Web Developer: Best Low-Stress, High-Pay Job in America?

Is web development a stressful job? On a day-to-day basis, a web developer must tackle multiple issues, from squishing bugs to coming up with innovative coding solutions. However, several factors go into whether the role is stressful or not.

A few years ago, U.S. News & World Report issued a study suggesting that web development is among the best low-stress, high-paying jobs in the United States. That study set off quite a bit of chatter around whether web developers really did have it easy (especially since U.S. News & World Report declared software developer a similarly relaxing profession multiple times). The fact is, whether a web developer job is stressful often comes down to the individual company, and even the type of web development—full-stack developers face different issues than front- or back-end developers, for instance.

For example, some companies shovel massive project requirements, absurd deadlines, and “crunch time” onto their employees. Meanwhile, other organizations are very careful to ensure that web developers have proper work-life balance, and that tasks are equitably distributed among the team. Some action-oriented web developers enjoy building and maintaining multiple web properties with a combination of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other languages and tools, while others want to narrow-focus their efforts on one specific task or language (server-side processes, for instance).

How much does a web developer job actually pay?

In any case, web development does pay well. According to the most recent Dice Tech Salary Report, the average web developer salary stands at $87,194, a year-over-year decline of 11.8 percent. That’s a higher salary than other popular tech roles such as systems administrator (sysadmin), data analyst, and technical support engineer. (Overall, the average tech salary now stands at $111,348, a 2.3 percent increase year-over-year.)

What makes a web developer job stressful?

Stress has its roots in any number of factors, not just overwork. Here’s what tends to send web developers over the proverbial edge:

Excessive Work: Whether you’re a full-stack, front-end, or back-end web developer, a crushing workload is hard to deal with. If your boss expects you to do the jobs of two or three people, it can quickly lead to excessive stress.

Deadlines: Deadlines are the great equalizer: no matter what your position in an organization (or as a contractor), they can stress you out. Many organizations force their web developers to deliver updates on a tight cadence, especially around launch. This can quickly lead to burnout.

Compensation: Low compensation can lead to constant stress, especially if it’s paired with long working hours and ultra-tight deadlines.

Job Insecurity: If you’re always fearing for your job, your blood pressure will spike. It’s no fun to constantly worry about your next paycheck or whether your company will stay solvent. 

How can you make a web developer job less stressful?

No matter what your situation, there are some key things you can do as a web developer to reduce your stress.

Push for better work-life balance: If you don’t have a schedule that allows you to address family time, commute, etc. without burning out, you may have to advocate for one. Sit down with your manager and explain your concerns. Come to the table with a solution—for example, you could propose working from home for two days per week, which would free up time and save you energy.

Work with your boss on deadlines: Does your manager squeeze you to achieve impossible goals on ultra-tight deadlines? Or do they give you the resources and flexibility you need to actually get things done? If you feel like your schedule and deliverables are too tight, work with your boss and other stakeholders in a proactive way to adjust your timelines.

Ask for better benefits and perks: Whether you desire more training, free food in the office kitchen, or a subsidized commute, you should advocate for the perks and benefits you want. During negotiations with your manager, show how things like training and subsidized care can ultimately make you an employee or contractor who delivers more.

Plot your career: Nothing stresses someone out like uncertainty and feeling trapped in a role. Sit down and plot your career path, with particular attention paid to potential opportunities for advancement. Chances are good you’ll feel freer—and hopefully less tense.