Web Designers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of web designers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for web designers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of web designers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for web designers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Web Designers?
Do web designers need a degree? What kind of experience do web designers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for web designers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Web Designers
Jobs Postings for Web Designers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 117,941 (46%)
- No Education Listed: 98,697 (39%)
- Master's degree: 25,282 (10%)
- High School or GED: 7,623 (3%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,158 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of web designers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 46% of positions. In 39% of job listings no education level was listed and in 10% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Web Designers
Jobs Postings for Web Designers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 11,272 (7%)
- 2-3 Years: 46,716 (30%)
- 4-6 Years: 72,478 (46%)
- 7-9 Years: 18,632 (12%)
- 10+ Years: 8,437 (5%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for web designers. In 46% of job postings for Web Designers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for web designers.
What Kind of Degree Do Web Designers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for web designers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 15 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective web designers, and in 2021 a total of 148,764 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective web designers.
Top Degree Programs for Web Designers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Web Designers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 59,346 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 51,511 |
| Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. | 9,966 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 8,719 |
| Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design. | 5,218 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 59,346 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 51,511 |
| Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia. | 9,966 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 8,719 |
| Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design. | 5,218 |
| Computer Software Engineering. | 4,226 |
| Computer Programming, Specific Applications. | 2,399 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, Other. | 1,880 |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other. | 1,755 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications, Other. | 1,437 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other. | 929 |
| Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster. | 887 |
| Computer Software Technology/Technician. | 248 |
| Computer Programming, Other. | 152 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 91 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Web Designers
Franklin’s transfer-friendly online B.S. Graphic Design & UX provides a comprehensive understanding of user needs that enables you to create seamless human-centered experiences for individuals interacting with products and services.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do Web Designers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by web designers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for web designers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Web Designers
Based on 225,358 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Web Designers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 96,669 | 43% |
| User Experience (UX) | 87,151 | 39% |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 83,687 | 37% |
| HyperText Markup Language (HTML) | 72,537 | 32% |
| Front End (Software Engineering) | 70,987 | 31% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Web Designers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 84,841 | 38% |
| Research | 49,703 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 38,580 | 17% |
| Writing | 31,667 | 14% |
| Management | 29,393 | 13% |
Based on 225,358 job postings related to web designers, javascript (programming language) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 43% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for user experience (ux), cascading style sheets (css), hypertext markup language (html), front end (software engineering) and user interface (ui) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for web designers, followed by research, problem solving, writing, management and innovation.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 96,669 | 43% |
| User Experience (UX) | 87,151 | 39% |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 83,687 | 37% |
| HyperText Markup Language (HTML) | 72,537 | 32% |
| Front End (Software Engineering) | 70,987 | 31% |
| User Interface (UI) | 63,634 | 28% |
| Agile Methodology | 61,263 | 27% |
| Computer Science | 60,640 | 27% |
| React.js (Javascript Library) | 59,434 | 26% |
| User Experience (UX) Design | 46,770 | 21% |
| Application Programming Interface (API) | 46,649 | 21% |
| Angular (Web Framework) | 46,123 | 20% |
| Prototyping | 45,030 | 20% |
| Amazon Web Services | 39,158 | 17% |
| Wireframing | 35,818 | 16% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 35,097 | 16% |
| Web Development | 34,619 | 15% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 34,554 | 15% |
| Git (Version Control System) | 34,517 | 15% |
| Software Engineering | 34,317 | 15% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 84,841 | 38% |
| Research | 49,703 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 38,580 | 17% |
| Writing | 31,667 | 14% |
| Management | 29,393 | 13% |
| Innovation | 27,537 | 12% |
| Customer Service | 27,317 | 12% |
| Leadership | 27,138 | 12% |
| Detail Oriented | 26,483 | 12% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 25,027 | 11% |
| Planning | 20,250 | 9% |
| Self-Motivation | 18,829 | 8% |
| Presentations | 18,106 | 8% |
| Mentorship | 17,074 | 8% |
| Operations | 16,937 | 8% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 16,494 | 7% |
| Advocacy | 14,892 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 14,829 | 7% |
| Time Management | 12,332 | 5% |
| Influencing Skills | 11,865 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about web designers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for web designers.
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