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The differences between web programmers and web application developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a web programmer and a web application developer. Additionally, a web application developer has an average salary of $85,840, which is higher than the $72,168 average annual salary of a web programmer.
The top three skills for a web programmer include javascript, HTML and database. The most important skills for a web application developer are javascript, web application, and CSS.
| Web Programmer | Web Application Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,168 | $85,840 |
| Hourly rate | $34.70 | $41.27 |
| Growth rate | 13% | 13% |
| Number of jobs | 104,212 | 229,802 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Also called web engineers or developers, web programmers create web applications. Their job focuses on the non-design factors of web development such as markup writing and coding. They design and come up with websites and take responsibility for their looks. It is their job to oversee the technical aspects of the websites including their capacity and performance. Sometimes, they need to show clients or employers a website prototype to better understand the finished product.
A web application developer is responsible for designing website and system applications following clients' specifications and business' needs. Web application developers utilize their expertise in programming languages and system codes, ensuring the efficiency and smooth navigation of the website. They also run multiple diagnostic tests on the output before release, identifying inconsistencies, and addressing incompatibilities on browsers and devices. A web application developer should be detail-oriented and highly-technical as this job requires excellent digital knowledge to manage complex systems.
Web programmers and web application developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Web Programmer | Web Application Developer | |
| Average salary | $72,168 | $85,840 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $97,000 | Between $66,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bothell, WA | Fairfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Finance |
There are a few differences between a web programmer and a web application developer in terms of educational background:
| Web Programmer | Web Application Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between web programmers' and web application developers' demographics:
| Web Programmer | Web Application Developer | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 80.9% Female, 19.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 15.8% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 16.1% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |