Web developers
SOC Code: 15-1254
Web developers carries a 39% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $90,930 and +7.5% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 86,000 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 39% AI exposure, Web developers sits 2 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 67% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
69/100
Web developers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage A- $90,930
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A +7.5%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 39% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Web developers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Bachelor's band with mid-pack BLS pace
Web developers shares the Bachelor's gate with 178 peer occupations and lands in Average (378 of 832). Neither the rarest nor the most crowded growth shelf - use wage and AI desks on this page for the differentiator.
Where Web developers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Web developers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
39% Around the middle lower than 33% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Web developers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Web developers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Web developers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 15-1254) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Web developers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Web developers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
- 2. Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
- 3. Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems.
- 4. Select programming languages, design tools, or applications.
- 5. Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems.
- 6. Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites.
- 7. Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision.
- 8. Perform or direct Web site updates.
- 9. Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups.
- 10. Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements.
Key Skills Required
- Programming
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operations Analysis
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
- Writing
Knowledge Areas
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Communications and Media
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Telecommunications
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Web developers?
Web developers has an AI exposure score of 39%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Web developers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Web developers is projected to grow by 7.5% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 86,000 workers.
What skills are needed for Web developers?
Key skills for Web developers include Programming, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, and others. Typical entry-level education is Bachelor's degree.
How much do Web developers earn?
The median annual wage for Web developers is $90,930, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Web developers?
The typical entry-level education for Web developers is Bachelor's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Web developers?
Web developers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Web developers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (39% here).
- Architects, except landscape and naval · AI exposure 39%
- Biological technicians · AI exposure 39%
- Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters · AI exposure 39%
- Career/technical education teachers, middle school · AI exposure 39%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+7.5% here).
- Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners · growth +7.6%
- Agricultural equipment operators · growth +7.7%
- Biological science teachers, postsecondary · growth +7.3%
- Computer hardware engineers · growth +7.3%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
What to do with this
Use Web developers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Web developers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).