Web careers

The field of Web Design is so new that job descriptions and job titles are still evolving.
Pay scales will vary from state to state, and even from city to city. The amount an employer is willing to pay generally reflects local cost of living figures, and is affected by demand. Web skills are relatively rare at present, and salaries have thus been fairly generous.
Below is a description of several career roles in the field of Visual Communication Multimedia. In addition to the specific duties described, each of these jobs requires a skill for organizing information in a way which makes it easy to find and understand. Of course, other career roles and job titles exist.

Webmaster

This job title has many meanings. It is generally used to designate the person responsible for maintaining a web page or website, or even an intranet. Visitors to a site are often invited to report broken links or other problems to the site's Webmaster. In this sense, a Webmaster must have good troubleshooting abilities. An excellent grasp of HTML (or other web programming languages used for the site) is required. Occasionally a Webmaster will also be responsible for setting up and maintaining the server and network.
When used within a team framework the title of Webmaster implies a supervisory role. In this sense, a Webmaster will oversee and direct writers, artists, designers and programmers. Organization and an ability to motivate people are necessary skills here. HTML knowledge is still required, as is an excellent grasp of web design principles. In this circumstance, others are responsible for writing, programming scripts or databases and creating the artwork -- so it would not be necessary for the Webmaster to be an expert in these areas. An alternate title for this role is Web Page Creative Director. National averages for Webmaster salaries range from $40,588 to $70,407.
Sometimes the title Webmaster is adopted by a freelance artist who assumes all or most of the roles described in this lesson. A freelancer is a self-employed independent artist who will contract with different clients. It is possible for one person to design the structure and appearance of a small site, write the code, and create the graphics as well. Obviously, a freelance Webmaster needs a very wide variety of skills. Salaries for freelance Webmasters vary greatly and depend upon business acumen and sales abilities.
Amateur web page designers often claim the title of Webmaster despite little or no knowledge of HTML or web design principles. Because this title is used so loosely (and to describe so many different roles) many employers have become skeptical of it. If you use it on a resume you should be certain to include a description of your duties.
Also see how the median salary varies for different regions across the United States.

Multimedia Developer

A Multimedia Developer creates digital video, audio clips, or Flash animation for a website. This requires an ability conceive of and create art which moves and changes over a certain span of time. The field of multimedia is on the leading edge of computer graphics, and a description of multimedia could be different six months from now.
HTML skills are required, along with knowledge of Flash and other multimedia applications. The software used to create multimedia is more difficult to master than the software used to create other types of graphics. Multimedia production often requires faster and more powerful computer equipment. The successful Multimedia Developer needs to be familiar with both the software and hardware required. National averages for Multimedia Developer salaries range from $41,500 to $72,000.
Increasingly, Web Artists and Web Page Designers are expected to develop some skills with Flash.