Communications of the ACM
Key Skills Pay Off in Fast-Evolving World of Mobile App Development
Credit: m.t50.us
As demand for mobile app developers continues to increase, some universities are beginning to offer the type of basic training that is essential to a career in mobile app development. In fact, some universities such as San Diego State are now offering degrees and certificates in it. By 2015, Gartner predicts mobile app development projects will outnumber PC application projects by 4 to 1, leading to even more demand for graduates with mobile development skills. Since platforms and languages change quickly in this area, even if someone has completed a college degree program in mobile app development, it will still require plenty of self-study to keep up as technology changes over the course of a career.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average annual salary for software developers in 2011 at $89,280, though that's not specific to mobile app development. However, the shortage of talent in mobile apps means those with key skills can pretty much set their own salaries. As a result of this growing competition for the best mobile talent, companies are being forced to boost wages, retrain software engineers, outsource work to third-party developers, and set up offshore development labs to meet demand.
For IT workers that choose to go solo, staffing firm RecruitWise says that contract mobile app developers make $80 to $100 per hour. Though many people develop apps on their own, creating apps for a business employer appears to be a far more stable career path. In a survey of independent developers by marketing company App Promo, 59% said their apps didn't break-even on the development costs and 80% said their apps don't generate enough income to support a standalone business. In fact, 68% said their most successful app generated $5,000 or less.
From IT Business Edge
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