Dive into the world of web development with this comprehensive guide to choosing the right career path and training program for you. Discover the difference between front-end, back-end, and full-stack web developers, and learn about leading bootcamps and certificate programs in the booming tech hub of Miami.
Key Insights
- Web development, which encompasses the design, building, and maintenance of websites, is a highly sought-after skill with lucrative job opportunities in diverse sectors.
- Web developers can specialize in front-end (user interface), back-end (functionality), or full-stack (both interface and functionality) development, depending on their interests and skills.
- Training for a career in web development involves learning coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as elements of design and user interface.
- Miami, ranked by Axios as the best city for young tech talent, is home to major companies like Carnival Cruise Line, monday.com, Visa, and Goldman Sachs, providing ample opportunities for web developers.
- Several institutions in Miami offer bootcamps and certificate programs in web development, including the University of Miami, Noble Desktop, Ironhack, BrainStation, 4 Geeks Academy, and The Academy Florida.
- The average base salary for a Web Developer in Miami is around $76,000 per year, with entry-level Web Developers earning an average salary of approximately $68,000 per year.
This means that every company also needs employees trained in web development skills. Web development is a very hot career path, with many job opportunities and lucrative average salaries.
Web Developers don’t just work on websites. They also frequently work on developing web applications. A web application is a software program that runs on the internet. Web applications have become as important as websites to businesses and individuals. For example, you might use Zoom to meet with potential clients: that’s a web application. Or, you might communicate with co-workers using Slack, which is also a web application.
There are three main types of Web Developers: Front-End Web Developers, Back-End Web Developers, and Full-Stack Web Developers. The difference lies in which part of the website or web application that the Developer focuses on. A Front-End Web Developer works on the “front-end” of a website, the part that the user sees and interacts with. A Back-End Developer works on the “back-end” of a website, or what makes it run. A Full-Stack Web Developer specializes in both the front-end and the back-end.
Choosing the right web development path for you will largely depend on your individual skills, talents, and goals. If you’re more interested in design, then you might prefer being a Front-End Web Developer. If you’re interested in coding, you might choose to focus on the back-end. Or, if it’s all interesting to you, then you might choose to train as a Full-Stack Web Developer.
Training for a new career as a Web Developer requires learning coding, principles of design, and some user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. You’ll need to be able to design and build the site as well as make sure it’s functional and accessible. The most common coding languages used by professional Web Developers include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Additionally, an excellent Web Developer also needs some soft skills, including creativity, problem solving, and communication.
Becoming certified in web development is an excellent way to launch a new career as a Web Developer, especially if you have no previous work experience in the field. Earning a certificate or certification will demonstrate to potential employers that you have the skills you need to work as a Web Developer.
While Miami isn’t always associated with the tech industry, it is a rising star amongst tech hubs in the United States. A 2021 Axios report ranked Miami as the best city for young tech talent. It’s also a great economy for startups: Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas have 50% of all the startups in the U.S. Major companies that are expanding their presence in Miami include Carnival Cruise Line, monday.com, Visa, and Goldman Sachs.
Web Developers are in high-demand and because of this they earn lucrative salaries. In Miami, the average base salary for a Web Developer is around $76,000 per year. This is slightly below the national average. Entry-level Web Developers earn slightly less, with an average salary of around $68,000 per year.
Miami-area companies that have recently posted job listings on Indeed.com looking for people with web development skills include, BrainStation, Miami Dade College, duPont, Western Union, Accenture, and Evergreen Money.
University of Miami: Coding Bootcamp
Key Information: The University of Miami offers three coding bootcamps through its Division of Continuing & International Education: web development, data, and FinTech. The coding / web development bootcamp is a 24-week online bootcamp designed to be fast-paced, immersive, and to provide comprehensive training in becoming a Full-Stack Web Developer. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion from the University of Miami. This program requires an application, interview, and assessment before enrollment.
Some of the major skills covered in this part-time program include HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Java, Bootstrap, Express.js, React.js, MongoDB, MySQL, and Git. You’ll also receive training in development concepts such as database theory, algorithms, responsive design, server-side development, and API interaction. Students will also receive supplemental self-study materials on hot career topics, including Python, Java, Amazon Web Services, and C#.
You will also receive career support in the program, including career coaching, technical interview prep, portfolio preparation, soft skills training, and resume and social media support. You’ll also have access to a free tutor network, including 1-on-1 time to review code and materials.
