How much money do you actually make from coding? It’s not just about learning Python or JavaScript - it’s about what happens after you type that last semicolon. Some people walk away from a six-week bootcamp and land $80,000 jobs. Others spend years building apps and still struggle to hit five figures. The truth? Coding pays well - but not for everyone. And it doesn’t pay the same everywhere.
Entry-Level Coding Jobs: What You Can Expect
If you’re just starting out, your first coding job will likely pay between £25,000 and £38,000 in the UK. That’s the range most graduate hires and junior developers see in cities like Manchester, Birmingham, or Leeds. In London, you might push toward £40,000, but rent and transport eat up half of that. Outside the capital, £30,000 goes much further.
Companies like BT, Capgemini, and local fintech startups hire juniors with basic HTML, CSS, and one backend language - usually JavaScript or Python. You don’t need a degree. Many hire from bootcamps like Code First Girls or Le Wagon. What matters is your GitHub portfolio and whether you can fix a broken API endpoint without panicking.
One developer I know, Sarah from Salford, finished a 12-week online course in 2024. She built a small inventory tracker for a local bakery. Within three months, she got hired as a junior frontend dev at a health tech startup. Her starting salary: £32,000. No degree. Just code.
Mid-Level Developers: The Real Pay Jump
After two to four years, your pay jumps. Mid-level developers in the UK average £45,000 to £65,000. This is where specialization kicks in. If you know React and Node.js, you’re in demand. If you’ve worked with cloud platforms like AWS or Azure, you’re even more valuable.
Companies pay more for specific skills. A developer who can set up CI/CD pipelines earns more than one who just writes UI components. Someone who understands Docker and Kubernetes can command £60,000+ even outside London. In Manchester, firms like Just Eat Takeaway and Co-op Digital are hiring mid-level devs at these rates.
One key factor? Team size. Smaller companies often pay less but offer more responsibility. Bigger firms pay more but lock you into narrow tasks. A mid-level dev at a startup might build the whole backend. At a bank, you might only update one module in a 10-year-old system. The money isn’t always higher - but the growth is.
Senior Developers and Tech Leads: The Big Leagues
Once you’ve been coding for five to eight years, you’re looking at £70,000 to £100,000. Senior roles aren’t just about writing better code - they’re about leading teams, making architecture decisions, and mentoring juniors.
At companies like Amazon, Google, or Microsoft in London, senior engineers can hit £110,000 with bonuses and stock. But outside the big tech hubs, £85,000 is the ceiling for most. In Manchester, a senior full-stack developer at a fintech firm might earn £82,000 - plus a £5,000 annual bonus.
What separates the £70k devs from the £100k ones? It’s not just experience. It’s impact. Did you reduce server costs by 40%? Did you cut deployment time from hours to minutes? Did you lead a team that shipped a product used by 500,000 people? Those are the things that get you paid more.
Freelance Coding: More Control, Less Stability
Not everyone wants a 9-to-5. Freelancing is a real path - and it can pay better. But it’s not easy.
In the UK, freelance developers charge between £35 and £120 per hour. Rates depend on skill, niche, and client type. A local bakery needing a simple website? £45/hour. A startup in London needing a scalable SaaS app? £90/hour. A US-based investor hiring you for a fintech MVP? £110/hour.
One freelance dev I spoke to, Mark from Oldham, works 20 hours a week for three clients. He charges £75/hour. That’s £78,000 a year - before taxes. He doesn’t get sick pay or holiday. He pays for his own insurance. But he works from his kitchen. He picks his projects. He took three weeks off last year to hike in the Lake District.
Freelancers who thrive usually specialize. Think: Shopify stores for fashion brands, WordPress plugins for real estate agents, or mobile apps for local gyms. Generalists struggle. Clients don’t hire “a coder.” They hire “the person who fixes my e-commerce checkout.”
How Location and Industry Affect Pay
Where you live matters. A senior dev in London makes nearly twice what one in Plymouth makes. But cost of living is also higher. In Manchester, you can live well on £70,000. In London, you’d need £90,000 just to break even.
