How to make money as software developer
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Executive summary
Software development pays well but the reported averages vary widely: ZipRecruiter shows $111,845/year (Dec 2025) while Glassdoor reports $121,029 and Built In finds $145,521 [1] [2] [3]. Pay depends strongly on location, experience, specialization and employer — percentile spreads and multiple industry reports show 25th–75th ranges spanning tens of thousands of dollars [1] [2] [4].
1. Where the money is — industries, locations and roles
High-paying sectors and geographies drive most top salaries: Glassdoor and US News list financial services, media streaming, social networks and manufacturing as among the best‑paying industries for developers, and state-level medians are highest in places like California and Washington [2] [5] [6]. Built In’s dataset shows total compensation often much higher than base salary because of cash bonuses and other pay components [3]. This means the employer and industry choice matters as much as raw skill.
2. Conflicting averages — what the discrepancy tells you
Public salary aggregates differ: PayScale’s average is about $82k, ZipRecruiter $111k, Glassdoor $121k, Salary.com $129k and Built In $145k — all for “software developer/engineer” roles [7] [1] [2] [4] [3]. Those gaps reflect different data sources (self‑reports, employer postings, sampling biases), definitions (developer vs. engineer vs. entry level), and the inclusion or exclusion of bonuses and equity [7] [2] [3]. Treat any single number as a directional signal, not a definitive market price.
3. How experience and specialization lift pay
Multiple sources show clear experience and role‑based premiums: entry‑level pay sits lower on most sites while mid/senior and specialized roles (platform, big data, DevOps, AI) command substantially higher ranges — MotionRecruitment projects mid‑level ranges roughly $107k–$144k and higher for senior/platform roles [8]. Coursera and Gini Talent also note that hands‑on experience, certain languages and cloud/AI skills translate into higher compensation [9] [6].
4. Practical routes to make more money as a developer
Available reporting suggests several levers: change employers for a market reset (PayScale recommends employer moves), specialize in in‑demand stacks (cloud, AI, platform engineering), pursue senior or leadership tracks, and consider relocating or working for employers in high‑paying sectors [7] [8] [6]. Remote work yields globalized pay expectations (Arc reports a global remote average of ~$70,877) — useful if you can access higher‑pay clients or cost‑of‑living arbitrage [10].
5. Freelance, remote and non‑traditional income paths
Remote aggregates show lower global averages but wide variance; Arc finds a global remote average near $70,877/year while Built In and other U.S.-centric sources report much higher onshore compensation [10] [3]. Freelancing, contracting or productizing code can push effective hourly rates above salaried equivalents, but those routes depend on client access, sales skills and the ability to manage irregular income — sources highlight the variance rather than precise rates [10] [3].
6. Negotiation and data — how to use these numbers
Use multiple data points when negotiating: compare city‑level percentiles (ZipRecruiter shows 25th–75th ranges), platform medians, and industry reports to benchmark a target salary [1] [2] [3]. Several outlets recommend emphasizing specialized skills or competing offers to capture the premium that top percentiles command [7] [8]. Remember that some sites include bonuses/equity while others report base pay only [2] [3].
7. Limitations, biases and what reporting omits
Salary surveys have sampling and definitional limits: differences among “software developer,” “software engineer,” and entry‑level categories create inconsistent baselines across sources [7] [2]. Sources do not provide a single, unified dataset for global comparisons; instead they offer overlapping, sometimes contradictory snapshots [1] [4] [6]. Available sources do not mention specific tax, visa or benefits impacts on net pay in your jurisdiction.
8. Bottom line — a playbook from the data
If your goal is to maximize income: focus on high‑demand specialties (platform, AI, cloud), target employers and industries with higher reported medians, leverage location or remote opportunities strategically, and treat multiple salary sources as inputs to a negotiation floor and stretch goal [8] [6] [3]. Use the percentile ranges shown by ZipRecruiter and Glassdoor to set realistic expectations for where you can reasonably move within 12–24 months [1] [2].
If you want, I can convert these findings into an action plan tailored to your experience level, tech stack and location using the same sources.