How to Make 6 Figures As A Back End Developer? (11 Best Ways in 2024)
So you want to make six figures as a back-end developer? Good for you! Being a back-end developer is a highly respectable and well-paid profession, and there's no reason why you can't earn a high income if you put your mind to it.
In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best ways to make more money as a back-end developer - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)
Starting an eCommerce store could be a lucrative way to supplement your income and even set you on the path to making six figures as a back-end developer. Leveraging your technical skills, you could efficiently set up and manage an eCommerce website, ensuring that customer transactions are smooth, secure, and user-friendly. The booming eCommerce industry offers you the ability to reach a global audience from the comfort of your home, drastically reducing overhead costs compared to traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
With consumers increasingly favoring the convenience of online shopping, your store could quickly gain traction, offering products or services to a broad customer base. Utilizing your expertise, you could implement advanced features such as personalized recommendations, efficient inventory tracking, and robust payment processing, making your store stand out in a crowded marketplace. This side business could grow to provide substantial additional income, and potentially even become a primary revenue stream, propelling you towards the six-figure mark.
How much you can make: $350 — $13,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Southern Elegance Candle Company, founded by D'Shawn Russell, started as a side hustle making around $200 per weekend at a local Farmers Market, but now averages approximately $20,000 per month in sales across their retail site, wholesale site, and Faire.
2. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)
As a back-end developer, you could supplement your income and work towards making six figures by engaging in affiliate marketing. This venture involves promoting other companies' products or services and earning a commission on each sale made through your unique referral links. With your technical skills, you could optimize websites, analyze traffic data, and employ advanced SEO strategies to drive significant traffic to these affiliate links.
The beauty of affiliate marketing is that it requires minimal upfront investment, making it a low-cost option for starting a side business. By leveraging your analytical and technical capabilities, you could maximize the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, potentially increasing your commission earnings. This venture provides a flexible and scalable way to create an additional revenue stream while continuing your primary career as a back-end developer.
How much you can make: $18,000 — $83,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)
How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
3. Start a social media marketing agency ($386K/month)
Starting a social media marketing agency could help you make six figures as a back-end developer by providing a lucrative side business or even a full-time venture. Utilizing your technical skills, you could efficiently automate social media marketing tasks and develop effective strategies for clients. This allows you to handle multiple accounts simultaneously, thereby increasing your earning potential without compromising your main job.
Moreover, creating a strong agency portfolio will help you attract and retain clients, enabling you to establish a steady income stream. Whether you aim to clear utility bills, finance your education, or save for a vacation, the flexibility and scalability of running a social media marketing agency make it an excellent avenue for supplementing your income.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $4,166,667/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
4. Start a freelance writing business ($62.6K/month)
Starting a freelance writing business could be a lucrative way to supplement your income as a back-end developer, helping you reach the six-figure mark. With your technical expertise, you could specialize in writing about technology, software development, or other niches where your knowledge is highly valued. This targeted approach allows you to command higher rates and build a strong portfolio quickly.
Freelance writing offers flexibility, enabling you to work from home and define your own schedule, making it a perfect side gig alongside your primary developer role. By honing essential skills like strong writing, meeting deadlines, and effectively communicating with clients, you could create a steady stream of supplemental income. Being a self-starter in this field and staying up-to-date with current writing tools and trends will further enhance your ability to secure high-paying projects.
How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
5. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be a lucrative way to supplement your income and even to eventually hit six figures as a back-end developer. By creating valuable audio content centered around your expertise in software development, you could attract an audience interested in learning from your experiences and insights. This growing audience can unlock opportunities for sponsorships, advertisements, and even selling premium content or services.
With basic recording equipment like a microphone and headphones, and a free or affordable hosting platform, starting a podcast is both accessible and low-cost. Targeting a niche that you're passionate about and that appeals to a specific audience can set your podcast apart. Social media promotion, participation in online communities, and leveraging word of mouth could boost your listenership, leading to greater monetization opportunities.
How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.
6. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)
Becoming a social media influencer could significantly supplement your income as a back-end developer. By leveraging platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, you could build a personal brand and establish credibility in the tech industry. Creating and sharing valuable content related to your field could attract a large audience, which in turn might lead to monetization opportunities such as sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and even selling your own products or services.
With brands actively seeking influencers to connect with their target audiences, your expertise and unique perspective as a back-end developer could make you a valuable asset. By producing relevant and engaging content, such as tutorials, project walkthroughs, and tech reviews, you could appeal to both novice and experienced developers. This increased visibility and trust could lead to lucrative partnerships and collaborations with tech companies.
By combining your technical skills with strategic content creation, you could transform your online presence into a profitable side business or even a full-time endeavor. The key is to consistently provide high-quality content and engage with your audience to build a loyal following. This approach not only supplements your income but also opens up new career opportunities and avenues for professional growth.
How much you can make: $2,500 — $166,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)
How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)
How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.
7. Digital products ($242K/month)
Supplementing your income as a back-end developer by creating and selling digital products could significantly enhance your earnings and help you reach six figures. Digital products are easy to create and share, allowing you to leverage your expertise and skills seamlessly. Whether it’s developing a useful app, a time-saving plugin, or an informative course, the possibilities are vast and limitless.
Another significant advantage of digital products is that you don’t need to deal with physical inventory, reducing overhead costs and simplifying distribution. You could sell these products directly from your website, turning your creative ideas into a profitable side income or even a full-fledged business. For entrepreneurial-minded developers, diving into digital products is an excellent way to diversify revenue streams and maximize earning potential.
How much you can make: $10,417 — $1,766,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.
8. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)
Starting a blog as a back-end developer could significantly supplement your income or even become a thriving side business. Blogging allows you to share your expertise with a broader audience and establish yourself as an authority in your field. Given that blogs are rated as the 5th most trustworthy source of online information and that 77% of internet users read blogs, you could capitalize on this vast audience to generate revenue through ad placements, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing.
Moreover, with approximately 409 million people viewing over 20 billion pages each month, the potential to reach a substantial readership is immense. By offering valuable insights, tutorials, and industry updates related to back-end development, you could attract a loyal following. This, in turn, could open doors to additional income streams like consulting, speaking engagements, or even sales of your own digital products and courses, thus paving your way to making six figures.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
9. Create an online course ($82.8K/month)
Starting an online course could provide a lucrative opportunity to supplement your income as a back-end developer. By leveraging your expertise to create and sell digital classes, you could fill educational gaps around specialized topics and share your knowledge with a wide audience. This entrepreneurial venture could be especially appealing if you enjoy information sharing, as it allows you to develop engaging video lessons and supplementary materials.
With flexible structures like self-paced or cohort-based learning, an online course platform could offer you passive income potential while serving eager lifelong learners. The initial startup costs are relatively small, making it a practical way to monetize your instructional talents. By building a student base, you could establish a steady revenue stream that eventually helps you reach six figures in your career.
How much you can make: $275 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
10. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could be an excellent way to supplement your income as a back-end developer. You could create content that demystifies complex coding concepts, shares industry insights, or offers tutorials on popular back-end frameworks like Node.js, Django, or Ruby on Rails. By leveraging the popularity of YouTube and its established monetization system, you could earn ad revenue, sponsorships, and even sell your own digital products or courses.
As your channel grows and you hit milestones like 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months, you could join the YouTube Partner Program to further monetize your content. Additionally, your credibility as a knowledgeable developer could open doors for paid consulting gigs, freelance projects, or even full-fledged side businesses.
Ultimately, if you're entrepreneurial-minded and passionate about content creation, YouTube could offer a scalable way to boost your earnings and potentially help you reach that six-figure goal.
How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.
11. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)
Starting a career coaching business could be a lucrative side venture to help you reach six figures as a back-end developer. By providing personalized guidance and strategies to clients, you could monetize your expertise in navigating professional transitions and growth opportunities. Tailoring sessions for resume building, interview prep, and workplace advancement, you could create a steady stream of additional income.
With options for virtual or in-person meetings, you could attract a diverse client base, empowering them with specialized advice and accountability. Using your speaking talents and any human resources experience you might have, a coaching practice could perfectly align with your aspiration to monetize your natural motivational abilities while enjoying the flexibility of setting your own schedule.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