Industry matters too. Finance and healthcare pay the most. A developer working on trading algorithms or hospital record systems can earn £85,000+ with just five years’ experience. Retail and education pay less - but offer better work-life balance.
Startups pay lower salaries but offer equity. That’s a gamble. Some equity packages are worth nothing. Others turn into £200,000 windfalls if the company gets bought. If you’re young and willing to take risk, startups can be a fast track. If you need stability, stick with established firms.
What You Need to Earn More
Here’s the hard truth: learning to code isn’t enough. You need to learn how to code for value.
- Build projects that solve real problems - not just tutorials.
- Learn one cloud platform deeply - AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
- Get comfortable with Git and deployment tools - no one hires someone who can’t push code live.
- Speak clearly. If you can explain your code to a non-technical person, you’ll get promoted faster.
- Specialize. Don’t be “a full-stack dev.” Be “the React + Node.js dev who builds scalable SaaS apps.”
Many people quit coding because they think they’re not good enough. The truth? Most devs aren’t geniuses. They just kept building, kept learning, and kept showing up. One line of code at a time.
Is Coding Worth It?
Yes - if you’re willing to treat it like a craft, not a shortcut. The average coding bootcamp graduate earns £38,000 in their first year. That’s more than many university grads. After five years, most are earning over £60,000. That’s higher than teachers, nurses, and many engineers.
But it’s not magic. You’ll work late nights. You’ll debug for hours. You’ll feel stuck. You’ll compare yourself to others. That’s normal.
The people who make real money from coding aren’t the ones who learned the fastest. They’re the ones who kept going when it got hard.
Can you make six figures coding in the UK?
Yes, but it usually takes 5-8 years of experience and the right specialization. Senior developers in London, especially those working in finance, AI, or cloud infrastructure, regularly earn £100,000+. Outside London, £80,000-£90,000 is realistic for top-tier roles. Freelancers with strong client networks can hit six figures too - but they work harder and manage their own taxes and benefits.
Do you need a degree to make good money coding?
No. Most hiring managers now care more about your portfolio, GitHub activity, and ability to solve real problems than your degree. Bootcamps, online courses, and self-taught devs are hired at all levels. Companies like Google, IBM, and even the NHS have removed degree requirements for many tech roles. What matters is what you can build - not what diploma you hold.
Is freelance coding better than a full-time job?
It depends. Freelancing can pay more - £70-120/hour adds up fast. But you’re responsible for taxes, insurance, holidays, and finding clients. Full-time jobs offer stability, sick pay, pensions, and career progression. Many devs start full-time to build experience, then go freelance later. There’s no single right path - just the one that fits your life.
Which programming languages pay the most in 2025?
Top earners in the UK typically use TypeScript, Python, and Go for backend and infrastructure roles. Rust and Kotlin are rising fast in fintech and mobile. JavaScript (especially React and Node.js) is still the most common - but it’s also the most saturated. Specializing in high-demand areas like AI tooling, cloud security, or embedded systems gives you a pay boost. Language matters less than how you use it.
How long does it take to start earning money from coding?
You can land your first paid gig in as little as 3-6 months if you focus on practical skills. Build three real projects, put them on GitHub, and start applying to junior roles or small freelance gigs. Most people land their first job within a year of starting. The key isn’t how long you study - it’s how much you build. One working app beats ten tutorials.
Are coding bootcamps worth it for earning potential?
Yes - if you pick the right one. Bootcamps like Le Wagon, Code Institute, and General Assembly have job placement rates above 70% in the UK. Graduates typically earn £30,000-£38,000 in their first role. That’s faster and cheaper than a four-year degree. But bootcamps aren’t magic. You still need to practice after graduation. The bootcamp gives you the foundation - you build the career.
Next Steps: Where to Go From Here
If you’re serious about making money from coding:
- Choose one language and stick with it for six months - JavaScript or Python are best for beginners.
- Build something useful - not a to-do list app. Build something a small business would pay for.
- Get your code on GitHub. Clean commits, real READMEs, no copied tutorials.
- Apply to at least five junior roles or freelance gigs every week.
- Track your progress. How many hours did you code this week? What did you ship?
Money follows skill. Skill follows action. Start today - not when you feel ready. Nobody ever feels ready.
