Drupal Developer Career Guide

What is a Drupal developer?

A Drupal developer builds websites and apps using Drupal, which is a tool for making websites that many companies use because it’s flexible and powerful. They work on projects for businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to help them have a cool online spot that everyone can use easily.

Their goal is to make sure a website does what it needs to do for a business and look good while doing it. Businesses can show off their brand and connect better with people online, which helps make customers happier and more likely to stick around.

Duties and responsibilities

• Building stuff: They set up Drupal, add new features to websites, and make sure everything works right.
• Keeping things running smoothly: They handle the tech side, like making sure the website runs fast and stays safe from hackers.
• Customizing: They make special add-ons and design themes to make sure the website fits exactly what’s needed.
• Helping others: They teach team members how to use the website tools and fix any tech problems.

Work environment

Many Drupal developers work in offices with other tech folks like designers and marketers. But a lot of them can work from home or anywhere really, as long as they have internet and their work gear.

Typical work hours

Usually, it’s a 40-hour week, Monday through Friday. They might work late or on weekends if there’s a big deadline or a sudden problem with the website. Those who work from home can often choose when they work, as long as they get their jobs done and can hop on calls or meetings when needed.

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How to become a Drupal developer

Want to build cool websites? Here’s how you can become a Drupal developer:

Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree

Start with a degree in something like computer science, information systems, or software engineering. These subjects will teach you the basics of coding, managing databases, and making websites.

Step 2: Learn Drupal and other tech tools

While studying, dive into Drupal. Get to know how it works and play around with its features. Also, learn coding languages like PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, which are important for working with Drupal.

Step 3: Understand OOP

Drupal uses a type of coding called object-oriented programming (OOP). It’s important to understand concepts like classes, objects, and inheritance because they will make your coding life easier.

Step 4: Practice by building

The best way to get good is by doing. Start small with easy websites and work your way up to more complex stuff. Internships or projects during school are great ways to get real-world experience.

Step 5: Join the Drupal community

Get involved in the Drupal community. You can learn a lot, find new tools, and even help improve Drupal by creating new features or fixing problems.

Step 6: Get certified (optional)

You don’t need a certificate, but it can help you stand out. Consider getting a Drupal certification from a place like Acquia.

Step 7: Network

Meet other developers at events, online, and through social media platforms like LinkedIn. Networking can lead to job opportunities and new ideas.

Step 8: Start applying for jobs

Once you’ve got the skills and maybe some experience, start looking for jobs as a Drupal developer. Make sure your resume talks about your Drupal projects and prepare for interviews by practicing answers to tech questions.

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How much do Drupal developers make?

There are many variables that go into determining how much a Drupal developer makes, from company size to experience to education, just to name a few. 

Highest paying industries

• Software Publishers: $125,760
• Data Processing and Hosting: $119,320
• Management of Companies and Enterprises: $113,860
• Computer Systems Design: $108,890
• Insurance Carriers: $104,470

Browse Drupal developer salary data by market

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Types of Drupal developers

If you’re thinking about becoming a Drupal developer, you can choose from several cool jobs depending on what part of a website you want to work on:

Front-end Drupal developer

These developers make websites look good. They focus on the design and how easy it is for people to use the site. To do this, they need to be great at using design tools and coding with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Back-end Drupal developer

Back-end developers make sure the website works well on the server side, handling all the behind-the-scenes stuff like database management. They use PHP (the main coding language for Drupal), SQL, and other tools to keep the website running smoothly and fast.

Full-stack Drupal developer

A full-stack developer knows how to do both the front-end and back-end stuff. They handle everything from how the site looks to how it operates, making them super versatile and able to run a whole project on their own.

Drupal module developer

These developers create special add-ons called modules that give Drupal extra abilities. They know a lot about how Drupal works and use PHP to build these custom modules based on what a project needs.

Drupal themer

Theme developers focus on the site’s look and feel by designing custom themes. They use their skills in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Drupal’s design settings to create unique and appealing website designs.

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Top skills for Drupal developers

Becoming a top-notch Drupal developer means you need a mix of tech expertise and some key soft skills:

Knowledge of Drupal

First off, you need to be a whiz at Drupal, understanding all its features and how to tweak them to do what you need. It’s also good to know about other systems like WordPress because it helps you get the bigger picture of how websites work.

