AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 15-1254.00

Will AI replace Web Developers?

Web Developers: AI can already handle 19 of 29 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 29 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Web Developers, from most to least exposed. 19 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites. 98 Observed Frontier 4.6
Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media. 95 Observed Frontier 4.4
Provide clear, detailed descriptions of Web site specifications, such as product features, activities, software, communication protocols, programming languages, and operating systems software and hardware. 90 Observed Frontier 3.2
Respond to user email inquiries, or set up automated systems to send responses. 88 Observed Standard 3.7
Perform or direct Web site updates. 85 Observed Frontier 4.0
Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements. 85 Observed Standard 3.8
Recommend and implement performance improvements. 79 Observed Frontier 3.4
Develop system interaction or sequence diagrams. 79 Observed Frontier 2.7
Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems. 65 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Evaluate or recommend server hardware or software. 65 Estimated Standard 3.1
Develop or implement procedures for ongoing Web site revision. 65 Observed Frontier 3.3
Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems. 60 Estimated Standard 4.3
Monitor security system performance logs to identify problems and notify security specialists when problems occur. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.7
Renew domain name registrations. 60 Estimated Standard 3.7
Communicate with network personnel or Web site hosting agencies to address hardware or software issues affecting Web sites. 60 Estimated Standard 3.6
Establish appropriate server directory trees. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.5
Document technical factors such as server load, bandwidth, database performance, and browser and device types. 60 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Create Web models or prototypes that include physical, interface, logical, or data models. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.2
Research, document, rate, or select alternatives for Web architecture or technologies. 60 Estimated Efficient 2.8
Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Confer with management or development teams to prioritize needs, resolve conflicts, develop content criteria, or choose solutions. 50 Estimated Standard 3.6
Collaborate with management or users to develop e-commerce strategies and to integrate these strategies with Web sites. 50 Estimated Standard 3.5
Document test plans, testing procedures, or test results. 50 Estimated Standard 3.5
Design and implement Web site security measures, such as firewalls and message encryption. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.0
Incorporate technical considerations into Web site design plans, such as budgets, equipment, performance requirements, and legal issues including accessibility and privacy. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.0
Select programming languages, design tools, or applications. 40 Observed Standard 4.2
Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Install and configure hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) servers and associated operating systems. 20 Estimated Efficient 2.9

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 10 of 29 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 19 of 29. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
70,190
Median annual wage
$92,650
Middle half of earners
$64,230 to $126,230
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+7.5%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Web Developers and AI

Will AI replace Web Developers?

AI already handles 19 of the 29 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 63 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +7.5% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Web Developers?

63 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 10 of the 29 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 19 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Web Developers tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites; Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media; Provide clear, detailed descriptions of Web site specifications, such as product features, activities, software, communication protocols, programming languages, and operating systems software and hardware. They are three of the 19 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Web Developers, and what do they earn?

70,190 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $92,650 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +7.5% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Web Developers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/web-developers

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