Software Developer - Salary, Skills and Future Career

9 trillion devices are in use in today’s digital world and software developers are the mastermind minds behind the software programs you’re currently using in your day-to-day life. They’re the bridge to the digital world as their technical skills allow them to develop programs or oversee the development of software you’re using to operate like counting your steps to ticking off your to-do lists.

Their programming skills leverage them to solve difficult problems with the help of a small code which makes this career a very profitable and gratifying career for those who are creative thinkers and have a knack for solving problems. Every industry is relying heavily on software, so software developers are heavy in demand and they are getting higher salary packages in the market, and career growth opportunities like never before. So, what exactly do Software Developers do to have such a lucrative career?

Software Developers Salary

The COVID-19 and Great Resignation have affected businesses all over the world, causing people to evaluate their careers with a new perspective. Many people resolved never to work from an office ever again, while others sought out more benefits and balance in their work and personal lives. As a result, high employee turnover has occurred and top tech talent is in high demand.

The software development industry has been in high demand and growing in terms of salary and job opportunities. Over the year, software developers’ average annual salary has increased from $153,000 in 2021 to around $160,000 in 2024 In India, the median salary is INR 600,000 per year. However, this amount varies based on the companies and on the level you have acquired. 

Salary also varies based on the geographical location 

An average salary of a software developer in Mumbai is somewhere around INR 7 lakhs, in Delhi, it’s around INR 7.5 Lakhs whereas, in Pune, it’s somewhere around INR 9 lakhs. The highest average salary a software developer can earn is around INR 8 Lakhs in Bangalore. 

Prerequisite Skills

Software Developers require extensive knowledge of programming languages and for that, they must earn a Bachelor’s degree in the relevant field of their choice. Most students go for Computer Science and Programming. However, it’s not necessary to have a degree given the current professional scenario. As long as you’ve got the requisite skills and are prepared to put hard work and dedication into the job search, you can land an SDE job role in your dream company. 

According to a survey conducted by a developer community, only 9.7% of developers think obtaining an education from a formal university is essential for their success. Nowadays, major companies are seeking candidates with experience through coding boot camps and industry-related vocational courses.

• Technical Skills
• Requisite Skills
• SDE SHEET – A Complete Guide for SDE Preparation 

If you're the one who's not from a CS background or don't have a CS degree, read How to Become a Software Engineer Without a CS Degree?

Read More: How to Get a Software Developer Job Without Any Experience?

What do Software Developers do?

Software developers create programs that help people to operate in day-to-day life as software has become a crucial part of mundane life. Be it creating a grocery to-do list or playing a video game, software developers are those tech professionals who whisk their magic commands through programming language to operate those software and command them to do what they’re supposed to do. 

It is their role to design and write code that is used to build everything from operating systems to apps to video games. Software developers are involved in every phase of the software development process - from determining what users require and how they will use the software to releasing a ready app.  Their role is a bit less formal than Software engineers as they’re closely involved in specific project areas and they usually do the coding themselves. 

Be it conducting software testing and maintenance or managing development, they supervise every aspect of the software. As a software developers, they even have to check the bugs which are hampering the smooth running of the apps you’re using. This is why they’re also hailed as natural problem solvers who possess great analytical skills and have the knack to think outside the box. 

A wide range of industries employs software developers, including computer systems design, manufacturing, and finance. Between 2024 and 2034, the demand for developers is projected to increase by 25%, adding over 450,000 new jobs worldwide.

Are Software Developers and Software Engineers The Same?

This is one of the questions people wonder about when they try to decide which field to work for. Now let’s understand in laymen's terms how software developers are different from software engineers.

There’s not much difference between these two roles. Software engineers and software developers are two terms that are used interchangeably. The latter works on a smaller scale than software engineers as they tend to focus on a niche like mobile applications or the internet of things (IoT). Meanwhile, software engineers focus on a bigger picture and work on programming, data analytics, testing, and scaling. 

If software engineers are architects, software developers are masons. One focuses on the whole software development lifecycle while the other focuses on building one particular software or maintaining the software.

If you want to understand the difference in detail, read our article Is There Any Difference Between Software Developer And Software Engineer?

Future Career

There are different roles offered when you enter into software development. Taking Software Development as your long-term goal is quite challenging since you have a long way to go and is also interesting at the same time. When you get proficient at one level, you get promoted to another level, this is how the hierarchy flows. The hierarchy followed here is: 

Explore, Learn & Practice

You must definitely go through these courses 

• Development Courses
• Data Structures, and Algorithms - Self Paced
• DSA to Development - Coding Guide
• Complete Interview Preparation Course
• Interview Preparation for Software Developer will help you in preparing well for the interview.
• Go through the Must-Do Coding Questions - Self-Paced to get the company ready.

Once you learn the basics and foundational skills, you can apply for SDE jobs through GFG Job Portal. Product-based companies like Amazon and Microsoft hired people through our job portal. With the help of the mentioned courses, you’ll be eligible to sit in the interview and get hired by top-notch companies of your choice. 

Final Thoughts

The tech industry is booming like never before and it’s the place to be right now. As the desire for skilled programmers increases, opportunities are abundant, and entry barriers are now lower than ever. Anyone in the world can become a software developer now with the help of online boot camps, courses, and lots of practice. 

If you’re one of them who wishes to change the direction of your career and aboard the tech industry to become a software developer, check out GeeksforGeeks for unlimited free resources.