Updated June 16, 2023
Introduction to Career in Java
As of 2018, there are a lot of opportunities for Java programmers. With a projected growth rate of 19 percent for the 2014-2024 period (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for all application programming), the career prospects for Java programmers are indeed excellent.
- Java is everywhere: on all platforms and devices and in all countries worldwide. It enables developers to make programs work just about anywhere. With time the importance and popularity of Java are on the rise as it has the magic in its remarkable abilities to innovate and morph as the technology landscape changes.
- Whether you want to use it for developing smart card applications, mobile applications, or server-side enterprise applications, it is still the most pervasive platform.
- Java is easy to learn and is also designed so that it is easy to use, easy to write, compile, debug, and learn compared to other programming languages. It also allows you to create reusable code and modular programs.
Education
To be considered for a Java Programmer position, at a minimum, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, mathematics, or the equivalent. Some employers require a master’s degree as well. With some exposure to Java programming, it should be relatively easy to land an entry-level job at a company. Some employers may accept applicants without a formal education in one of these areas in lieu of substantial technical experience and knowledge. However, the more education and experience you have, the more appealing you appear to an employer.
Career Path in Java
Java is a rapidly growing programming language. Below are the reasons for the same:
- Java is platform-independent. No matter where you write a Java program, it will execute on any other operating system (OS) with any processor.
- Java is open source.
- Java supports Dynamic web applications.
- The various Java features, such as Java Applets, JSP, JavaBeans, JDBC for the database, etc., give Java an edge over other programming languages.
- Java is the most secure and robust language. Error handling in Java is much more robust as compared to C/C++. Java finds most of the errors at compile time.
- Java has an inbuilt garbage collection.
Java is an object-oriented programming(OOP) language. Java code/program is executed by the Java Virtual Machine(JVM). Java compiler converts Java source code into bytecode, and then with Just-In-Time compiler, it is converted into machine code accordingly, making it platform-independent. Then machine code is executed. When considering a career, these are the qualities of Java that give it an edge over other programming languages. If you are already a Java developer, you have a great opportunity in your career path ahead.
Regarding a career in Java, it is better if a person has knowledge not only of Java but also of other technologies, such as, for job posts like ‘Android Developers’, ‘Or Java UI Developers, etc. organizations in the IT industry are looking for people who can handle multiple projects in the J2EE supplementing the industrial benefit. Therefore, if a person has knowledge of J2EE embedded with other technologies, then he or she can get a well-paid job.
As a career in Java, a person should have knowledge of the following Java technologies:
- Core Java concepts: the basic concept of Object-Oriented Programming, exception handling, multithreading, etc.
- Client-side programming: JavaScript +HTML +CSS.
- Database (any RDBMS).
- Spring, Hibernate, Struts, and JSF are some of the frameworks that need to be brushed upon.
- Basic knowledge of middleware technologies such as EJB, and RMI is enough.
The skills as mentioned earlier are required, or at least some of the skills are necessary for your resume before you search for a career in Java.
Job Position or Application area
Java has started a new era for the IT sector. There are several unbelievable products and many services born by using Java. Java developers/programmers have a vast role in transforming the IT market. Java impacts everything from mobility (i.e. Android) to middleware (i.e. Hadoop) and hence has an evolving future.
Basically, Java is not just a Programming language, but it is a programming atmosphere to develop and deploy enterprise applications.
The information technology industry must develop and create multiple web-based or server-based applications to enhance industrial competency. There is huge scope for this programming language.
As a career for developers/programmers, anyone can consider the following job roles.
- Web developer
- Application Developer
- EJB programmer
- Software Developer
- Tester
- Graphic designer
- A professional teacher of Java
The roles as mentioned earlier are some of the jobs which you can expect in Java.
Salary (US data)
The below table shows the average salaries of different positions per annum.
Job Profile | Average Salaries [per annum] |
Programmer | $73,525 |
Programmer Analyst | $70,319 |
Java Developer | $102,325 |
Senior Java Developer | $116,267 |
Senior Programmer Analyst | $90,550 |
Application Developer | $86,179 |
System Programmer | $77,340 |
Computer Programmer | $69,270 |
Web Developer | $78,564 |
Conclusion or Career Outlook
There is no denying that Java is the most significant thing that happened to the IT industry after C++. It has had an illustrious journey since its inception and has been the backbone of many new products and services that have surprised the world. So, it becomes even more important and equally curious to talk about the future of it. As far as the future of Java is concerned, it will be intertwined with that of agile and lean thinking that will allow the Java community to continue to innovate and deliver quality systems that address business needs.
- I believe that developers have a role to play in this story by helping to accelerate the evolution of IT from isolated systems to collaborative development.
- It is embedded in many of the world’s important IT systems and is in a good position to play a part in future innovation.
- The best part about Java is that its ecosystem is self-sustaining; from mobility to middleware, it impacts everything and will continue to make a big impact in the future.
Recommended Article
This has been a guide to a career in java. Here we have discussed the Introduction, Education, Career Path in java, Job Positions, Salary, and Career Outlook. you may also look at the following article to learn more –