There are now 1.4 billion active Android Devices in the world, and Android dominates the smartphone market with 82% global market share. These are impressive numbers. If you’re an aspiring Android Developer, this is opportunity knocking.
For many of you, that’s all you need to know. Android Developer, here you come.
But some of you may need more convincing when it comes to considering a career in Android Development. So let’s look at some key labor statistics and industry reports:
A recent article in InformationWeek projected salary increases of nearly 9% for Mobile App Developers in 2016.
Business Insider included the position in its 19 hottest jobs for 2016 list.
A recent article in Inc. noted a rather astonishing 83,649 more App Developer jobs posted than people hired, thus qualifying App Developer as #2 on their “10 Hottest Jobs in 2016” list.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to project incredible growth for the App Developer job market, with estimates running above 20% over the next five years.
Pretty remarkable, right? Let’s be honest though—we already published these numbers earlier this year. Did you dive in then? If you did, good move. But if you didn’t, then you really still need convincing. So here are:
5 Sweet and Delicious Reasons to Become an Android Developer
#1. Scholarships
What if we told you that the makers of Android are currently prepared to PAY for certain aspiring learners to become Android Developers? You’d jump at that chance, right? Well, it’s happening. In partnership with Google, we just launched the new Android Basics Nanodegree by Google, which means the whole path to an in-demand career as an Android Developer is now wide open for you, whether you’re just starting to program, or already building apps. And thanks to Google, the first 50 students to complete the Android Basics Nanodegree program will receive full scholarships to enroll in our advanced, career-track Android Developer Nanodegree program!
#2. Social Good
We already mentioned Android’s global reach above. 1.4 million devices. 82% market share. These are incredible numbers, and what it means is that if you’re developing for Android, you have the opportunity to make a significant positive impact on the world at a truly global level. And we know this is what people want to do! Let me give you an example. Leading up to the launch of Android Basics, we offered a preregistration option. 250 Udacity Pioneers lined up immediately. We asked them what motivated them, and the responses were incredible. One of those responses is the example I wish to share with you—except I can’t really share it with you! Because the person who responded described their idea for an app they’re hoping to build, and I don’t want to give her idea away. But when she succeeds, it’s going to be incredible. She’s in the healthcare field. Her app has to do with blood borne pathogen exposures. It definitely qualifies as “social good.”
#3. Salary
We don’t always want to admit how important the money is, but let’s be honest. The money is pretty important. According to a recent study by The Society For Human Resource Management (SHRM), “the top three drivers of job satisfaction cited were respectful treatment of employees at all levels, compensation/pay and benefits.” So how do Android Developers fare? Well, we already showed you those labor statistics and industry reports above. And those numbers sure looked good! But let’s be a bit more specific, and turn to our partners at PAYSA for some detailed information. If you go to any Nanodegree overview page, you’ll see a PAYSA module with some high-level data. For example, let’s go to our new Android Basics page. What do we see? Android Developers make between $52.4K and $136K. That’s good! If you want to dig deeper, click the PAYSA module, and you’ll get info about everything from roles and skills to equity and bonuses. (Average annual bonus? $15k. Not too shabby!)
#4. Visibility
I imagine you’re familiar with that famous philosophical thought experiment about trees and sound: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Personally, I believe the answer is … well, anyhow, the point is that if an Android App isn’t in the Google Play store, no one is going to use it. But getting your new app INTO the Google Play store must be next to impossible right? You can only imagine the cost. But actually, it’s not expensive at all. In fact, it’s only $25.
#5. Sweets
If you know anything about Android, then you probably know that each new operating system is code-named after a sweet treat. Here is the list to date:
- Cupcake
- Donut
- Eclair
- Froyo
- Gingerbread
- Honeycomb
- Ice Cream Sandwich
- Jelly Bean
- KitKat
- Lollipop
- Marshmallow
Why is this important to know? Because we’re at N! Which means, in your new role as an Android Developer, you could be working on … Nutella! Or Nougat! Or Nutter Butter!
You’ll be a modern-day Willy Wonka.
The point is, from Abba Zabba to Zagnut, the world is your confection!
