Herzing Blog

You've probably heard there's strong demand for software developers and programmers. But exactly what kinds of jobs can you get as a total beginner? And what salary will you make just starting out?

It can be tricky to get a clear picture of entry-level programming jobs. Employers have very different ideas about what skills a beginner should have, depending on the clients they serve and the projects they work on.

To make things easier, we analyzed dozens of programmer job postings on sites like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn. From there, we identified the four most common entry-level jobs in software development and programming.

In this post, we describe each role, including the average salary for candidates with little-to-no experience (based on the latest data from the Government of Canada Job Bank). We also provide details on the demand for programmers and developers, the skills employers look for, and how you can position yourself for success.

Updated July 2023

In the information technology industry, the line between different jobs can be very blurry.

Such is the case with programmers, developers, and software engineers.

They all create computer programs, right? So what’s the difference between these roles?

The answer largely depends on who you ask. Every company defines the positions slightly differently, and some use the job titles interchangeably.

However, there can be important distinctions between these three roles.

In this post, we show you how the roles of programmers, developers, and software engineers compare. You’ll see how these three jobs stack up in terms of tasks, salaries, training requirements, and more.

Let’s get to it.

Updated December 2022

Thinking about a career in programming? Before you decide if this path is right for you, take some time to understand where you can work and how much you can earn.

You've probably heard there's strong demand for programmers and a lot of different job options out there. But exactly what kinds of programmer jobs can you get as a total beginner? And what salary will you make just starting out?

It can be tricky to get a clear picture of entry-level programming jobs. Employers have very different ideas about what skills a beginner should have, depending on the clients they serve and the projects they work on.

To make things easier, we analyzed dozens of programmer job postings on sites like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn. From there, we identified the four most common entry-level programmer careers.

In this post, we describe each role, including the average salary for candidates with little-to-no experience (based on data from sites like PayScale and Glassdoor).

Here's everything you need to know about starting a career in programming.

Updated July 2023

The short answer is yes. You can become a programmer without earning a university degree in computer science or software engineering. 

The longer answer is a bit more complicated. Starting your career without a degree will mean doing quite a bit of self-study and self-training. You need to be a hard worker and highly motivated to succeed. 

The truth is, this field is big (there are hundreds of programming languages!) and it’s changing all the time. Even with a degree, you’ll spend a lot of time studying new tech and teaching yourself new skills. 

So this begs the question: If you don’t want to go to university, what’s the best way to get your programming career off the ground?