Becoming a Full Stack Developer in Montana
Working as a full stack developer would enable you to create websites and applications. While many positions work on part of the website creation process, a full stack developer has extra knowledge and skills that allow them to work on the full website development. This means knowledge of the back-end parts of a website, such as its responsiveness, and the front-end parts, such as the design. Because website development is a needed field and full stack developers provide extra specialization, they are in demand in Montana and around the country.
Requirements for Becoming a Full Stack Developer in Montana
Many fields require certain degree programs, training or licensing to get started. But currently, full stack development does not have any of these requirements, so you can enter the field in Montana without specific training. That said, you need to have the ability to use various programming and coding languages on both the front and back end to carry out this role. Some people are able to learn these languages on their own, but a training program could provide a focused education and credentials to show potential employers.
Training Programs in Montana
Full stack development is a relatively new field, so training programs can be limited. Nonetheless, some programs are devoted to teaching full stack development, or you could take separate programs in the various languages needed as a foundation for this role.
In Montana, some of the available training opportunities include:
- Montana Code School: This school offers a part-time, six-month course in Missoula that meets during two evening weeknights per week and one full weekend each month. It provides the skillset needed to become a junior full stack developer, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript and databases.
- Big Sky Code Academy: This school offers education in full stack JavaScript through a boot camp. You can choose from part- or full-time options. It teaches important skills in languages like JavaScript and frameworks like React, and offers mentorship for finding a job.
- University of Montana: The full stack software developer course covers 600 course hours in 18 months. There are no prerequisites, and you learn front-end languages such as CSS and JavaScript, and back-end databases and frameworks.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations
In Montana, the average salary for full stack web developers is $88,133 per year, according to ZipRecruiter. Entry-level positions would generally pay less, while building skills and experience could increase your salary. ZipRecruiter notes that most people in this position in Montana make between $67,500 and $104,500. This is a good salary potential, yet some other parts of the country have a higher average salary for this position. To increase your earnings, you could consider working for companies in other states through remote work.
Full stack developers can be included within a broader career category of web developers or software developers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data show that both of these roles are expected to grow over the decade from 2018 to 2028, with a projection of 13 percent job growth for web developers and 21 percent growth for software developers. Both rates are considered “much faster than average.”
Working as a Full Stack Developer in Montana
Full stack developers can work in just about any industry because most industries have the need for websites. Many industries also create web and smartphone apps. Nonetheless, some industries provide more opportunities than others. The top employer of web developers and software developers is computer systems design industry and related services, according to the BLS.
As a full stack developer in Montana, you have the opportunity to work for an employer, an agency or for yourself as a freelancer. This career has a good job outlook and salary expectations.