Software Developer Career Guide

If you’re someone who loves computers, and wants to help create wonderful apps, webpages and games?

If yes, then you may thrive as a software developer. A software developer is responsible for creating the programs that we use every single day on our computers, cellphones, and tablets. To become a software developer, you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or a related field as a minimum.

To learn more about working as a software developer, browse the career profiles below. Our real-world career profiles are compiled after extensive interviews with actual people working as software developers. By browsing the career profiles, you can see how people in different fields describe their jobs, so you can find a career that is the perfect fit for you.

Software Developer Career Ratings

(What these ratings mean)

Income

Career
Growth

Personal Growth

Contribution

Influence

Job Profiles

Real-Life Software Developer Job Profiles

Below is a list of links to anonymous job profiles of REAL PEOPLE who have filled out our survey and offered to share their insights with our users about their job in the Software Developer field.

ID	Job Title	Gender	Age	Earnings	City & State	Date
33991	Third-Party Software Engineer	Male	25	$55,000	Fort Washington, PA	01/01/2010
33896	Software Design Engineer	Male	50	$120,000	Lynnwood, WA	01/01/2010
33821	Software Engineer	Female	30	$75,000	Marlborough, MA	01/01/2010
33716	Software Engineering Manager	Male	40	$102,000	San Diego, CA	01/01/2010
33717	Software Engineer 4	Female	53	$119,000	Reston, NY	01/01/2010

Overview

What a software developer does

A software developer is responsible for creating the programs that we use every single day. Software developers develop programs for computers, cellphones, and tablets. Working as a software developer requires an in-depth knowledge of computer coding, and those in the position need to be detail-oriented, as a single mistake in a line of code can cause programs to function incorrectly.

Developing software as a career can provide a lot of freedom. Software developers may work independently and create their own software programs they market and sell. Alternatively, software developers can also work for established companies that produce different types of software including office programs, music software, and gaming software. The job requires careful attention to detail, as well as creativity and good problem solving skills. Regardless of where they work, the typical responsibilities of a software developer include:

Analyzing users’ needs and then designing, testing, and developing a software to meet those needs
Recommending software upgrades for a customers’ existing programs and systems
Designing each piece of an application or system and planning how the pieces will
Ensuring that a program continues to function normally through software maintenance and testing
Documenting every aspect of an application or system as a reference for future maintenance and upgrades
Collaborating with other computer specialists

Why they are needed

In modern day society, we are surrounded by software. In 2019, a whopping 5.11 billion of user worldwide were using mobiles. Software is important for many reasons – it helps us stay connected, it is used in transportation, in electrical grids, nuclear power plans and in many other functions that offer use the basics of life.

As well as helping us live our daily lives, software development is also becoming increasingly important for businesses. It helps them to promote their business, by allowing them to be visible. It also helps them to improve their sales, communication, engagement, services and marketing features.

Pros and cons of a career in software development:

Pros:

Software developers can earn a good salary
They are in demand, which creates lots of exciting job opportunities
It is a career that is accessible to enter
Software developers can work on a freelance basis, giving them lots of flexibility
If they work in an office, software developers can work as part of a cohesive team
There is lots of variety in their work, which means that no two days are the same

Cons:

There can be quite a lot of competition for jobs
Software developers sit down all day -which is not good for those who want to lead a more active lifestyle
Software developers will never reach their full learning potential, there will always be something new to learn!
It can be quite stressful and demanding
Software developers may have to work long hours, especially at the start of their career

Employability

Job market

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of software developers is expected to grow 22% from 2019 to 2029, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

This increase in employment is expected because the growing need for new applications on smart phones and tablets will create a demand for software developers. Similarly, health and medical insurance and reinsurance carrier will need innovative software to manage new healthcare policy enrolments and administer existing policies digitally, creating a demand for software developers to do this work.

Finally, concerns over threats to computer security is likely to result in more investment in security software, which will further increase the demand and job opportunities for software developers.

Career paths

Generally, software developers will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or a related field. Computer science degree programs are the most common because they cover a broad range of topics that allow students to prepare themselves for the occupation. Whilst completing a degree, it is common for students to complete an internship at a software development company.

As software developers tend to work in a particular industry (e.g., banking, healthcare, education) it is useful for software developers to gather experience in that particular industry so that they can understand the computing needs of the company. On top of all this, employers are actually starting to prefer candidates with a masters degree.

Example Job Titles for Software Developer

Below is a list of common job titles in the Software Developer field. Click the links below for more information about these job titles, or view the next section for actual real-life job profiles.

Benefits & Conditions

Income and benefits

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a software developer in the United States was $110,140 in May 2020. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $65,210 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $170,100 per year.

The top paying industry was the software publishing industry, where the median annual wage was $124,050. This was followed by manufacturing ($199,280), management of companies and enterprises ($109,840), computer systems design and related services ($106,160) and insurance carriers and related activities ($102,380).

Autonomy and Flexibility

To begin with, a software developer may not feel like that have a huge amount of flexibility or autonomy as it is typical to report to those in more senior roles. Similarly, entry-level software developers may find themselves working very long hours.

However, as they progress into more senior positions, they quickly receive more autonomy, responsibility and flexibility. With more experience, nearly all web developers will work independently, and it is not uncommon for software developers to be self-employed. This gives them the ultimate flexibility and control over their hours, and their decisions.

