How to Become a Webmaster (2023)

Most people probably don’t think about how the websites we visit are created much less all the necessary skills and the time required to make them perfect and easy for visitors to maneuver.

A functional and visually appealing website needs a skilled Webmaster and Web developer.

Webmasters are professionals who use their skills and talents in order to maintain websites as well as performing other necessary functions.

Students who are interested in this career and making plans to become a Webmaster should read the information below.

The information below includes typical education requirements, a general job description, salary statistics and the future outlook in addition to the estimated growth for Webmasters and the industry.

Education Requirements to Become a Webmaster

In order for candidates to become a Webmaster, they must have a combination of experience, formal education and certification.

Certification is optional in most cases, but recommended in order to have that competitive edge in the field.

The minimum requirement to become a Webmaster is acquiring an Associate’s degree from an accredited college or program.

As a student, candidates should learn a variety of information regarding their career track.

Students should gain an advanced understanding of computers and the internet.

Candidates seeking advancement in the field and a position with more responsibilities will benefit from completing a four year degree in a computer related field.

Skills that the majority of employers seek in an employee include advanced problem solving abilities, analytical capabilities and an aptitude for communication.

Certification will help candidates who have a formal education or who may also not have one.

In some circumstances, employers will hire candidates who are certified and have experience but who may not necessarily have a formal education.

Candidates can seek certification through training institutions, product vendors or computer organizations.

One important aspect of this profession is the need for Webmasters to continuously update their skills.

In an industry that continuously improves upon itself, Webmasters must take the opportunity to brush up on their skills in order to remain competitive and knowledgeable in the field.

Programs can be offered through several kinds of organizations.

Webmaster Job Description

In addition to maintaining websites, Webmasters are also responsible for monitoring them and gathering information regarding website visits.

A Webmaster makes sure the content is updated, current and approves any changes to the site before it goes live and accessible to its users.

Webmasters are also responsible for verifying user accessibility.

This requires knowledge of how the website’s information is presented on different kinds of computer models and systems.

This may include building a website in a variety of ways in order for a variety of computers to understand and therefore displayed on its screen.

Another aspect of website maintenance a Webmaster is responsible for is assuring that a website is downloaded in a reasonable amount of time.

If any problem is found with how fast a website is downloaded and displayed on a user’s screen, Webmasters are responsible for pinpointing what is causing the delay and then figuring out a solution for how to download faster.

Webmasters are also responsible for collecting and analyzing user information.

They type of information they collect and analyze includes metric information such as web activity.

They measure how many users visit the websites they manage.

In addition, Webmasters monitor website traffic patterns.

That is, they figure out what times users visit their websites and determine what times are the most popular for users.

They would also determine what times are slow and how long visitors stay on the website.

Finally, a Webmaster would do some basic customer service such as reading and responding to feedback provided by website users.

Webmaster Salary and Career Path

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports wages for network systems and data communications analysts.

Webmasters would fall under this category as a specialized career track.

The median salary and wage for these professionals in 2008 was approximately $71,000 per year.

The salary range information for the same year was approximately $41,600 to $112,000 per year.

The employment outlook for this profession and similar careers looks strong according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Exact growth will vary among specialties, but as a whole, employment is expected to increase by 30% through the year 2018.

The below information is based on the 2021 BLS national averages.

• Annually
• Monthly
• Hourly

* Salary information based on the May 2021 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers, OCC Code 15-1257, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.