What You Need to Know About Web Design Jobs in 2022

Web Design Jobs Outlook in 2022 

Are you interested in web design jobs? This is the right time for you!

As people dive deeper and deeper into the digital age, the world of web design is also continuously growing and expanding. Almost all businesses, private, and government institutions need a website today. The industry is on the rise, providing many employment opportunities in web design and development. 

Beyond the impressive rise of web design jobs, the industry also offers a great deal of freedom, such as whether to work for an established development firm, become a contracted developer for a corporate business, or work as a self-employed web developer wherever you are in the world. That’s why many people prefer working in this industry. 

So how do you start your journey to becoming a professional web designer? Here are some tips and guides to help you on how to become a web designer, what skills and education are needed, different career paths, current market trends, and other relevant information.

Web Design Jobs

Aside from creating websites to developing those pages and writing web applications, web designers are also involved in the long-term management and marketing of an organization’s digital presence. 

Here are some of their responsibilities: 

  • Preparing a design plan, showing the site structure  
  • Deciding which branding, text, colors, and backgrounds to use  
  • Adding multimedia features, such as sound, animation, and video  
  • Testing and improving the design and site  
  • Uploading the site to a server for publication online 
  • Developing web pages 
  • Writing web applications 
  • Handling user testing 
  • Handling social media accounts 

People often use web design and web development interchangeably, but these terms are different. Web design is usually about the front-end of the website, while web development involves managing the back-end, such as keeping the servers running and optimizing load times. Nevertheless, many employers prefer to hire designers who are also experts in web development. 

Training and Development Jobs 

Is Formal Education Needed? 

There are no formal education requirements to become a web designer. Before, many web professionals who have been in the industry for many years do not have a formal education. This is because there were no accredited web design programs during their time. They just benefited from having training in a related field or discipline, such as web development or graphic design.

But as time passes and technology arises, many employers today prefer web designers or web developers who hold a bachelor’s degree. Fortunately, thousands of web design courses are now being taught by industry professionals. Many colleges and universities are now offering web design degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels.

1. Certificate Programs

An online certificate in web design can help you have solid foundational knowledge that can be applicable in a wide range of positions. You get a sense of the field, explore web concepts and coding languages, and study real-world applications. 

Certificate programs may include required courses such as: 

  • Web animation 
  • Internet design 
  • Publishing 
  • Website maintenance 

You can also take the following qualifications: 

  • Level 2 Award in Creating a Website 
  • Level 2 Certificate in Interactive Media 
  • Level 2/3 Diploma in Creative iMedia 
  • Level 3 Diploma in Information Technology (Specialist) 
  • Level 3 Diploma in IT User Skills

After completing a certificate program, you may take the popular Adobe Certified Associate exam, a credential showcasing skill in the Creative Cloud software used by most web designers.

2. Associate degrees

Associate degrees offer more in-depth study compared to certificate programs and take approximately two years to complete. 

Students can learn: 

  • HTML 
  • CSS 
  • JavaScript 
  • Other general education classes 
  • Capstone project

    3. Bachelor’s Degrees

Bachelor’s Degrees take full-time students 3-4 years to complete. This route helps learners explore foundational tools, such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, JavaScript, and Python. 

You can also get these related subjects: 

  • Web design and development 
  • Multimedia design 
  • Digital media development 
  • Interactive computing

    4. Master’s Degree

This aims to help learners develop a more specialized skill set in the field, but it’s less common than the other three program options.

5. Development Jobs

After graduating with web development and design degree, you can find yourself in one of these positions:  

  • Web Design  
  • Web Development  
  • UX Designer 

Skills Needed 

Becoming a web designer requires both the creative and analytical sides of your mind. Here are some of the essential skills you need to know to get hired as a web designer and other skills that will help set you apart. 

It could be useful if you have a working knowledge of some of the following design and programming tools: 

  • Dreamweaver and Photoshop 
  • Flash 
  • CSS 
  • JavaScript 
  • Net frameworks 

Other important skills:

  • Attention to detail 
  • Communication 
  • Creativity 
  • Problem solving 
  • Technical ability 
  • Time management 
  • Imagination 
  • Patience

Importance of Experience and Portfolio 

One of the most important components of your job application is a strong web design portfolio that showcases your strength while communicating your personality and unique qualities. The more diverse and robust your portfolio, the better it is for you because this serves as your unique calling card as a designer. 

You can develop your portfolios through having a web design degree, doing pro bono work, doing freelance projects, and creating high-quality conceptual work and mock designs. 

Web Developer Salary 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for web developers and digital designers was $77,200 in May 2020. The low end of the pay scale is about $50k, while the high-end top is $90k. Web developer salaries will depend greatly on their location, such as in larger cities like New York or San Francisco, where salaries are much higher than those in smaller areas.  

Furthermore, the employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to increase 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, which is faster than the average for all occupations, and will be much more because of the growing popularity of mobile devices and eCommerce  

There are also about 17,900 projected job opportunities for web developers and digital designers each year, on average, over the decade. 

Conclusion 

Technology is driving businesses and organizations to get more involved with the website industry. And this means more opportunities for you. 

Overall, the web designer job outlook is extremely positive. So, if you want to get into the web design industry, start building your portfolio today. Get the skills or education you need and work your way up with patience, hard work, and perseverance. 

If you need more information, other tips, and advice, feel free to browse our other articles.