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Salary Report 2019: Entry Level Programmers in Australia

By Fi Darby


If you love computers and like the idea of learning how to code, you should also be considering a job in programming. This would be a great career move as computer programming is showing strong job growth in Australia. In fact, over the next five years, it is predicted that there will be about 80,000 jobs available (Source: JobOutlook). This number of jobs will mean that you have plenty of choices about the direction of your programming career.

If this sounds tempting, there are lots of things you can do now to help you take the first step towards a job in programming. Although you don’t necessarily need a Bachelor degree, gaining a Nationally Recognised programming qualification is really important when it comes to programming job applications. You can make getting your qualification easier by studying online. The flexible nature of an online course leaves you time for all your existing work and family commitments. It also gives you vital time to expand your interest in computer code.

Across Australia there are a number of job roles in programming that are suitable for entry-level computer programmers. If you are considering a programming career, we have put together three suggestions with salary information to help you. 

Deciding which field of computer programming you are interested in can help you with your career preparation. At Upskilled, there are a wide range of Nationally Recognised Training courses that offer a great balance of role-specific and wider training.

3 entry-level programming jobs in Australia

  1. Junior web developer.
  2. Junior software developer.
  3. Junior database developer.

1. Junior web developer.

web developer concept

The job role

Web developers write code for different elements related to websites and web applications. Their work combines creative flair and technical ability to create web sites that capture attention and function smoothly. Web development skills are often the first skills that a new programmer chooses to learn but an entry-level web developer will also need to be involved in other key tasks:
  • Client consultation 
  • Client advice
  • Multimedia implementation
  • Security awareness
  • Project analysis
Web developers require a range of skills and a certain level of creative flair. This is a great job for those who like a fast-paced and competitive role.

Web developer salaries

For your first year of working as a junior web developer, you can expect wages of around $55,000 per year (Source: Talent.com). This is an above average entry-level salary and can lead to wages of up to $117,000 after 10-19 years. Australia’s highest web development salaries are in Canberra.

Future career prospects

The number of people working as junior web developers in Australia has been showing strong growth. This trend is expected to continue with new jobs opening up over the next five years. By 2023, predictions suggest that there will be 18,000 software development jobs across Australia.

Education and training

Whilst most web developers have a Bachelor level qualification, there are some job openings for those with Certificate IV and Diploma level qualifications. Upskilled’s ICT50120 - Diploma of Information Technology offers training in three key web development programming languages, HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

2. Junior software developer.

The job role

Software developers develop and maintain computer systems to solve problems or perform tasks for clients. Their work is mainly technical but also involves working with clients to understand and meet requirements. Most software developers work in teams but are also required to work independently. As well as writing programming code, a junior software developer can expect to be involved with:
  • Client consultation
  • Client advice
  • Error diagnosis
  • User document production
  • Financial appraisal 
Software developers need a range of skills but may often find themselves working in very specific areas of information technology. This is a job role that can offer a great sense of satisfaction when you see something that you have created to solve a problem for a client.

Software developer salaries

For your first year of working as a junior software developer you can expect wages of around $54,000 per year (Source: Talent.com). This is a great entry-level salary, especially when you consider that software developers with 10-19 years of experience are currently earning a salary of up to $94,000 (Source: JobOutlook). Australia’s highest software developer salaries are in Canberra.

Future career prospects

The number of people in Australia working as software developers is continuing to show very strong growth. More and more jobs are being created in this field with an increase expected over the next five years. By 2023, predictions suggest that there will be 146,800 software developer jobs across Australia.

Education and training

Whilst most software developers have a Bachelor level qualification, there are some job openings for those with Certificate IV and Diploma level qualifications. Upskilled’s ICT50120 - Diploma of Information Technology offers training in three key programming languages: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

3. Junior database developer.

database developer concept

The job role

Database developers create and maintain database management systems to ensure optimum performance and reliability for clients. Their work is technical and requires a high level of understanding of database architecture. Most database developers work in teams and are required to communicate regularly with other people. As well as designing databases, a junior database developer can expect to gain experience in:
  • Backup maintenance
  • User document production
  • System testing
  • Disaster recovery
  • Troubleshooting
  • Implementation within a system
Database developers require a specific range of skills as well as a broad understanding of a variety of different IT systems. This job role will offer you much satisfaction if you are technically-minded and enjoy solving tricky problems. 

Database developer salaries

For your first year of working as a junior database developer, you can expect wages of around $60,000 per year (Source: PayScale). This is an entry-level salary that will see relatively quick increases of up to $161,758 after 5-9 years. Australia’s highest database developer salaries are in New South Wales.

Future career prospects

The number of people in Australia working as database developers has been showing very strong growth and this trend is set to continue (Source: JobOutlook). An increase in job availability is expected over the next five years. By 2023, predictions suggest that there will be 47,300 database developer jobs across Australia.

Education and training

Whilst most database developers have a Bachelor level qualification, there are some job openings for those with Certificate IV and Diploma level qualifications. Upskilled’s ICT40120 - Certificate IV in Information Technology (Programming) delivers the fundamentals of a range of programming languages and database creation skills.

Looking for flexible online training in programming?

Nationally Recognised online programming courses are a great way to help you gain a range of essential programming skills. Most Upskilled courses are only 12-months long delivered in a flexible format. 

By choosing to study online, you can meet your current work and home commitments and work towards gaining those vital programming skills. Get in touch with one of Upskilled’s education consultants and find out how doing a course can help you work in the field of programming.
 
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