People love to brag about fat tech paychecks, but you probably wonder if coding jobs actually deliver the money. Here’s the real deal: yes, most coding jobs do pay well—often way above the national average. In 2024, entry-level software engineers in the US pulled in around $75,000 a year, and it jumps quickly with experience. If you know your stuff and stick with it, six figures isn’t just some wild dream; it’s routine in places like San Francisco, New York, or if you’re working for global companies from anywhere.
But not every gig is a jackpot. Where you live matters, and so does the kind of coding you do. Some jobs pay double what others do, even when the work sounds similar. So, if you’re considering taking coding classes, it’s smart to know where the money actually is—and how to land there.
- What Do Coding Jobs Actually Pay?
- Why Do Some Coders Make More Than Others?
- Which Coding Skills Pay the Best?
- How to Boost Your Salary as a Coder
What Do Coding Jobs Actually Pay?
If you look at average salaries for tech jobs, the numbers speak for themselves. Coding isn’t just for Silicon Valley folks or startup stars—coders everywhere earn decent money, whether they work in healthcare, finance, or your everyday app company.
Check out this table below. It shows what full-time U.S.-based coding jobs were paying as of late 2024. Salary can go higher if you know in-demand skills or live near big tech hubs, but these numbers are pretty typical across the country:
| Job Title | Entry-Level ($/year) | Mid-Level ($/year) | Senior ($/year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | 75,000 | 110,000 | 155,000 |
| Front-End Developer | 68,000 | 98,000 | 135,000 |
| Back-End Developer | 72,000 | 105,000 | 145,000 |
| Data Scientist | 85,000 | 127,000 | 175,000 |
| Mobile Developer | 70,000 | 106,000 | 140,000 |
| QA/Test Engineer | 62,000 | 85,000 | 115,000 |
Keep in mind, some tech giants like Google, Amazon, or Netflix pay even more, especially with stock bonuses and other perks. Entry-level jobs usually land you on the lower side, but you move up faster than in most fields.
Freelancers and remote coders get a wide range—some start at $35 per hour, while specialized folks charge $100+ for tricky gigs. Think about it—if you’re smart about learning and networking, coding jobs can easily beat the pay in similar fields like marketing or business management.
In the end, the more you learn and the better you get at problem-solving, the more employers will throw cash your way. So those coding classes aren't just an expense—they’re an investment in a high-dollar career.
Why Do Some Coders Make More Than Others?
When it comes to salaries, coding is far from a level playing field. The pay gap between two developers can swing by tens of thousands of dollars, and it usually comes down to a few big factors.
The first factor: what languages and technologies you actually use. Coders working in old-school languages like PHP or Visual Basic usually take home less than folks working with higher-demand skills like Python, Go, or cloud services like AWS. For example, Stack Overflow's 2024 Developer Survey showed that Go developers reported some of the highest average salaries worldwide, while HTML/CSS developers sat at the bottom. If you can handle cloud stuff or security, you’ll almost always get more offers and bigger paychecks.
Next, your job title matters—a lot. "Software engineer" and "web developer" sound similar, but they’re not. Product-focused or deep tech roles (think: mobile app developer, DevOps engineer, data scientist) pay notably more than straightforward website-building jobs. Even within companies, a backend developer in the same office as a frontend developer can make more due to the complexity of tasks.
Then there’s experience, but not just years on paper. Companies love real, hands-on skill. If you’ve actually shipped apps or tackled big problems, you’ll be first in line for raises and promotions. A junior with strong portfolio projects sometimes gets paid more than a senior with just buzzwords on a resume.
Your company’s size also makes a difference. Startups might offer stock but pay less cash up front. Big tech firms (like the FAANG crowd—Meta, Google, Amazon, and the rest) pay well above average—sometimes with starting bonuses that would make your jaw drop. Smaller companies or non-profits generally keep things tighter.
