Guide

JavaScript Jobs + Salary Guide for Bootcamp Grads

Nat Davis

Written By Nat Davis

Jess Feldman

Edited By Jess Feldman

Last updated on December 29, 2023

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As one of the most popular programming languages today, JavaScript is a crucial skill to learn for anyone working in web development and software engineering. In this guide to JavaScript jobs, we’re breaking down the top 7 JavaScript developer jobs and their typical salaries. See if any of these JavaScript jobs interest you and if attending a bootcamp is right for you!

💡 Did you know? According to our 2020 Bootcamp Alumni Outcomes Report, bootcamp students who learned JavaScript reported a 51% salary increase and 85% of those bootcamp grads were employed after graduation.

JavaScript Jobs 101

Famously created in 10 days by Brendan Eich in the early 90s, JavaScript was built with the intention of being a user-friendly, graphical web browser. This rushed inception also carried with it a reputation for having some “bad parts” or areas that needed further nurturing and intention. While these areas were refined in the last three decades, JavaScript has evolved to exceed Java, Flash, and others, and now features a subset of “good parts” that are reliable, readable, maintainable, and support JavaScript as an excellent object-oriented programming language. 

Typically used as a front end language along with HTML and CSS, full stack JavaScript addresses both the client-side and the server-side and is hailed by major companies like Netflix, Uber, and LinkedIn. While learning JavaScript requires intense dedication, a major advantage to JavaScript is speed. It is quick to learn, run, and build on once you get the hang of it. 

JavaScript jobs are necessary to a variety of industries, from tech and finance to government and healthcare. A JavaScript developer uses JavaScript due to its:

  • Hybrid functionality
  • Java-based syntax
  • Use of prototypal inheritance
  • Surprising power and flexibility

Learning JavaScript is an excellent choice for anyone interested in web development and design. JavaScript developer jobs are abundant, making this a great time to break into the field! Widely used and integral to the internet as we know it, JavaScript is a language that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. 

JavaScript Developer Salary 

JavaScript developer jobs are some of the highest paid developer salaries, however, JavaScript developer salaries vary with expertise, experience, and geographic location. According to our latest 2020 Bootcamp Alumni Outcomes Report, recent bootcampers reported an average pre-bootcamp salary of $44,639 with a 51% increase after graduating, bumping their average post-bootcamp salary to $67,325! After some experience, the average JavaScript developer salary can exceed $100k.

7 JavaScript Job Titles in 2021

From web development to UI design, each of the following careers require skill in JavaScript. 

Responsibilities vary per company, location, and experience, reflected in their pay ranges. Find out how learning JavaScript can propel you into these lucrative careers. 

1. JavaScript Developer/Full Stack JavaScript Developer

A JavaScript developer must be an expert on JavaScript, understanding its capabilities and setbacks. As a front end software, JavaScript operates with HTML and CSS, though there is other front end software like jQuery, Angular, and React, that would be helpful for a JavaScript developer to be familiar with. Beyond that, a full stack JavaScript developer must know not only the client-side, but also the server-side of communication. Full stack JavaScript developer jobs include understanding either MERN or MEAN stacks, though they should also be familiar with the exponential frameworks and libraries that exist for JavaScript. Back end languages that a full stack JavaScript developer should know include PHP, C++, C#, Python, Node.js, SQL, MongoDB, and others. 

💰 The average JavaScript developer salary exceeds $100k! Location, years of experience, and education impact JavaScript developer salaries. 

2. Front End Developer

Similar to a JavaScript developer, a front end developer explicitly interacts with the user/client-side of an application or website. Front end developers (sometimes called UI (user interface) developers) integrate experiential elements like visuals and audio to create a dynamic website and user experience. They work closely with back end developers, who operate the server-site of applications to ensure websites communicate properly with their servers. Front end developers need to know JavaScript, plus HTML and CSS. 

💰 A front end developer salary averages at $119k, with a range between $106k and $130k. Pay range for a front end developer depends widely on experience, education, location, and expertise. 

3. Full Stack Developer

On top of excelling in JavaScript, full stack engineers must also know how to program browsers, servers, and databases. Full stack developers work with both the front end (client-side) and back end (server-side) of applications. It’s important for full stack developers to understand databases as well as graphic design and user interface/experience (UI/UX). Full stack developers are comfortable with front end software like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, jQuery, and others, plus back end software like PHP, MongoDB, Node.js, Java, Python, and Ruby, among others.  

💰 The average full stack developer salary is $106k. Experience immensely impacts a full stack developer’s salary; those with less than a year in the field make around $87k, while those with 3-5 years experience can make over $125k. 

4. Web Developer 

Web developers create websites. Their roles may vary per company and capacity, but web developers need to know JavaScript, HTML, and CSS in order to deliver a website that functions, looks good, and interacts seamlessly with users. Web developer jobs are abundant, as online representation becomes paramount in this modern world. 

💰 On average, web developers make $73k, with a range between $56k and $77k. Pay scales vary widely on experience, location, and company. Those with 6+ years experience exceed $80k.

5. Software Engineer

Beyond website and application development, software engineers construct operating systems and programs. Software engineers test, debug, and modify programs. JavaScript is a fundamental skill to know as a software engineer, as well as server-side tools like Java and C++.  

💰 Software engineer salaries range from $63k-170k, with an average at $116k. Experience, education, and location are all factors in how much software engineers make. 

6. UI Designer

User interface (UI) designers are crucial to the aesthetic of a website. A step above basic graphic design, UI designers create the look of a website from the user’s point of view. While focused mostly on the artistic elements of a website, such as typography, color, and action items, it’s helpful for UI designers to know JavaScript to understand its interactivity. 

💰 The pay range for a UI Designer salary is $47k-$80k, depending greatly on experience, location, and company.

7. UX Designer

User experience (UX) designers focus on the overall experience and how it makes a user feel. On top of artistic factors, UX designers consider the interactivity of a page as it changes size and moves around a desktop. While not required for this job, it is helpful for a UX designer to understand JavaScript to know the capacity and limitations of what a website can do. 

💰 UX designer salary averages at $89k, with a range between $77k-107k. Pay scale varies widely on experience, company, location, and expertise. 

How to Learn JavaScript

Learning JavaScript can be difficult; it takes patience, time, and attention to learn well. If you prefer self-teaching, there are online tutorials and books that offer the foundational principles to get you started. If you’re ready to dive into a supportive and intentional learning environment, consider one of these JavaScript bootcamps that are rooted in thoughtful curriculum and supported by caring instructors. Programs vary in length, location, cost, and interaction; find the program that works best for you and your goals!

About The Author

Nat Davis

Nat Davis

Nat Davis connects to writing to communicate stories, thoughts, ideas, and resources. When not jotting, Nat is a health coach, hiker, youth advocate, foodie, comedian, improviser, and karaoke singer.

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