You must have read that the average Python programmer in the US makes an average of $115,066 per annum. Perhaps, you are already picturing someone working in FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google) or some other tech companies in Silicon Valley. Well, that’s not true. Most times, we do not earn as much because we have not discovered how, where to make money and the resources we need to get started.
While you can earn a lot working for a big tech company, that is only one of the many ways to make money as a Python programmer. There are many other ways you can deploy your programming skills and will fetch you money. We will discuss the 5 key methods in this article.
Before we get into it, it’s important to point out that as a beginner, it may not be so easy to make a lot of money. You will have to make a concerted effort to continue learning and upskilling. You could enroll for online Python training and practice with a lot of real-life projects. That said, the assumption is that you have gone past the beginner’s stage and are quite comfortable with writing Python codes. Now, let’s jump into it.
1. Get a Python Developer job
This is perhaps the most obvious way of making money. They are a lot of companies looking to employ Python developers. The companies could be big tech companies or startups. While a couple of them would require a computer science degree, many are really concerned about the skills you possess. In other words, having a computer science degree is not a necessity to secure a job as a developer. You could take online Python courses, get certifications and play around with as many projects as possible. You should always upload your projects to a GitHub repository and make improvements at intervals. This would make your portfolio really credible and would play a huge role when applying for a Python developer job without a CS degree.
I should emphasise that you must go beyond the basics of learning concepts to applying concepts to real life situations if you must get a Python developer job. With a solid GitHub profile, you can apply for jobs online from platforms such as
- Stackoverflow
- Angel list
- Dice.
2. Freelancing
Freelancing is a great way to make money from the comfort of your home. You get to be your own boss, choose the client you work with, set your work hours and a lot more. The COVID-19 pandemic especially has opened the eyes of many employers about how great freelancing can be. Right now, there are more jobs on freelancing platforms like never before.
Some of the most in-demand programming skills include front-end developer, back-end developer, mobile app developer, web app development, unit testers, etc. To thrive as a freelancer, it is advisable to select a niche you are really good at. Although you may not earn as much when you get started, you can confidently increase your rate as your profile reputation increases with the number of completed jobs and 5 star ratings. Freelancers typically earn between $1000 and $10000 depending on the work they put in. All by sitting in the comfort of your home and coding. Here are some freelancing platforms you can get started with.
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Freelancer
- People Per Hour
- Toptal
3. Creating a Startup
If you’ve got an idea that solves a problem, creating a product out of it and marketing that product is a fantastic way to make money. It is compulsory that the idea is something big like Facebook or Snapchat. The little ideas you have may be the next big thing. What’s most important is that it solves a generic problem. For instance, you could build an app that uses machine learning to cancel background noise in an audio file. Or it could be a platform that predicts whether a person has a disease by an image of their skin.
Note that building a startup may involve a team of developers with a sheer resolve to succeed. It takes beyond having that idea but also the required skill and teamwork to make it see the light of day. Bottomline is don’t be too quick to dismiss those little ideas that pop when you’re lying down for a nap or taking a shower. Do some research about what it takes to begin a startup and get to work. You just may be the next Google.
4. Creating a blog
If you have a knack for writing, you can create a blog. As things stand, you do not need coding experience to create a blog. There are easy to use tools such as WordPress, Wix, Squarespace etc that would get you started right away. They also come with free themes and plugins that you can make use of. Nevertheless, the outlook of the website does not matter as much as the content itself. You will need to create helpful content to build your audience. Also, it is advisable to apply SEO techniques to ensure you drive organic traffic to your website.
Once you build your audience to some level, you can monetize your blog with Google AdSense or do some affiliate marketing. You may also decide to sell digital products such as ebooks, or a course on your platform.
5. Creating a YouTube channel
According to Grand View Research, online streaming platforms are said to grow at an annual rate of 21% and by 2028, will be valued at $223.98 billion. YouTube is the second most visited website in the world after Google. This indicates that there is a lot of attention to video contents and there is no better place to create content than in YouTube. Interestingly, YouTube allows creators to monetize their vidoes once the channelsurpases a specific threshold.
As a Python programmer, you can create YouTube videos that teach beginners how to code. If you are not so confident with your coding skills, you could share your thoughts about the happenings in the tech space without necessarily coding. Also, you can discuss from a high-level, tools and strategies for performing certain Python tasks. To leaverage more on this, do some research about what people are searching for and create content around it.
To wrap up, you have seen that having a 9 to 5 is not the only way to make money as a Python programmer. There are other lucrative channels to explore, some of which were not mentioned in this article. If you want to improve your programming skill, you can sign up for a project-based Python course online that will beef up your resume. Get started already.
