While doing research on a career in web design, you may run across several careers that seem interchangeable. And although they seem similar, they do have some slight variances.
Every business wants or needs a website. Due to the digital technological advances of today, there is a plethora of different careers that are responsible for putting an interesting, informative and interactive website together for the consumer. The three most popular careers in the web world are perhaps the web designer, web developer and graphic designer.
Web design involves many different skills. A student with an online bachelor’s degree in web design or other web related field will need to possess strong communication skills, enjoy learning new and exciting programs, have a multitude of patience and the ability to pay attention to detail.
A web designer devises an idea, plans and constructs a collection of electronic files to create a website using interesting content, colors, graphics, layouts, text styles and images. You may decide to include interactive features, too. A web designer will need to have a working knowledge of languages such as HTML and others, although not as much as the web developer.
Most web designers earn a Bachelor of Science degree, generally in computer science, communications or business. Graduates should have a proficient knowledge in visual communication theories, digital arts and design, web publishing, usability testing and multimedia production. The web designer, in 2015, earned an average of $64,970 annually, depending on location and experience.
A web developer is a programmer who is responsible for learning programming languages such as JavaScript and Python, database management, as well as, web design. They review the designer’s website and determine the website’s content and use their knowledge of languages to execute tools and programs to establish links and other factors, all while making websites functional and the most effective for the consumer. Web development is also related to optimizing the user experience by editing content, graphics and solving structural issues within the site. Their goal is to satisfy both the user and the website owner.
A Bachelor of Science degree is generally required to become a web developer, particularly a degree in computer science. Coursework includes computer and language programming, math, web design, networking and database management.
The web developer, in 2015, earned a salary of approximately $70,660. With years of experience and additional education, one can become a senior web developer earning an average salary of $95,504 per year.
The graphic designer is naturally creative. They bring forth their visions, through images using computer software, to communicate their artistic ability within a customer’s website. A graphic designer’s concern is the overall presentation of the website or assigned project, such as advertisements, magazines or brochures. They also are involved in meeting customer’s requests in the development of commercial or promotional needs such as logos, displays or packaging.
The graphic designer’s educational journey begins with entering a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design program. This degree will afford you the artistic and technical skills you need, in addition to, coursework in computer assisted design, commercial art, printing, studio art, typography and book design, in order to begin your career as a graphic designer.
Graphic designers earn an average salary between $63,500 – $90,000 annually, depending on experience.
Earning your online bachelor’s degree in web design or another creative occupational path will assure you an interesting, profitable and artistic career.