What is a freelance software developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Experts
Frank McCown Ph.D.,
Kevin Treu Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a freelance software developer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $54.16 an hour? That's $112,663 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 21% and produce 284,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Freelance Software Developer?

F

Frank McCown Ph.D.Frank McCown Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Associate Professor, Harding University

The market is stable for software developers, despite the economic challenges created by the pandemic. Before accepting a job offer, talk to the company's employees through online meetings or email, and see what they think of the company. Do they enjoy their work? Are there opportunities to learn new technologies? How does the company treat their employees? There's a good chance you will be working remotely in your first job, so you will need to exercise a lot of self-discipline, be punctual for online meetings, do the work you've been assigned, and know when to ask questions when you get stuck. Expect a steeper-than-normal learning curve if you are working remotely instead of in an office.
ScoreFreelance Software DeveloperUS Average
Salary
7.9

Avg. Salary $112,663

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.0

Growth Rate 21%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 30.02%

Black or African American 4.34%

Hispanic or Latino 8.07%

Unknown 4.77%

White 52.64%

Gender

female 12.34%

male 87.66%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress Level
4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.9

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

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Freelance Software Developer career paths

Key steps to become a freelance software developer

  1. Explore freelance software developer education requirements

    Most common freelance software developer degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.2 %

    Master's

    20.4 %

    Associate

    6.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific freelance software developer skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Microsoft SQL Server9.24%
    Java5.33%
    Object Oriented Programming5.00%
    JavaScript4.95%
    PHP4.92%
  3. Complete relevant freelance software developer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New freelance software developers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a freelance software developer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real freelance software developer resumes.
  4. Research freelance software developer duties and responsibilities

    • Implement a centralize configuration system for managing application settings, consisting of a desktop application with a WCF backend.
    • Web applications development using PHP, JQuery, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, XML and MySQL.
    • Create single-page Javascript application with AngularJS MVC framework for the CMS interface and write all HTML.
    • Develop desktop applications base on Java.
  5. Prepare your freelance software developer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your freelance software developer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a freelance software developer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Freelance Software Developer Resume templates

    Build a professional Freelance Software Developer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Freelance Software Developer resume.
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    Freelance Software Developer Resume
    Freelance Software Developer Resume
  6. Apply for freelance software developer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a freelance software developer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Freelance Software Developer Job

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Average freelance software developer salary

The average Freelance Software Developer salary in the United States is $112,663 per year or $54 per hour. Freelance software developer salaries range between $82,000 and $153,000 per year.

Average Freelance Software Developer Salary
$112,663 Yearly
$54.16 hourly

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How do freelance software developers rate their job?

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Freelance Software Developer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Pros

Problem solving and cutting edge technology - always learning and evolving my skill set

Cons

Still have to deal with people :)


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

I enjoyed working on creative problems that dealt with the user interface

Cons

I didn't like how technical it could become


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Designing a new system or making changes to an old one.

Cons

Compensation. Pay and Benefits do not match the time spent on a project. Alabama is the Worst state to live in for SOFTWARE ENGINEER Salaries. 40 to 50 percent less than our peer States.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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