Noble Desktop: Full-Stack Web Development Certificate
Key Information: Noble Desktop is a top NYC coding, design, and business school that offers a New York State-Licensed Certificate in Full-Stack Web Development. You can take this certificate program live online, which means you can learn from expert instructors from the comfort of your own home in Miami, or from anywhere.
Noble Desktop’s live online courses work exactly like an in-person class: because the class is happening live, you’ll be interacting with your instructor and classmates in real-time. You can ask questions whenever you need. You can even collaborate with classmates or get hands-on feedback on your work using screen-sharing software.
All of Noble Desktop’s courses are taught by experts in their field using their time-tested, highly-rated, project-based approach. The expert instructor will teach a short “micro-lecture, ” and then immediately guide students through applying what they learned using hands-on, real-world projects. Every course includes a “free retake” option, which allows graduates to “retake” a course to continue developing their training. This guarantees you learn the skills you need to launch a new career.
Noble Desktop’s Full-Stack Web Development Certificate is designed to be a comprehensive career training program to prepare graduates to start working as a Web Developer. Some of the skills covered in this certificate program include hand coding websites with HTML & CSS, creating responsive front-end layouts, client-side JavaScript programming, client-side JavaScript libraries and frameworks, Node.js development for web applications, working with databases using MongoDB, API development with MongoDB, and tracking changes with Git. Graduates earn a New York State-Licensed Certificate in Full-Stack Web Development.
Ironhack: Web Development Bootcamp
Key Information: Ironhack is a Miami-area tech school that offers a beginner-friendly web development bootcamp that can be taken full-time (9 weeks) or part-time (24 weeks). You can study either online or in-person at their campus in Miami.
The bootcamp is made up of four modules, including 50 hours of pre-boot camp preparation in the fundamentals of JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and Git. In Module 1, students learn the fundamentals of modern coding and web design while focusing on responsive design. The project for this module is to build a game. In Module 2, students focus on the back-end and creating a server using Node.js, Express JS, and Handlebars. This module also covers databases, including MongoDB. The final module is Module 3, which is focused on the front-end, using ReactJS.
The bootcamp ends with a “Career Week, ” which is designed to help you get hired. Alumni of this bootcamp have been hired by Samsung, Meta, Graduates receive a certificate of completion. This bootcamp is not open-enrollment and requires an application, a personal interview, and an assessment. Financing options are available.
BrainStation: Web Development Bootcamp Miami
Key Information: BrainStation is a coding school with locations in Miami, New York, London, Toronto, Vancouver, and London. You can take their full-stack Web Developer bootcamp either part-time (nights and weekends) or full-time (weekdays). BrainStation’s Miami campus is located in the trendy Wynwood area, the epicenter of Miami’s tech scene. However, you can also choose to take this bootcamp live online.
In Unit 1, you’ll learn the foundations of web developing, including HTML, CSS, OpenAI, and Git. This unit also teaches the fundamentals of computer science. In Unit 2, the focus will shift to JavaScript, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. API data handling, programmatic thinking, and building dynamic websites are also covered in this unit. In Unit 3, students build on their foundations in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to start working with React, one of the most popular JavaScript libraries and frameworks, used by companies such as Meta and Netflix. Unit 4 covers back-end web development, including Node.js, Express.js, and MySQL. The final unit, 5, covers DevOps and professional development.
BrainStation offers a Career Accelerator Programs and is partnered with more than 6.500 companies in Miami and across the U.S., including Microsoft, AT&T, PayPal, Lowe’s, Apple, Asana, Cisco, Headspace, Facebook, IBM, Slack, Uber, Hootsuite, Verizon, Chewy, Walmart, Red Bull, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, and Peloton.
4 Geeks Academy: Full Stack Developer Course
Key Information: 4 Geeks Academy offers highly-rated coding bootcamps in the trendy Brickell area of Miami. They were ranked the #1 coding bootcamp in Miami Their campus is open 24 hours a day and offers “Coding Weekends, ” where students gather for coding parties with free pizza and drinks.
There are no prerequisites to enroll and students attend 3 classes a week for 16 weeks. The class starts with 60 hours of pre-work that covers the basics of coding in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The first two weeks of the course focus on computer science concepts such as coding algorithms, loops, use conditionals, and command lines. For the next 6 weeks, you’ll focus on creating web applications using React.js. Then, the course moves on to API development using Python, the most popular programming language in the world.