- Type of work: complex systems = higher pay
- Hot skills: cloud, AI, security, data science bump up salaries
- Job title: "engineer" or "architect" usually pays more than "developer" or "designer"
- Proven results: shipped products and tough solved problems impress employers more than just school or years
- Employer: big name tech = bigger pay, tiny startup = risky but sometimes more upside if you get equity
One more thing—location can’t be ignored. The same coding jobs pay way more in places like San Francisco or Seattle than in smaller cities or remote rural areas, although remote work is changing this a bit.
If you’re serious about making the most from your coding career, pick your skills, roles, and employers as carefully as you’d pick a stock to invest in. Pay isn’t just about what you know, but where, who, and how you put it to work.
Which Coding Skills Pay the Best?
If you’re after a coding job that pays the big bucks, not all skills are equal. The market moves fast, so what was hot five years ago isn’t always what’s putting money in people’s pockets now. The difference in pay based on what you know can be huge.
Skills tied to web and app development—think JavaScript, React, or mobile stuff like Swift and Kotlin—are still high earners because everything seems to run online or on your phone these days. But honestly, the biggest jumps in pay often show up around cloud tech (like AWS and Azure), data science tools, and cybersecurity.
- Programming languages: Python, Java, and Go often show up at the top for higher salaries, not just because companies love them, but because they’re used in in-demand fields like AI, backend services, and fintech.
- Cloud expertise: Knowing AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud can bump your paycheck by more than 10%, just because so many businesses need people who get the cloud.
- Data know-how: If you can wrangle data with tools like SQL, Spark, or TensorFlow, you can slide into well-paid roles in analytics, machine learning, and AI.
- Cybersecurity chops: With hacks making headlines every month, companies throw cash at coders who know security inside out—especially if you can actually prove it with certs or experience.
Salaries for some of these skills in the U.S. as of late 2024 look like this:
| Skill | Average Salary ($) |
|---|---|
| Python | 120,000 |
| Go | 130,000 |
| React | 115,000 |
| AWS | 135,000 |
| Cybersecurity (general) | 125,000 |
Your pay can jump even higher if you stack these skills. For example, knowing both Python and AWS or combining React with cybersecurity can make you stand out to employers looking to pay top dollar for folks who can handle the whole stack and keep data safe.
How to Boost Your Salary as a Coder
If you're aiming to not just earn, but really cash in with a coding job, you need a game plan. Coding pays well, but only if you put in some smart moves. Tech companies notice the people who stand out, not just the ones who blend in. So what actually works?
First, chase the right skills. In 2025, employers pay extra for folks who know hot tools like Python, AWS, React, and AI frameworks. If you specialize—say, in cybersecurity or machine learning—the offers get even better. For example, AI engineers are landing average salaries around $130,000, while entry-level web devs might pull $70,000. Check out the quick breakdown below:
| Role | US Average Salary (2024) |
|---|---|
| AI/ML Engineer | $130,000 |
| Full Stack Developer | $110,000 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | $105,000 |
| Frontend Web Developer | $95,000 |
| Entry-level Developer | $70,000 |
Here are some real ways to pump up your paycheck:
- Learn in-demand languages and frameworks. Python, JavaScript, and anything AI-related are all favorites right now. Keep learning after you land a job, too. Tech moves fast.
- Build a killer portfolio. Side projects and open-source contributions prove you actually solve problems. Recruiters love seeing real work, not just degrees.
- Certifications pay off. AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure certs can boost your resume big time. Cloud is where companies are spending stacks of money.
- Don’t accept your first offer—negotiate. Most companies can go higher, especially for skilled coders. Just showing you know the market gets you respect.
- Consider remote gigs. Companies in high-cost cities often pay more, even if you’re working from somewhere cheaper. This is how some devs double what they’d make locally.
- Stay plugged in. Coding meetups, online communities, and tech conferences can connect you with jobs that never get posted online.
Upskilling never stops. Every few years, there’s a new hot skill. That means more chances to boost your earning potential. My friend switched from regular web work to machine learning in 2023, and suddenly recruiters wouldn’t leave him alone. It pays—literally—to keep moving with the times.
