The Best USA States for Starting a Web Design Business
Posted on Jan, 5, 2021 I EliseWeb design is one of the fastest evolving industries around, and it’s also one of the most highly sought-after. With technology changing almost by the day, it’s essential to keep up and give yourself a competitive advantage.
You also need to be motivated and passionate about web design to thrive in the industry—it’s one of the most competitive ones out there!
Working on a personal project or switching companies may do the trick, giving you a brand new perspective and experience of web design. This also allows you to continue improving your craft.
Since the nature of your job allows you to work virtually anywhere, as long as you have your trusty computer and high-speed internet, another thing to consider is to change your location or working environment. This means that you aren’t tethered to just one place, and this opens up a number of possibilities for your career.
In fact, it may be time for you to consider starting your own web design business.
There are several opportunities for web designers and tech entrepreneurs across the country, but there a few select states that you should aim for:
California
Producing the country’s largest economy and tech shrine, Silicon Valley, California is an obvious choice.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $86,160
What makes it a good place to start your business?
High pay for tech professionals: In addition to having the third-highest median web developer and designer salaries, California is also home to San Jose—a city that pays the highest annual average salary to developers at $106,580.
Well-regulated business environment: Starting out in California may seem costly, especially when you have to take extra steps to register your business. However, these requirements, such as obtaining surety bonds, actually help you protect your customers and your business in the long run, making it a sound and intelligent investment.
Wealth of tech talent: Apple, Google, Facebook, Oracle, and Cisco all knew what they were doing when they set up shop in the Golden State. There’s a deep and well-educated workforce that can help speed up business growth.
Washington
Start-up successes like Amazon, Nintendo of America, and Expedia are all based in Washington.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $94,060
What makes it a good place to start your business?
New start-up hub: In recent years, Seattle, Washington has earned a reputation for churning out some of the most exciting up-and-coming tech companies—comparable to Silicon Valley. The state regulations and the array of tech experts all contribute to this boom, and you can definitely use them to your advantage.
Home to some of the best colleges and universities: With several higher education students in the state, there are more job hunters and internship opportunity hunters than most states.
Several available employees: It has the fourth-highest percentage of available employees in the country. While you may not need a big team in the beginning, it’s certainly convenient to be in a location where there are readily available professionals.
North Carolina
Despite being a new player in the tech field, North Carolina is proving to be one of the most tenacious.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $73,610
What makes it a good place to start your business?
Research Triangle Park: This is the country’s largest research park, located at the center of top universities: Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University. It houses hundreds of tech firms and labs, government agencies, startups, and academic institutions among others—so you know you’re in good company.
Abundant resources for start-ups: Several start-up centers have hailed from North Carolina, and with impressive funding. There are tons of funding resources as well as organizations looking to invest in the state. In 2018 alone, Raleigh-based start-ups were able to raise $340M in venture capital in 2018.
Solid economic growth: Regions within the state, like Raleigh, are beginning to gain traction and starting to produce a greater volume of high-growth companies per capita than NYC and Seattle. Additionally, the state’s tech industry has grown by about 20.6 percent in the last five years, giving it the third-highest growth rate in the country.
Texas
The Lone Star is more than just the venue for the uber cool SXSW festival, where devs, designers, and media creatives come together.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $74,250
What makes it a good place to start your business?
Low taxes: Texas is one of the very few states that don’t collect income tax, both individual or corporate. When less money is spent on taxes, it means that there’s more to put in your business’ bank account.
Low cost of living: Residents in the state also enjoy a relatively low cost of living. You can easily rent or purchase office space since prices are considerably lower than the national average in most states.
Clusters of cities to choose from: From San Antonio, Austin, to El Paso, there are multiple large and prosperous cities in the state, assuring a durable economy. This also gives you a unique opportunity to expand and explore without having to set up and register your business in a new state every time you decide to change locations.
New York
Starting a business in New York is a fairly easy process that can lead to great returns.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $79,880
What makes it a good place to start your business?
Strong entrepreneurial environment: There are about 220,000 businesses in New York to date—both start-ups and brick-and-mortar industry institutions. The ease of starting an LLC in the state is one factor why people are empowered to start their own businesses, and you could be one of them!
Huge market for web design: The various businesses in New York require tech services, including web design. You’ll get to work with a lot of different entrepreneurs from different industries, so there’s always something new to learn and work on.
Competitive and diverse workforce: The state is home to the country’s biggest city: New York City. The metro attracts people from all over the world, and they’re all eager for new projects.
Colorado
The Centennial State is seeing an economic renaissance, and young professionals from all over are on the move to take part.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $78,790
What makes it a good place to start your business?
Hip and young talent pool: Since several young people are flocking to Colorado for its scenic environment and its burgeoning youth culture, the tech sector has been on an incline too. Young people are reliant on technology, and you can bank on their insights and skills which are exclusive to their age group.
Strong government support: The state government is extremely supportive of small businesses. They find ways to bridge the gap between small business owners and research institutions, industry leaders and entrepreneurs.
Investors abound: You can find several incubator programs and resources for small businesses in Colorado. This gives you headway to cultivate your ideas in detail before you need to start worrying about the start-up costs.
Utah
Everyone knows Silicon Valley, but you need to hear about Silicon Slopes: the Salt Lake City area including Provo, Park City, Cache Valley, and Midvale.
Mean annual wage for web developers: $69,940
What makes it a good place to start your business?
Tech-savvy workforce: The Silicon Slopes region holds more tech degrees per capita than several other cities in the country, including popular tech hubs like San Francisco and Denver. When you’re looking for people to work with, you can rest assured that you’ll find someone capable and up to the task.
Flexible regulatory environment: Utah has less stringent policies and regulations when it comes to starting businesses. It also has lower taxes compared to most states.
Manageable start-up costs: Most tech hotbeds come with huge living expenses. Utah offers a reasonable cost of living, as well as affordable real estate costs—great news for someone who’s just starting out in any business.
Even if a web design consultancy business is targeted for the cyber sphere, where you conduct your on-ground operations makes a world of difference. So plan smart and enjoy the journey!
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