How to Become a Full Stack Developer in Tennessee
In Tennessee and around the country, full stack development is an exciting and growing career. These skilled coding professionals are able to use languages for both front-end and back-end development when creating websites and applications.
Previously, most coders did either front-end or back-end development. Now, more are able to do both, providing employers with valuable streamlining and more efficient project management. The career is growing throughout the country, and with the right training you should be able to land a full stack developer job in less than a year.
Educational Requirements
Full stack developing is not a regulated industry or career. To be able to work in this career you simply need to show employers that you have the requisite skills including:
- The ability to code in one or more front-end languages
- The ability to code in one or more back-end languages
- Basic knowledge of web and app design
- Experience working with databases
- An understanding of user experience
Look for a degree, certificate or bootcamp program that is specific to becoming a full stack developer. If you can’t find one in your area, take courses in the necessary skills, especially the coding languages.
Some employers look for developers with training in specific languages, so do a job search before picking your training classes. Some languages may be more important in your area than others.
Training Programs and Classes for Full Stack Development in Tennessee
Degree programs in this new career are not common yet. Nashville has several options for classes and bootcamps. If you are not in the area, look for online options:
- Lipscomb University. Lipscomb is out in front on the full stack trend and offers a four-year degree in web application development that includes both front-end and back-end coding. This option requires a lot of time, but having a degree will give you more career options in the future. The program includes concentrations in game development, internet and mobile computing, system administration, information security and information technology entrepreneurship.
- Vanderbilt University. In just 12 weeks full-time, or 24 weeks part-time, you can complete Vanderbilt’s coding bootcamp and be ready to start working. It includes training in several languages, real-world projects, a professional portfolio of your work, and careers services.
- Nashville Software School. For full stack development, this school offers a six-month bootcamp. The first three months include HTML, CSS and JavaScript for front-end coding. In the second half of the program you’ll learn Ruby, Python and other back-end languages.
Job Outlook and Salaries
As a newer career, statistics for full stack development are limited. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports on similar careers to give you an idea of what to expect. For example, according to the BLS, web developer careers are growing at a rate of 13 percent, which is strong. In Tennessee, the growth is 16 percent.
Salaries for web developers in Tennessee are around $65,000 on average. They are much higher, though, for full stack developers. Indeed.com reports the average annual salary for these professionals in Tennessee is $90,716. Those just starting out in full stack development earn around $74,000 per year.
Looking for a Job in Full Stack Development in Tennessee
With such strong growth in the industry, finding a job is easy if you have the right training. Jobs are available throughout the state, and you can also find work as a freelancer based out of a home office. It’s not just software companies that hire developers. All companies that need a website or apps will hire these professionals to build them.
Recent listings in the state for full stack developers include: full stack developer for Premier Staffing Partners, Knoxville; software developer for SHR Talent, Murfreesboro; PHP developer for GitSuite LLC, Nashville; and full stack application developer for C2 Labs, Inc., Oak Ridge.