I has some experience but I started my degree at 22 and got my first dev job at 25.
Firms will hire you if you are passionate and knowledgeable about your newly chosen field.
In just the past months I dove into more 'serious' javascript development, finding myself even bored by anything that just focuses on 'common' patterns of functional programming. Now I'm wrapping my head around Clojure and copious amounts of reading up on programming history, lisp, lambda calculus, test-driven development, and whatnot, with no clear idea of how this will help me 'further my career' as a front-ender.
And yet, I find myself understanding it, gaining a deeper understanding, and honestly being surprised at all of it because surely I can't be a 'serious' programmer.
Of course it could turn out I cannot be a 'serious' programmer, but so far I've been surprised at how easy or at least possible it has been for me, a 28 year-old non-programmer with no background in IT, to 'get' whatever it is that I decide to study.
And you know what? I don't even care. I'm having more fun than ever before, and my development serves my both in supporting myself and enjoying myself. For all I know I'll never be a 'proper' programmer, but god damnit I'm having fun trying. And thank god there's plenty of work to go around for us 'front-enders'. I'd be fine just doing basic js/jQuery work. It's a win-win situation!