Software Engineer Salaries: How Much Do Coders Make?

The tech industry is continually building new products, services, and companies, offering many lucrative jobs. Hence software engineers or coders are the most sought-after professionals worldwide, with some of the highest salaries in the market.

According to Glassdoor, in the U.S., the top ten highest-paying jobs include full stack engineer, DevOps engineer, and Software engineer. Others on the list are also related to coding and software engineering. For anyone considering switching careers, coding is your best bet! It is undoubtedly a practical and versatile skill to develop. Even kids are learning to code these days!

Curious about how much coders make a year? The answer depends on experience, location, and other factors. But to give you an idea of the amount, according to estimates dating from February 27, 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics states that the average annual salary of a coder is between the range of $69,052 and $82,968.

However, there is much more to learn about a coder's average salary, so let's start!

Types of Coding Jobs and their Salaries

The field that we call ‘coding’ has various jobs ranging from managing databases to building mobile apps, websites, games, and artificial intelligence systems. Each of these require different skills and knowledge. It is essential to understand what interests you so you can tailor your education and skill-building accordingly. Once you have a clear goal, you can apply for coding bootcamps to help prepare you for a career as a developer with the required skills, knowledge, and professional portfolio.

Let's have a look at the types of coding jobs you can apply for:

Computer Programmers

If you are new to the world of coding, this is the most basic coding job. A computer programmer's job description is to write, modify and test codes for websites and software, identify errors in existing codes, and turn program designs into instructions for a computer to follow. You will need to learn various coding languages, which will help you maximize your skill set and flexibility when applying for jobs. Bureau of Labour Statistics suggests a computer programmer's average salary is $93,000 per year and $44.71 per hour (data from May 2021).

Software Developer

A software developer's job is to build applications and computer software, focusing mainly on consumer-facing products. For this, a software developer must understand consumer needs, market demands, how to use computer software to create solutions, and how to monitor and modify these products as per requirements. To apply for this job, you must be well-versed in coding, as it involves a significant amount of coding. In addition to this, you need to be creative, as this role is crucial for translating the vision into reality. BLS states the average annual pay for a software developer was $120,730 in May 2021.

Web Developer

Every day, the websites you come across are the creations of web developers. Their job is to build and maintain websites, determine aesthetics, and handle technical aspects- such as performance (website speed) and capacity (amount of traffic the website can handle at a given time). To acquire a job as a web developer, you must be well-versed in programming languages (like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, for starters).

Back-end developers are the backbone of a website as they create code for website functionality. They use server-side languages like Python, Ruby, SQL, and Oracle to create, manage, and communicate data.

Once the back-end developers create the base of the website, the front-end developers design and develop the look and feel. Moreover, their job also entails user-facing aspects and managing bugs that might appear.

Other than this, there are also full stack web developers skilled in managing both back-end and front-end web development. A web developer's salary is lower than a computer programmer, as calculated by BLS at an average of $78,300 per year. However, the job outlook is promising, with a 23% growth in employment from 2021-2031.

Data Scientist

In the coding industry, this has to be the most interdisciplinary job. A data scientist's job entails extracting and transforming raw data into meaningful insights using data modeling, mining, and machine learning knowledge. Data scientists are in high demand due to their varied responsibilities of coding, software engineering, data visualization, and statistical analysis. For this role, you must have a firm grip on programming languages such as Python, SQL, and Java. As this job involves more technical and math skills, the median annual wage, according to BLS, is $100,910 annually and is projected to grow by 36% from 2021-2031.

Database Administrator

A database administrator deals with everything related to databases- from creating, managing, and organizing the system. Their job is to ensure the database is in the best condition and runs smoothly by cleaning corrupt records, storing complete data records, and maintaining high-quality data. Moreover, they are also responsible for securing the data by avoiding any data loss, rectifying the flaws, and managing necessary modifications. According to BLS, the annual wage of a Database Administrator was $96,710 per year in May 2021.

Ready to Earn Computer Coding Salary?

As the tech sector grows exponentially, developers continue to grow in demand. Moreover, there are also openings for coders in almost every non-tech company. You can find a coding job in the healthcare, finance, government, and e-commerce sectors. If you want to make a career in coding, the best and easiest way is through a coding bootcamp. These bootcamps focus on results and strive to place you in a job so you can earn as fast as possible. So, let's get started!