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The software development landscape has transformed dramatically. As we navigate 2025, employers are no longer asking whether to adopt low-code development; they’re asking how to implement it strategically alongside traditional development practices.
With low code adoption jumping from 25% in 2020 to over 65% by late 2024, and the skilled developers shortage reaching critical levels, employers are rethinking their entire approach to software development talent.
So what do employers prefer when choosing between low code vs traditional coding? The answer is surprisingly nuanced.
The software development industry faces unprecedented talent scarcity. Traditional development teams are in such high demand that hiring timelines have doubled, salary inflation has accelerated 15-20% year-over-year, and companies are aggressively competing for coding talent.
This shortage has forced employers to explore low code platforms as viable alternatives, leading to the rise of “citizen developers,” non-technical users who create applications using low code tools with minimal manual coding.
The most sought-after candidates aren’t purely traditional programming experts or low code specialists, they’re professionals who navigate both worlds of code development effectively.
Employers prefer candidates who can:
Gone are 6-12 month development cycles. In 2025, businesses need rapid app development: getting MVPs to market using low code solutions in weeks, iterative improvement through agile development processes, and business agility through flexible code platforms.
Economic pressures prioritize cost efficiency. Employers favor development approaches that reduce initial software development costs by 40-60%, lower maintenance overhead, minimize development team size, and enable faster revenue through streamlined development processes.
Startups and SMEs (70% Low Code, 30% Traditional Development): Resource-constrained companies prioritize speed and cost-efficiency. They prefer professionals who can build functional MVPs using low code platforms, iterate quickly through visual development tools, and leverage no code platforms for simple application development.
Enterprise Organizations (40% Low Code, 60% Traditional Development): Large organizations need both speed and robustness. They seek strategic thinking about development methods, integration capabilities between low code solutions and enterprise systems, and custom development skills for complex applications.
Regulated Industries (20% Low Code, 80% Traditional Development): Healthcare, finance, and government sectors maintain strong traditional programming preferences due to compliance requirements, security needs, and performance-critical applications. However, they’re adopting low code tools for internal software development.
For Low Code Development Roles:
For Traditional Development Roles:
For Hybrid Development Roles (Highest Demand):
Traditional Development Professionals: 15-20% salary increases, extremely high demand, intense competition for talent.
Low Code Development Specialists: 25-30% salary increases, rapidly growing demand, increasingly recognized as a legitimate application development specialization.
Hybrid Development Professionals: 20-40% salary premiums above pure traditional or low code development roles, highest market demand, viewed as strategic assets.
For Traditional Development Professionals: Don’t panic, evolve. Learn low code platforms, develop integration skills, focus on areas where manual coding excels, and consider hybrid development architectures.
For Aspiring Software Development Professionals: Start with low code development, but don’t stop there. Learn fundamental programming concepts, understand when each development approach fits, and develop business acumen alongside technical coding skills.
For Career Switchers: Low code offers the fastest entry into software development. Focus on bridging business and IT through application development, then gradually add traditional programming skills for increased versatility.
Both low code and traditional development are being transformed by AI. Code generation tools accelerate traditional software development, intelligent low code platforms become more sophisticated, and hybrid AI-human development teams emerge as the new standard.
Low code development platforms are maturing with improved scalability, better security features, enhanced integration capabilities, and more customization options beyond basic visual development.
The line between low code and traditional development continues to blur as traditional development environments add visual features and low code platforms expose more custom code capabilities.
In 2025, successful companies aren’t choosing between low code vs traditional coding, they’re strategically using both in their software development process. Employers understand that different projects, development phases, and business requirements call for different approaches.
For development professionals, the future belongs to those navigating both coding worlds. Whether you’re a seasoned traditional development expert adding low code skills or a business professional learning application development, success comes from understanding when and how to apply each development approach effectively.