Coding skills

Since Drupal runs on PHP, you’ll need to be good at that. But don’t forget HTML (which sets up the basic structure of websites), CSS (which makes them look good), and JavaScript (which makes things on the page move and react). These are your bread and butter for making any website.

Strong problem-solving

When things go wrong, you need to be the one who can figure out what’s up and fix it—fast. This could be anything from squashing bugs, sorting out errors, or adding custom features a client wants.

Effective communication

You’ve got to be able to explain what you’re doing and why, not just to other tech people but to clients who might not understand the first thing about coding. Being clear and patient when you talk about your work helps keep everyone happy and informed.

Project management

Even though your main job is coding, sometimes you’ll need to take charge of the project. This means keeping an eye on deadlines, budgets, and who’s doing what. Knowing a bit about project management can make this a lot easier.

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Drupal developer career path

If you’re diving into a career as a Drupal developer, there’s a lot of room to grow and evolve in your job. Here’s what the journey might look like:

Starting out

First, you’ll likely start working on various Drupal projects, gaining skills and experience as you build and maintain websites.

Moving up

As you get better and gather more experience, you might step into a senior developer role. Here, you’d manage smaller teams, handle bigger projects, and deal with more complex systems, especially at large companies.

Leadership roles

If you’re into leading and managing rather than just coding, you could become a Drupal project manager or a technical team lead. These roles focus more on planning and guiding projects, managing teams, and making sure everything runs on time and within budget.

Top-level positions

With lots of experience and a deep understanding of Drupal, you could aim for high-level jobs like software architect or Drupal consultant. These positions involve designing the structure for systems and offering expert advice to organizations about how to use Drupal effectively.

Branching out

If you want to explore beyond Drupal, you could shift to working with other content management systems like WordPress or Joomla, or even move into different tech fields like user experience design or data analysis.

Starting your own business

And if you’ve got the entrepreneurial bug, you might decide to start your own Drupal development company, using your skills to help businesses around the world and maybe making a good profit while you’re at it.

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Similar job titles

• Software Developer
• Web Developer
• Database Developer
• JavaScript Developer
• Python Developer
• C++ Developer
• .NET Developer
• PHP Developer
• Database Architect
• Front End Developer

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Position trends and outlook for Drupal developers

Drupal developers are in an exciting spot right now because they get to work with some of the latest tech trends:

• AI and machine learning: More and more, AI and machine learning are being used with Drupal to make websites smarter and easier to use. This makes Drupal a popular choice for businesses that want to step up their digital game.
• Headless Drupal: A big trend is headless Drupal, where Drupal handles all the data and back-end stuff, but the front end, what users see, can be built with different technologies. This approach is great for making websites that load fast and can send personalized content to users across various devices.
• Keeping up-to-date: Since the launch of Drupal 9 in 2020, there’s been a big push to update older sites to newer versions like 8 or 9. These newer versions are safer and more powerful because they get regular updates with new features.

Employment projections

Looking ahead, things are looking bright for Drupal developers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says jobs for web developers, which include Drupal developers, are expected to grow by 23% through 2031. That’s a lot faster than many other jobs, which means becoming one could be a smart move.

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Drupal developer career tips

Understand the Drupal ecosystem

Get to know Drupal inside and out. Learn how Drupal organizes content and how to efficiently build complex sites. Get familiar with popular modules and themes—they’ll help you work faster and smarter.

Keep up with updates and trends

Drupal changes a lot, with new updates for better functionality and security. Keep track of these changes by following blogs, forums, and social media that talk about Drupal.

Know what your clients need

It’s not just about coding. Understand what your client really needs, ask smart questions, and be able to explain your technical work to people who aren’t tech-savvy.

Build your network

Get involved in the Drupal community. Go to events like DrupalCon, meetups, and seminars. This is a great way to find new opportunities, learn from others, and make connections that can help your career.

Never stop learning and earn certifications

Drupal keeps evolving, so your skills should too. Keep learning new things and consider getting Drupal certifications to show your expertise and improve your job prospects. Don’t forget to also keep up your skills in PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and databases.

• Acquia Certified Developer – Drupal 8 or 9
• Acquia Certified Back End Specialist – Drupal 8 or 9
• Acquia Certified Front End Specialist – Drupal 8 or 9

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FAQs