Should I Learn Android Development? 

Do you want a straightforward answer to the question, “Should I learn Android development?” Here are eight reasons why you should!

1. You can earn a lucrative salary. 

2. There are many enticing work opportunities available.

3. You can choose from a wide range of Android Development niches.

4. There are more and more people who will use Android devices.

5. You have some great options to refine and release your own apps.

6. It boasts flexibility and portability of operating systems.

7. You will expand your knowledge and experience.

8. It has a gentle, gradual learning curve.

When it comes to mobile, a lot of people think Apple (or iOS) reigns supreme, but you are not most people. You know better. You know that Android has much more of the mobile market share than iOS. To be exact, it has more than 87% of the global mobile market share. You also know this means that the Google-maintained open-source OS is on the rise when it comes to jobs, pay, and Google Play. 

Here’s something you probably don’t already know about Android: Pluralsight launched the world’s first adaptive skill measurement to rate your Android proficiency, in addition to an easy-to-follow Android skill path that helps you navigate how to learn Android development.  

Before we look at how to learn Android development, let’s look at eight big reasons why you should do it.

1. You Can Earn a Lucrative Salary

Let’s talk money. If you just look at the numbers, you’ll see that Android developers (on average and depending on experience and location) made about $107,000 annually in 2018. This number has been increasing year over year for some time now with no end in sight.

Let’s break down this important salary information even further, since we know this is probably what interests and motivates you the most.

For Android developers:

• There is an average entry-level salary of $75,000 per year. 

• Mid-career developers earn ~$96,000 annual salary. 

• After having 10 years of experience, developers can expect to be paid ~$112,000 annually. 

• The highest, late-career developer salary can be ~$144,000 per year (which is $5,000 more than iOS’ highest salary).

• The United States pays ~$39,000 more per year than the second-highest paying country (Canada).

• The cities that pay the highest salary to Android developers are:

  • San Francisco

  • Los Angeles

  • Cupertino

  • Austin

  • Chicago

  • New York

2. There Are Many Enticing Work Opportunities Available

So what are the odds of being able to find a job as an Android developer? Extremely good! You’ll have a lot of job prospects, and more likely than not, you’ll have more than one lucrative offer and enticing work opportunity to choose from. This is because there is great demand for full-time, remote, and/or freelance Android developers. In 2018, there were over 1 million software developer jobs that needed to be filled with a 10-year job outlook growth of 21% (much faster than average). You better believe many of these jobs were for Android developers.

Some of the top companies that are actively hiring include:

• Google

• Facebook

• Cisco Systems

• VMware

• Salesforce

• SAP

• Cloud Big Data Technologies Group

• WillowTree

• And many more!

3. You Have a Choice from a Wide Range of Android Development Niches

In 2019, there were 2.5 billion active Android devices. Since there is world-wide proliferation of the Android platform, you’ll have many options for where to apply your Android developer skills. 

Some of the platforms that use Android are:

• Phones

• Tablets

• Video game consoles

• Smartwatches

• Smart TVs

• Streaming media devices

• Cameras

• E-readers

• Car systems

Developing for these different niches means you will never find yourself bored from doing the same work over the years. You’ll be able to work on various projects and continue to be challenged over the course of your career.

4. There Are More and More People Who Use Android Devices

There are 127.8 million Android smartphone users in the United States alone. This staggering number doesn’t even take into account other devices such as tablets and smartwatches that use this system. When talking globally, the number of active Android smartphones is an almost unbelievable 3.1 billion. 

As far as future growth goes, research shows that in the next five years, Android will go from $53 million worth of global market size in 2019 all the way up to $226.7 million by 2025. 

In other words, now is the perfect time to get going in your Android developer career!

5. You Can Make Money Releasing Your Own Apps

Launching Android apps in the Google Play store can be a great way to hone your skills and earn some significant supplemental revenue. 

This revenue can be earned through:

• In-app purchases

• In-app ads

• Paid apps

• Subscription-based apps 

• App licensing

On top of income, there are a few other advantages to releasing your own apps on this platform:

• There is only a one-time fee of $25 (Apple’s App Store charges a $99 annual fee).

• Apps are available for users to download within hours (Apple makes users wait a day).

• You have the ability to release your apps as alpha or beta, enabling specific groups to test your app and give their feedback so you can make refinements before putting them out for the world.

6. It Boasts Flexibility and Portability of Operating Systems

If you’re developing for iOS, you’ve got to use a Mac. If you’re developing for Android, you can use a Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, since native Android apps are developed using Java (one of the most popular programming languages to learn and use) or Kotlin, they can be ported to other mobile operating systems. Android apps can also be ported easily to Chrome OS. 

Why are these things so beneficial to you as a developer? It’s because you will gain a well-rounded, in-demand education and all-around experience that will cross over into many different aspects and projects of your career. You’ll never regret having that flexibility. 

7. You Will Expand Your Knowledge and Experience

To piggyback off the previous paragraph, when you learn Android development, you will be expanding your knowledge and experience that will only benefit you throughout your future as a developer. 

Whether you are a self-taught prodigy or have earned top marks when pursuing an advanced college degree, what employers are really looking for is growth and motivation. The tech industry changes so rapidly, and it’s very easy to become irrelevant before you even realize it. It’s important to stay ahead of the game by pursuing paths that lead to career advancement.  

8. It Has a Gentle, Gradual Learning Curve

Jumping into learning something new can feel quite intimidating. The good news is that the Android learning path is gentle and easy to follow. 

When it comes time to learn Android development, there are a few major steps to get started:

1. Learn Java/XML.

2. Install Android Studio IDE.

3. Take a course in Android that covers:

   1. Activity lifecycle

   2. Debugging

   3. Task and back stack

   4. Context

   5. Looper, Handler, and HandlerThread

   6. Service and IntentService

   7. ArrayMap

   8. Security

   9. And more

4. Begin coding.

5. Test.

6. Launch!

How Do You Learn Android Development?

Learning Android development is made much easier when you utilize Pluralsight’s skill measurement program. It’s the first of its kind, adapts the difficulty of the questions after each response, and evolves with more input from learners. Additionally, the skill measurement will adapt as the technology itself changes. 

With this kind of unique assessment, you’re able to see how your knowledge stacks up to other Android developers around the globe. This is especially helpful if you’re prepping for the AAD (Associate Android Developer) exam. Our skill measurement will rank your proficiency with a rating so you’ll have a good idea if you need to hone your craft a bit more or are ready to ace your AAD, take on a new project, or apply for a promotion.

Now you know the answer to your question, “Should I learn Android Development?” Are you ready to get started? Sign up for Android classes today!