Building the hybrid skills employers demand requires comprehensive training that bridges both worlds. CIAT’s software development program is designed specifically for this new reality, combining traditional programming fundamentals with low code development techniques. Our curriculum prepares students to meet the exact demands of today’s employers, delivering both the rapid prototyping capabilities of low code platforms and the deep customization skills of traditional coding.
The question isn’t whether employers prefer low code or traditional coding in 2025; it’s whether you’re prepared to help them make the right development choice for each unique software development situation.
The bottom line: Employers prefer development professionals who deliver business value quickly and efficiently, regardless of underlying technology. In 2025, that increasingly means fluency in both languages of modern software development, exactly what CIAT’s program delivers.
No, low code development will not replace traditional coding jobs entirely. Instead, it’s creating a complementary software development ecosystem. Traditional programming remains essential for complex applications, performance optimization, security-critical systems, and custom development integrations. However, the job market is evolving toward hybrid development roles where professionals can work with both coding approaches strategically.
Low code development specialists typically earn 10-20% less than traditional development professionals initially, but the gap is closing rapidly. However, professionals with hybrid development skills (both low code and traditional coding) command 20-40% salary premiums. Entry-level low code positions range from $60,000-$85,000, while experienced low code development architects can earn $120,000-$150,000+.*Job title and salary information displayed are all average annual salaries sourced from salary.com in 2025. They represent the most up-to-date information at time of print and are not to be construed as guarantees of employment or future earnings. Some positions may require additional qualifications such as a college degree or years of relevant work experience beyond certification.
The most in-demand low code development platforms in 2025 are:Microsoft Power Platform (highest job volume for low code development)Salesforce Lightning Platform (highest pay rates in low code)OutSystems (enterprise-focused low code platform)Mendix (rapid application development)ServiceNow (workflow automation and low code solutions)Focus on one low code platform initially, then expand based on your target industry.
No, many employers are more interested in demonstrated ability and business understanding than formal education for low code development roles. However, having foundational programming knowledge (even self-taught) significantly increases your marketability in software development. Consider online certifications from low code platform vendors like Microsoft or Salesforce.
Most professionals can become job-ready in low code development within 3-6 months of focused learning, compared to 12-24 months for traditional software development. However, becoming truly proficient and valuable to employers in application development typically takes 12-18 months of hands-on experience with code platforms.
Yes, low code development jobs show strong long-term security. The market is growing 25-30% annually, and businesses increasingly rely on these platforms for rapid application development. Additionally, low code developers often evolve into strategic roles like solution architects or digital transformation specialists.
Top hiring industries for low code development include:Financial Services (automation and compliance tools using low code platforms)Healthcare (patient management systems through application development)Manufacturing (process optimization via low code solutions)Government (citizen services using low code development)Consulting (rapid client solutions through code platforms)Retail (customer experience tools via low code app development)
Absolutely. Traditional development professionals who add low code skills to their toolkit become significantly more valuable in software development. They can prototype faster, communicate better with business stakeholders, and take on solution architect roles. It’s career enhancement in development, not replacement.
The biggest challenge is shifting from code-first thinking to business-process-first thinking. Traditional development professionals often need to unlearn the impulse to write custom code for everything and instead focus on configuring and customizing low code platform capabilities to meet business needs through visual development.
Employer perceptions have shifted dramatically. In 2025, most employers view low code as a legitimate development approach rather than a “lesser” alternative to traditional software development. They’re looking for development professionals who can choose the right tool for each situation rather than those who are dogmatic about one coding approach.
Yes, low code development is highly compatible with remote work and freelancing. Many application development projects involve configuring business processes and can be done entirely remotely. Freelance rates for experienced low code development professionals range from $75-150+ per hour.
Common career progression paths in low code development include:Junior Low Code Developer → Senior Low Code Developer → Solution ArchitectBusiness Analyst → Citizen Developer → Low Code Development SpecialistTraditional Developer → Full-Stack (Low Code + Traditional Development) → Technical LeadLow Code Developer → Platform Consultant → Digital Transformation Specialist
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