How to Become a Full Stack Developer in Kansas
A full stack developer develops websites and apps, but unlike developers of the past, they can do it all. Instead of focusing on the front end or the back end of design, they do both. Employers increasingly hire full stack developers because they can manage and streamline projects more efficiently with this understanding of both sides of development.
The front end is the development of the aspects of a site or app that users see and interact with, while the back end consists of all the functional parts users never see. To work in this growing industry, you simply need to take the right classes and learn the right skills. Expect to enjoy good job growth, job stability and great salaries if you can code as a full stack developer.
Education and Licensing for Full Stack Developers
As in other states, Kansas does not require that you have a specific degree, license or other credential to do this job. It is up to employers to determine hiring requirements. If you have the necessary skills, often no degree is necessary.
A degree can be useful in giving you more career options and the ability to advance to management positions later. But, you do not need a degree of any kind to begin this career. If you cannot find a degree program, or choose not to complete one, take classes in:
- Front-end coding languages like HTML and JavaScript
- Back-end coding languages like PHP and Python
- Web and app design
- User experience design
Full Stack Developer Training in Kansas
If you’re hoping to learn and train in Kansas, you have a few options:
- University of Kansas. KU’s Professional and Continuing Education school offers online bootcamps for coding. This includes a 24-week full stack developer program that includes front-end and back-end coding, databases, server side development and quality assurance.
- University of Missouri. Just over the border in Kansas City, you can complete the University of Missouri’s full stack developer program in 16 weeks. The school partnered with the Full Employment Council of Kansas City to ensure participants would get all the skills employers need. Classes are in the evenings so that you can continue working while you learn.
- Fort Hays State University. Fort Hays has a certificate in full stack web development that includes 15 college credit hours. It combines with the 15-credit front-end certificate to give you all the training you need to work as a full stack developer of websites and mobile applications.
Career Outlook and Salaries
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not yet record or report information for this career because it is new. However, the BLS does report that web developer jobs are growing at an impressive rate of 13 percent around the country and that they earn an average of $73,760 per year. In Kansas, this average is $65,670, so you can expect to earn a little less here.
Other sites, like Indeed.com, report on salaries for full stack developers by state. The average annual salary for Kansas is $91,232. With more to offer than a traditional developer, you can expect to earn a higher salary.
Jobs for Full Stack Developers in Kansas
Strong job growth means finding a position as a trained full stack developer will not be difficult. All kinds of companies, not just software or tech companies, hire developers to create websites and apps. You can also work as a freelancer in this industry.
Some examples from related job listings in Kansas give you an idea of what is available now: full stack developers for PredICT Interactive, Wichita; full stack software engineer for Storable, Kansas City; full stack developer for Propio Language Services, Overland; and application developer for Veterans United Home Loans, Lenexa.