How do I become a junior developer with no experience?

The best way to get started as a junior developer with no experience is through the pursuit of a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering. This is generally the most thorough way to get started as a junior developer because it provides extensive training and mentorship.

How many hours does it take to become a junior developer?

It takes a minimum of 8 to 12 hours a day for at least six months to become a junior developer. Because of this intensity, the best way to get started as a junior developer is through the pursuit of a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering.

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 is a junior developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Frank McCown Ph.D.,

Kevin Treu Ph.D.

A junior developer is an entry-level software developer who works under the supervision of senior developers. They are responsible for writing, testing, and debugging code, as well as collaborating with other team members. Junior developers typically have a degree in computer science or a related field, and may have completed internships or coding bootcamps to gain experience. They are valuable members of development teams and contribute to the growth and success of software projects.

What general advice would you give to a Junior 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 DeveloperUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $75,006

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 29.77%

Black or African American 4.63%

Hispanic or Latino 8.40%

Unknown 4.86%

White 52.18%

Gender

female 24.06%

male 75.94%

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

What are the pros and cons of being a Junior Developer?

Pros

Opportunity to learn new skills
Exposure to different programming languages and frameworks
Chance to work on real-world projects
Possibility of mentorship and guidance from senior developers
Potential for career growth and advancement

Cons

Limited autonomy and decision-making power
High pressure to perform and meet deadlines
Long working hours and tight schedules
Low pay compared to senior developers
High expectation of delivering quality work with limited experience

Key steps to become a junior developer

Explore junior developer education requirements

Most common junior developer degrees

Bachelor's

73.1 %

Master's

14.5 %

Associate

7.7 %

Start to develop specific junior developer skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	13.46%
C++	11.08%
JavaScript	10.66%
Python	8.00%
C Net	5.10%

Complete relevant junior developer training and internships

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

Research junior developer duties and responsibilities

Work with a scrum team in deciding, organizing, and managing tasks.
Manage connectivity using JDBC for querying/inserting & data management including triggers and store procedures.
Design and implementation of front end web pages using JSP, HTML and XML/XSLT.
Design and develop GUI for multiple client applications by using ASP.NET controls, CSS, HTML.

Prepare your junior developer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior 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 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 Developer Resume templates

Build a professional Junior 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 Developer resume.

Apply for junior developer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a junior 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 developers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Junior 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 developer and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Junior Developer?

What are the pros and cons of being a Junior Developer?

Junior Developer career paths

Key steps to become a junior developer

Explore junior developer education requirements

Most common junior developer degrees

Start to develop specific junior developer skills

Complete relevant junior developer training and internships

Research junior developer duties and responsibilities

Prepare your junior developer resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Junior Developer Resume templates

Apply for junior developer jobs

How Did You Land Your First Junior Developer Job

Average junior developer salary

How do junior developers rate their job?

Junior Developer reviews

Junior Developer FAQs

How do I become a junior developer with no experience?

How many hours does it take to become a junior developer?

Is it hard to get a junior developer job?

Search for junior developer jobs