The 7 Best Ways To Make Money As A Software Developer In 2021
Introduction
It’s no secret in 2021 that software development is one of the most popular and lucrative career choices out there. With over 4 million software developers working in the US today and a median salary of over $100,000 a year, it is ranked as the number one job according to usnews.com. The best thing about being a developer today is there are so many different ways to make money, you have the freedom to choose something that works best for you. The potential for a developer is greater than basically any other career, just ask Jeff Bezos or our favorite robot billionaire Mark Zuckerberg. If you want to make money as a software developer, there are many ways you can do it. Here are my top 7.
1. Get a job
Getting a job is the most secure, straight forward and obvious way to make money as a software developer. The benefits to holding a typical software developer job are great. The most obvious benefit is a pretty handsome salary, the United States median being around $100,000 a year. On top of that you get security, benefits and community. The likelihood that you will be able to find a job you’re passionate about within a few years is high. Software is at the core of every industry in the world. From music to gaming to insurance, everything runs on software. An experienced developer has the freedom to go into the industry of his choosing. Good developers are extremely valuable for any business.
2. Freelance
Freelance work is one of the quickest ways to make money with code. With tools like Fiverr and Upwork, anyone in the world could potentially find projects they would get paid for. However, finding freelance work on your own is much more preferable. The best way to go about finding freelance work is to reach out to friends, family and your community and see if anyone could be helped by your programming skillset. You may have to start out doing work for free, but if you work hard you’ll soon find yourself making pretty good money. Top developers can charge well over $100 per hour for their work due to the high value they can bring to any company. Freelance work comes with immense freedom. You can travel, work whenever and be your own boss. However, you will face challenges. Freelance work requires discipline and hard work. Consistent effort is crucial and you have to hold yourself accountable. That being said, freelancing can be one of the most rewarding things you can do!
3. Start a company
Amazon, Google, Facebook and all the other tech giants currently run the capitalist world. They all started with an idea and a little bit of code. That’s the potential when starting a new company as a software developer. If you have the right idea and a work hard then there is no real ceiling to how well you can do. While investing your time into a software company does involve some risk, most don’t require nearly as much money to get started. All you need to start a company in 2021 is an idea and a text editor. Get started now and with a little luck and a lot of elbow grease you could be the next millionaire developer!
4. Create an app
Creating a mobile app and selling it on the App Store is one of the easiest ways to make money as a developer. With tools like React-Native and Flutter, it’s easier than ever to make a complex app and publish it on IOS and Android. Create a game, social media or whatever other great idea you come up with. If your app can bring any sort of value to people, you can make really good money from it. It doesn’t take a coding genius to make a great app, just look at how simple Flappy Bird is. All it takes is a great idea!
5. Write a blog
Blogging on the side can be one of the most rewarding ways to make money as a software developer. The market for knowledge in this industry is booming, more than ever people need help getting started, finding work, learning new technologies and much more. Spread your knowledge through your own personal blog or through paid blogs such as medium.com. With enough traffic, you’ll find yourself making a pretty handsome amount of money on the side! It’s fun and easy to share your ideas with the world and it takes nothing other than a passion for what you do!
6. Make a Video Course
The market for video courses is booming in the technology world. So many people are doing what they can to become software workers that are all willing to pay money to get the resources they need. Even if you are a newer software developer, you can start making videos on the things you know to share with others. You can sell these courses on platforms like Udemy, or you can simply create your own website where you sell your stuff. Creating content that brings value to other people’s lives can be extremely rewarding. If you have any software knowledge at all, create a course helping others and you will be surprised at how much you get from it yourself!
7. Build a Software Brand
More than ever, in 2021 it’s all about building your own brand in this crazy industry. As a software developer, you can invest your time into a number of avenues to build out your brand as a creator. If you make courses, write blogs, create videos and help others, it won’t take long before you find yourself getting opportunities presented to you left and right. If you take pride in the work you do as a developer, people will take notice and you will be rewarded in return. If you do well enough, you may find yourself in a position where you’re turning opportunities down and only investing your time into the ones of your choosing. The bigger and stronger your brand as a developer is, the more secure and lucrative your career will be! If you haven’t already start building your brand now by creating content of all kinds. Websites, videos, blog posts, apps and courses are all awesome ways to build your brand and make great money in the future as a software developer.