Graduates of 4 Geeks Academy have been hired by Microsoft, Google Developers, Uber, National Geographic, and Facebook. They offer a “job guarantee, ” in which graduates receive a full refund if they aren’t hired within 180 days of graduating from the bootcamp.
The Academy Florida: Web Developer (Full Stack)
Key Information: The Academy Florida offers tech certificates and training for tech certifications at their locations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Their 18-week Web Developer Coding Bootcamp teaches students how to code, design, and implement websites and web applications.
Some of the programming languages covered in this bootcamp include coding with C#, JavaScript, and Python. You’ll also learn computer science fundamentals such as proper syntax, data storage options, data connections, deployment, debugging, performance monitoring and tuning, app authentication, and APIs. This bootcamp also includes training in Microsoft Azure, working with SQL queries, and Microsoft Power BI.
Graduates earn a certificate of completion provided by The Academy. Graduates are also prepared to sit for professional certifications: Microsoft Azure Developer Associate, Microsoft Azure Database Administrator, and Microsoft Azure Database Analyst.
Noble Desktop: Front-End Web Development Certificate
Key Information: Noble Desktop is a top NYC coding, business, and design school with more than three decades of experience training people to launch a new career. They offer a Front-End Web Development Certificate that you can take live online from Miami or anywhere.
The front-end is the part of the website everyone sees. Noble Desktop’s Front-End Web Development Certificate provides comprehensive career training to launch a new career as a Web Developer. Noble Desktop uses a unique, project-based approach: an expert instructor will teach a short, “micro-lecture, ” and then immediately guide students through applying what they learned using hands-on, real-world projects. You can also take advantage of their “free retake” option, which allows graduates to “retake” a course for free to continue developing their skills. All of this guarantees that you learn the skills you need to launch a new career as a wEb Developer.
Some of the topics covered in this certificate program include, building the front-end of webpages, marking up contact using HTML, styling content with CSS, coding fluid-width layouts, using JavaScript to add interactivity to your webpages, working with Bootstrap to create layouts quickly, using Git to track changes, coding emails with HTML & CSS, and working with WordPress: the world’s most popular blog and website management platform. Graduates earn a New York-State Licensed Certificate in Front-End Web Development.
FAQ for Web Development Certificates
What is the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?
The typical difference between a certificate and a certification is how they are earned. A certification is usually earned by passing an examination administered by a third-party. A certificate is typically earned through completing a training program.
Should I Pursue a Certificate or a Certification?
There is no established or required professional certification for aspiring Web Developers. Some tech carers have entry-level certifications, which can help you get hired. There is not an established path to becoming a Web Developer, but getting trained and earning a certificate can help you get hired.
If you have no previous work experience as a Web Developer, then earning a certificate is one of the fastest paths to getting hired. It will demonstrate to potential employers that you have the skills you need to do the job.
Do I Need to Become Certified to Find a Job?
No, it is not required that you become certified to become a Web Developer. However, getting certified can definitely help you get hired. It’s the fastest way to show potential employers that you have the skills needed for the job.
What Certificate Program is Right for Me?
Which is Better: In-Person or Online Classes
In-person classes are the most traditional way to train for a new career. One huge advantage of in-person classes is the face-to-face interaction you have being in the same physical room as your instructor and classmates. This can lead to more opportunities for bonding, networking, and mentorship. Many coding schools offer amenities to their in-person students such as free wifi, coffee, and access to state-of-the art equipment and labs.
Onlines classes are a popular way to train for a new career. They allow you to learn job skills from your own home, home office, or from anywhere. This can be a huge advantage, since it saves you time commuting. You can also gain access to world-class instructors when choosing an online class, since you won’t be limited by your location.
Which is Better: Live Online or Asynchronous Classes?
Live online classes are streamed live, so you’re interacting with your instructor in real-time. Asynchronous classes are typically delivered through pre-recorded video lectures. Both can be done from anywhere.
Live online classes work exactly like an in-person class: because the class is happening live, you’ll be interacting with your instructor and classmates in real-time. You can ask questions. You can even collaborate with classmates or get direct feedback on your work using screen-sharing software. You won’t have this personal touch in asynchronous courses.
One advantage of asynchronous courses is that they can be done entirely on your own time. You won’t have to stick to a meeting time because you can train in web development whenever you choose. They can also be great for people who have a lot of distractions in their life and sometimes need to hit the pause button. You can’t do that during live instruction.