Locations and commute

According to Zippia, the best state to be a software developer, based on average annual salary and number of jobs available, are:

Washington, where the average annual salary is $101,422
California, where the average annual salary is $100,014
District of Columbia, where the average annual salary is $91,682
Virginia, where the average annual salary is $84,174
Massachusetts, where the average annual salary is $85,303

The worst states to be a web developer, according to Zippia, are South Dakota, Louisiana, Mississippi, West Virginia and Hawaii.

Work environment

The Bureau of Labour Statistics concludes that 33% of software developers in the United States were employed by the computer systems design and related services industry. A further 11% were employed by the manufacturing industry, 9% by software publishers, 5% by management of companies and enterprises and a final 4% by insurance carriers and related activities.

Software development tends to be a collaborative process and, as a result, software developers tend to work in teams with others who also contribute to the design and development of the software. They may work in these teams at home (and communicate online) or in an office.

Career Satisfaction

Common Matching Personality Types

Which personalities tend to succeed and thrive in Software Developer careers? Based on our research, there is a relatively strong positive correlation between the following personality types and Software Developer career satisfaction. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t many exceptions, of course, but if you fit into one of the following personality types then we suggest you give strong consideration to a career in Software Developer.

16 Types (Myers-Briggs)

ISTP
INTP

Big Five (OCEAN)

None

DISC

Enneagram

Type 5

Holland Codes (RIASEC)

Personality types

Due to the software constantly changing and innovating, very little is known about what personality traits software development professionals are likely to have. However, it is likely that a successful software developer will be the INTP personality type. The INTP, or “The Thinker” are logical and rational. They like to work independently to solve problems, but they also enjoy confiding in people they trust. They like to come up with out of the box solutions for many problems and spend time looking at things from different angles. They are always looking to seek understanding, which is a great quality for a software developer to have.

Accomplishment and mastery

Every time a software developer produces a great piece of functioning software for a computer, tablet or phone, they will feel a huge sense of accomplishment and mastery. Similarly, as the software industry is constantly changing and computer software is developing at a rapid speed, software developers must keep learning and training. The constant development of new skills will further increase a software developers sense of accomplishment and mastery.

Meaning and contribution

Software developers offer a huge amount of value to the growing population. They produce the software we need to live high quality lives with transportation, social media, medical care and much more. As a result, the work of a software developer has a huge amount of meaning and contribution to modern day society.

Life fit

Most software developers tend to work full time, although part time work is also available. Software developers are likely to find themselves working additional hours to meet deadlines.

Who will thrive in this career?

People who are enthusiastic about solving technical problems
Those who are looking for a career where they can constantly learn
Those with excellent writing and grammatical skills
Those who work well under pressure
People who can handle when things go wrong and come up with solutions quickly
Those who show adaptability and flexibility
Those who can work as part of a team, and can work independently

Who will struggle in this career?

People who don’t like change
People who aren’t willing to continuously learn
People who don’t work well under pressure
People who can’t adapt to both team work and independent work
Those who don’t have the patience to focus on the small details
Those who are looking for a more active and physically demanding job

Requirements

Quick Glance

Skills

Degrees

Skills and talents

The typical skills and talents required for a software developer include:

Problem-solving, as a software developers are in charge of a software from beginning to the end and must be able to solve all the problems that arise
Analytical skills, as software developers need to analyze users needs and design a software to meet those
Communication skills, as software developers need to be able to communicate effectively with coworkers and clients
Creativity, as software developers are the creative minds behind new computer software
Detail orientation, as building a software is a careful and accurate process and therefore, software developers must be able to concentrate on small details

Education

To become a software developer you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or a related field. Computer science degree programs are the most common because they cover a broad range of topics that allow students to prepare themselves for the occupation. Whilst completing a degree, it is common for students to complete an internship at a software development company. On top of this, employers are actually starting to prefer to hire candidates with a masters degree.

Certifications

There are no specific certifications or licenses that software developers in the United States need to work.

How to Become

Summary

A software developer is responsible for creating the programs that we use every single day on our computers, cellphones, and tablets. To be a software developer, you will need an in-depth knowledge of computer coding and you must be incredibly detail-oriented, as a single mistake in a line of code can cause programs to function incorrectly.

Immediate action

To kick start a career in software development, there are plenty of online courses that you can complete to enhance your resume and show employers your passion and determination to work in the industry.

Education and learning

To become a software developer you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or a related field. Whilst completing a degree, it is common for students to complete an internship at a software development company. On top of this, employers are actually starting to prefer to hire candidates with a masters degree

Skill development

Whilst working as a software developer, there is a lot of opportunity for skill development and career progression. Many professionals continue to take courses, such as ones in HTML, to advance their skills and knowledge and keep up to date with the ever growing and changing industry.

FAQs

Ask a Question

Have a question about Software Developer careers? If so, our mentors would love to help! Just click on a mentor’s profile below and then fill out the “Ask a Question” form on that page. Your question will then be emailed to the mentor, who can then email you a reply.

ID	Job Title	Gender	Age	Earnings	City & State	Date
33991	Third-Party Software Engineer	Male	25	$55,000	Fort Washington, PA	01/01/2010
33896	Software Design Engineer	Male	50	$120,000	Lynnwood, WA	01/01/2010
33821	Software Engineer	Female	30	$75,000	Marlborough, MA	01/01/2010
33716	Software Engineering Manager	Male	40	$102,000	San Diego, CA	01/01/2010
33717	Software Engineer 4	Female	53	$119,000	Reston, NY	01/01/2010

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