Hiring guide · Technology
How to Hire a Web Developer
Pay benchmarks, qualifications, sourcing, screening and interview questions for hiring web developers, plus a plan to get them productive fast.
Write a clear job description, offer competitive pay (the national median is $92,650), recruit through community college IT programs and bootcamps, verify Portfolio of projects where applicable, run a structured interview with a practical skills check, and onboard with a 30-60-90 day plan.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The hiring market for web developers
There are about 87,400 web developers employed in the U.S., with roughly 5,300 openings each year. Employment is projected to change +3.8% from 2025–35 (about as fast as average). Most openings come from replacing workers who retire or change careers, so a steady pipeline matters.
Pay benchmarks for offers
| Candidate level | Annual | Hourly* |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th–25th percentile) | $48,100–$64,230 | $23.13–$30.88 |
| Typical / mid-career (median) | $92,650 | $44.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $126,230 | $60.69 |
| Top of market (90th percentile) | $162,290 | $78.02 |
*Annual ÷ 2,080 hours except median. National BLS data; adjust for your state and metro area. Many states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings.
What to look for
Must-haves
- Bachelor's degree (typical entry level)
- HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Problem-solving
Nice-to-haves
- Portfolio of projects
- Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate
- freeCodeCamp certifications
- Experience with code editors such as VS Code
Where to find web developers
- Community college IT programs and bootcamps
- Certification communities (CompTIA, Cisco, cloud providers)
- Portfolio and GitHub reviews
- Help desk promotion paths and IT apprenticeships
- Job postings that use common alternate titles: Front-End Developer, Full-Stack Developer, Web Designer, Software Developer (Web)
Screening checklist
- A hands-on troubleshooting or technical exercise
- Certification verification (CompTIA, Cisco, cloud)
- Portfolio or code review
- Background check for roles with privileged access
Follow federal, state and local rules on background checks, drug testing and fair-chance hiring, and apply screening consistently to all candidates for the role.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions and score answers on a structured scorecard.
1. “Walk me through a project in your portfolio.”
What a strong answer includes: Explain the problem, your decisions, challenges and results.
2. “How do you make a site fast?”
What a strong answer includes: Mention image optimization, caching, minimizing JavaScript and Core Web Vitals.
3. “How do you ensure accessibility?”
What a strong answer includes: Describe semantic HTML, labels, keyboard support and testing.
4. “How do you handle a bug you can’t figure out?”
What a strong answer includes: Describe isolating, reproducing, researching and asking for help.
5. “Tell me about working with a designer or client.”
What a strong answer includes: Show collaboration and communication.
Practical skills checks
A short demonstration beats a perfect resume. Ask candidates to talk you through, or perform under supervision, tasks such as:
- Build a Responsive Layout with CSS Grid (see the steps)
- Commit and Push Changes with Git (see the steps)
- Make a Web Form Accessible (see the steps)
Red flags
- Can’t describe basic safety practices for the role
- Vague or inconsistent work history with no explanation
- Unfamiliar with core terms such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Negative talk about every past employer or coworker
Onboard for retention
The first 90 days decide whether a new hire stays. Use our Web Developer 30-60-90 day onboarding plan and give every new hire the same foundation with Web Developer training. Show them the path forward: Junior Web Developer → Web Developer → Senior or Full-Stack Developer → Tech Lead, Engineering Manager or Agency Owner.
Hiring web developers: FAQ
How much should I pay a web developer?
The U.S. median wage for web developers is $92,650 per year ($44.54/hour), according to BLS May 2025 data. Entry-level offers often fall near the 25th percentile ($64,230), while experienced hires command closer to the 75th percentile ($126,230). Adjust for your local market.
What qualifications should a web developer have?
BLS lists “bachelor's degree” as the typical entry-level education. Look for Portfolio of projects and Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate where relevant, plus skills such as html, css and javascript, a front-end framework such as react, and responsive design.
How long does it take to train a new web developer?
Becoming qualified typically takes 6 months to 4 years. After hire, plan for a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding period; BLS classifies on-the-job training for this occupation as “none.”