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Web Developer Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a web developer. Web developers usually study computer science, information technology, or computer engineering. 71% of web developers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 43,863 real web developer resumes to see exactly what web developer education sections show.
The most common colleges for web developers are the DeVry University and the DeVry University.
There are also many online web developer courses to help get the education required to be a web developer.
There are certain web developer certifications that you should consider. These web developer certifications include Certified Web Professional - Web Developer and Master Certified Web Professional - Designer (CWP).
What education do you need to become a web developer?
What degree do you need to be a web developer?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a web developer?
- Computer Science, 35%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for web developers
Web Developer Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| DeVry University | 8.02% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.50% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.99% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.64% |
| New York University | 5.79% |
Best majors for web developers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 35.5% |
| 2 | Information Technology | 8.3% |
| 3 | Computer Engineering | 8.2% |
| 4 | Computer Information Systems | 7.1% |
| 5 | Business | 6.3% |
Best colleges for web developers
The best colleges for web developers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A web 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 web 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 web 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
20 best online courses for web developers
Advertising Disclosure
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. 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...
3. 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...
4. Agile Software Development
Learn best practices for using the Agile methodology to build better products faster and more efficiently...
5. AJAX JSON JavaScript Dynamic and Interactive Web Content
Learn how to use AJAX to send data to your web server and get response data back to output in your web application...
6. Full Stack Web Development with C# OOP, MS SQL & ASP.NET MVC
Web development with C#, ASP.NET MVC, MS SQL, C# OOP. All gathered for full stack web development in one course!...
7. 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...
8. React Development (Part Time)
Expand your JavaScript programming skills, and boost your profile at work — and on the job market. Learn to build sophisticated, scalable web applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
9. Full Stack JavaScript Developer
Meet the growing demand for full stack developers and learn to build rich web experiences using a modern architecture and technology stack...
10. Cloud Developer using Microsoft Azure
The Developer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program teaches students how to deploy, build, migrate, and monitor applications on Azure, thereby preparing learners for success on Microsoft’s AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate Expert certification...
Top 10 most affordable universities for web developers
The most affordable schools for web 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 web 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 web 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
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for web developers
The hardest universities for web developers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for web 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 web 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
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for web developers
The easiest schools for web 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 web 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 web 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
Average web developer salary by education level
| Web Developer education level | Web Developer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $84,520 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $80,332 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $76,897 |
Web Developer Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025