Web Designers and Developers

(NOC 2175)

in All Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology

Web designers and developers research, design, develop and produce Internet and Intranet sites. They work for computer software development firms, information technology consulting firms, information technology units throughout the private and public sectors, advertising agencies or they may be self-employed.

Job Outlook

Good

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  • Estimate Strong growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 150 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology

  • Estimate 3410 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 5690 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

The pandemic has increased the number of businesses with an online presence and increased demand for web services and maintenance. Job seekers without a proven track record may have more difficulty finding work. Remote hiring is common in the IT field, so jobseekers may benefit from including remote opportunities in their job search.

Hourly Pay

$15.00

Minimum

$23.18

Median

$33.65

Maximum

Annual Pay

$3,001

Minimum

$36,192

Median

$69,521

Maximum

Compared to: All Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology

Hourly Pay

$18.00

Minimum

$34.90

Median

$54.10

Maximum

Annual Pay

$13,568

Minimum

$60,422

Median

$107,009

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Web designers and developers research, design, develop and produce Internet and Intranet sites. They work for computer software development firms, information technology consulting firms, information technology units throughout the private and public sectors, advertising agencies or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Web designers and developers:

  • Consult with clients to develop and document Web site requirements.
  • Prepare mock-ups and storyboards.
  • Develop Web site architecture and determine hardware and software requirements.
  • Source, select and organize information for inclusion and design the appearance, layout, and flow of the Web site.
  • Create and enhance content for the Web site using a variety of graphics, database, animation, and other software.
  • Plan, design, write, modify, integrate, and test Web-site related code.
  • Conduct tests and perform security and quality controls.
  • May lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams to develop Web site graphics, content, capacity, and interactivity.
  • May research and evaluate a variety of interactive media software products.

Sample job titles

  • e-business (electronic business) Web site developer
  • e-commerce (electronic commerce) Web site developer
  • Internet site designer
  • Intranet site developer
  • Web developer
  • Web manager
  • Web site designer
  • Webmaster

Skills

  • People who succeed as web designers are both innovative and methodical. You should be able to select and organize site content and information according to meaning and optimal visual presentation on the site. Accuracy and good proofreading skills are required to detect, locate, and avoid errors in code. Numerical ability is required to use web-related programming languages. Strong communication skills are required to assess client's needs and inform them of options and progress. You may be required to lead or coordinate the work of professionals with various types of expertise.

Job requirements

  • A bachelor's degree, usually in computer science, communications or business or completion of a college program in computer science, graphic arts, Web design or business is required.

Other considerations

  • Experience as a computer programmer or graphic designer is usually required. Rapid advances in technology and design mean that people in this field should be prepared to keep up-to-date with new developments.

By the numbers

Quick look

605

employed in 2016

78.7%

employed full-time

25.4%

self employed

29.5%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
70.5%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
35.3

median age

Compared to: All Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology

25,875

employed in 2016

91.5%

employed full-time

7.6%

self employed

20.0%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
80%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
42.8

median age

Where will I likely work?

66.1%

Halifax

$39,674 median annual income
10.7%

Annapolis Valley

$39,751 median annual income
8.3%

Southern

$37,915 median annual income
8.3%

Cape Breton

$25,048 median annual income
6.6%

North Shore

$20,961 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

76.0%

Professional, scientific and technical services

9.6%

Information and cultural industries

4.8%

Educational services

3.8%

Public administration

1.9%

Health care and social assistance

What is the age of Employment?

32.0%

25-34

23.0%

35-44

18.0%

45-54

17.0%

15-24

6.0%

55-64

4.0%

65+

Compared to: All Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology

24.2%

25-34

23.5%

45-54

23.4%

35-44

16.4%

55-64

7.7%

15-24

Top levels of education

37.7%

Bachelor

$45,105 median annual income
36.9%

College Diploma

$38,810 median annual income
16.4%

High school

$13,110 median annual income
4.9%

Master

N/A
2.5%

Diploma Below Bachelor

N/A

Compared to: All Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology

33.1%

College Diploma

$59,986 median annual income
29.8%

Bachelor

$63,965 median annual income
11.9%

High school

$45,835 median annual income
9.9%

Master

$65,105 median annual income
6.9%

Trade Certification

$57,773 median annual income

Education & training

Business/Commerce

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the general study of business, including the processes of interchanging goods and services (buying, selling and producing), business organization, and accounting as used in profit-making and non-profit public and private institutions and agencies. They prepare students to apply business principles and techniques in various occupational settings.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Communications and Media Studies

College or University Program

These programs focus on the study of communications mass communication/media studies, old and new media technologies, social and political applications, and speech communication and rhetoric. They include courses in interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural communication, theories of communication, critical thinking, argumentation, and persuasion, written communication, print, electronic, and digital media, rhetorical tradition and criticism, media, society, and culture, consequences and effects of mass media, media social science and criticism, and quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry.

Institutions providing this program

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Computer and Information Sciences

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on computing, computer science, and information science and systems as part of a broad and/or interdisciplinary program. Such programs are undifferentiated as to title and content and are not to be confused with specific programs in computer science, information science, or related support services.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Computer Programming

College or Trades Program

These programs focus on writing and implementing generic and customized programs to drive operating systems and that prepares students to apply the methods and procedures of software design and programming to software installation and maintenance. They include courses in software design, low- and high-level languages and program writing, program customization and linking, prototype testing, troubleshooting, and related aspects of operating systems and networks.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Computer Programming - Specific Applications

College or Trades Program

These programs apply the knowledge and skills of general computer programming to the solution of specific operational problems and customization requirements presented by individual software users and organizational users. Includes training in specific types of software and its installation and maintenance.

Institutions providing this program

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Computer Science

College or University Program

These programs focus on computers, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. They include courses in the principles of computational science, and computing theory, computer hardware design, computer development and programming, and applications to a variety of end-use situations.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

E-commerce/Electronic Commerce

College or University Program

These programs prepare students to plan, manage, supervise, and market electronic business operations, products, and services provided online via the Internet. They include courses in business administration, information technology, information resources management, web design, computer and Internet law and policy, computer privacy and security, e-trading, insurance, electronic marketing, investment capital planning, enterprise operations, personnel supervision, contracting, and product and service networking.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Web Page, Digital/Multimedia, and Information Resources Design

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs apply HTML, XML, Javascript, graphics applications, and other authoring tools to the design, editing, and publishing (launching) of documents, images, graphics, sound, and multimedia products on the World Wide Web. They include courses in Internet theory, web page standards and policies, elements of web page design, user interfaces, vector tools, special effects, interactive and multimedia components, search engines, navigation, morphing, e-commerce tools, and emerging web technologies.

Institutions providing this program

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Society for Technical Communication
Fairfax, VA - USA
Information and Communications Technology Council
Ottawa, ON
Digital Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS

Additional resources