviva	$108,558	$52.19
   4	CITGO Petroleum	$108,127	$51.98
   5	BNY Mellon	$107,014	$51.45	15
   6	Citi	$106,757	$51.33	24
   7	Adobe	$105,259	$50.61	21
   8	Marcus & Millichap	$104,776	$50.37
   9	KLA	$103,015	$49.53	9
   10	Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman	$102,392	$49.23
   11	Icma-rc	$102,237	$49.15
   12	State Street	$101,609	$48.85	11
   13	Grainger	$101,454	$48.78	1
   14	Qualys	$100,694	$48.41
   15	Conga	$100,660	$48.39	1
   16	Best Buy	$100,504	$48.32	1
   17	Interactive Brokers	$100,429	$48.28	11
   18	SiriusXM	$100,157	$48.15	1
   19	Urban Institute	$99,962	$48.06
   20	WebMD	$99,476	$47.83	2

4. Writing a web application developer job description

   A good web application developer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a web application developer job description:

   Web application developer job description example

   Candidate shall provide software support as a service, including but not limited to creating, developing, operating, maintaining, and implementing within our infrastructure. Candidate shall be familiar with ColdFusion and Python as a resource to maintain the NSWC CRNA Intranet, as well as adhere to all Cyber STIG requirements. Candidate shall work closely with customers during the following: identifying requirements, analysis, design, test phases (documenting all new processes, software updates), quality assurance and reporting back any learned lessons and risks.
   
   Candidate shall develop local applications using C#,Angular, SQL, Cold Fusion, JavaScript, .NET (dot net), and other computer languages and database environments, utilizing various frameworks. Candidate shall have experience troubleshooting, performing root cause analysis, understand code, scripts, queries and embedded procedures, and use gathered information to enhance software applications.
   
   Candidate willperform data validation. Candidates should have experience in researching software project alternatives and provide recommended solutions. Candidate shall have the ability to develop and present briefings to executive audiences, including topics such as data management processes and tools, software development status, and data quality improvement recommendations. Candidate will perform data assessment and data profiling. Candidates shall be proficient in MS Office suite, Adobe Acrobat Pro and PDF. Advanced level skills in MS SQL, C#, AngularJS 1.5/Angular 6, Aurelia, VBA/MS Access, and Java Script.
   
   Candidate must ensure all web application developers and software developers adhere to 8140 CSWF Requirements: CSWF Software Development - Computer Science degree or Certified Secure Software Life-Cycle Professional (CSSLP)
   
   Candidate will maintain NSWC Corona Intranet. Candidate shall interface and maintain back-end databases that interact with the Intranet pages. Candidate shall create and implement user friendly, visually appealing web pages.
   Bachelors in Computer Systems or Information Technology
   
   CSSLP Certification
   
   Microsoft Sharepoint Online experience
   
   Microsoft Power Apps experience
   
   Microsoft Power Bi experience
   
   Sharepoint experience
   
   C+ experience

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find web application developers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your web application developer job on Zippia to find and attract quality web application developer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting web application developers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a web application developer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new web application developer

   Once you've selected the best web application developer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new web application developer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a web application developer?