Webmaster Careers Information
Behind every website you visit is a Webmaster or group of webmasters who make sure it stays updated and operational. This may mean ensuring customer data (such as credit card data) is transmitted securely when using retail websites or that a website which relies on complex databases will always perform quickly.
Webmaster Careers & Degrees
- Stevens-Henager College: Salt Lake City
California College of San Diego: San Diego
Webmasters will also work with a website’s code to make it as small as possible in order to further increase download speed and efficiency. When there is a question about a website’s content or navigation, the webmaster is often the first person contacted and ultimately the one responsible for making any necessary changes.
Webmasters may be involved in the initial building of a website with other web designers or may only come into the picture after the site is operational. Unlike a web designer, though, a webmaster must be expert not only in client-side languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but also server-side and database languages like PHP, Perl, and SQL. It is a webmaster’s duty to navigate these multiple languages and make sure they interact seamlessly when a person visits a webpage, thus making possible the major websites we use everyday ¡ including this one!
Webmaster Careers Path
Most webmasters have some post-secondary education, be it a technical, Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. Their degree may be specific to web design and maintenance or in a related area such as computer programming or mathematics. Coursework in computer programming, communications, and even graphic design may be useful for a person wanting to become a webmaster. For those looking to work at the highest levels for major websites, a graduate degree in computer programming may be required.
Webmaster Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Excellent analytic skills, excellent with computers, strong attention to detail, able to work under pressure, works well with others, willing to work occasional odd or long hours to meet deadline, project oriented.
Webmaster Careers: Salary Expectations
The average salary for a webmaster is around $66,070 a year, with the middle fifty percent earning between $49,510 and $82,630.
Webmaster Careers: Job Outlook
The internet is now fully part of our lives and because of this, every business must have an online presence, especially retailers who hope to sell merchandise through online stores. Webmasters will be needed for the foreseeable future to make sure all these websites work as they should. Low level workers may see their positions increasing contracted overseas, but those webmasters with college degrees, a reputation for working well with others, and solid experience with complex websites should have the best chance of finding good jobs.
Slightly off the Footpath
- Web Development
- Web Designer
- Database Administrator
- Computer Programmer
Source: bls.gov/k12/computers05.htm
