Most of the employment growth in computer programming is due to computer science jobs in the mobile industry. Mobile app developers make business utilities, healthcare applications, productivity software, games, Web apps and programs for wearable electronics. One of the biggest growth factors in the mobile software industry is healthcare software, especially for wearable devices such as smart watches.
Computer science jobs in the mobile industry deal only with software development, while computer engineering jobs deal with hardware development. One job similar to mobile software development is Web design, which often requires mobile programming skills to create both websites and matching mobile apps for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. The software frameworks used to develop mobile apps are similar to the frameworks used to create dynamic, database-driven websites, such as Django and various PHP frameworks.
How to Find Work in the Mobile Industry
The most important skill you need to start working in mobile app development is programming knowledge. You can find work, especially freelance work, without a degree if you know how to write iOS and Android apps. Another helpful skill to have is Web template programming, using languages such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS. These cross-platform programming languages allow developers to write browser-based apps for iOS, Android and Windows devices at the same time. Learning iOS programming is essential, while Android and Windows programming is optional but extremely helpful. To write iOS apps, even cross-platform Web apps or games, you need a Mac computer and an Apple Developer membership.
To find work with a large firm making big-budget software, you need a computer science degree as well as programming knowledge. Hospitals and software companies need mobile app developers to make healthcare apps for monitoring patients and helping to administer medication. Most wearable mobile devices are designed with fitness and healthcare in mind, and the market for these devices is rapidly growing, according to the Computer Electronics Association. With post-graduate education and industry experience, more advanced positions become available, such as software engineering jobs designing proprietary apps for mobile device makers. For example, Motorola hires developers to work on its Moto Blur version of the Android OS, as does HTC for the HTC Sense software suite.
How Much Do Mobile Developers Make?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that software developers earned a median annual salary of $93,350 in 2012, noting that most of the explosive growth in the industry is due to mobile software development. This salary represents the amount you can expect to make with a computer science degree and full-time employment with a firm that issues a W-2 form to you at the end of the year.
Freelance developers can earn a similar amount after a time of building up clientele, but in the beginning, a freelancer can expect to earn closer to the salary of a Web developer, around $62,500 per year. Having a degree doesn’t affect a freelancer’s salary very much, if at all. When working for an employer, your level of education makes a difference in your salary, and your performance in college makes a difference at the beginning of your career, before you have experience.
Related Resource: IT Director
The time has never been better to install the Android or iOS SDK on your computer and start learning mobile app development. If you enjoy programming and have an eye for visual design, continue learning about computer science jobs in the mobile industry.
Follow