How to Make 6 Figures As A Web Developer? (11 Best Ways in 2024)
So you want to make six figures as a web developer? Good for you! Being a web 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 web developer - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Digital products ($242K/month)
One way you could significantly boost your income as a web developer is by creating and selling digital products. These products, which can range from software applications, games, and plugins to information-based resources like eBooks, courses, or even membership sites, are highly sought after and relatively easy to produce.
As someone with technical skills, you could leverage your expertise to develop these digital products independently, mitigating the need to hire additional help. Digital products don’t require inventory, allowing you to sell them directly from your website without any hassle. This can turn into a lucrative revenue stream and potentially help you make six figures by diversifying your income sources.
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.
2. Start a social media marketing agency ($386K/month)
Starting a social media marketing agency could significantly boost your income as a web developer, potentially helping you reach six figures. Whether you want to clear your utility bills, finance your college education, or save for a vacation, this side business offers a lucrative opportunity to earn extra income. The advantage is that it doesn't require a substantial time commitment, as you could automate many tasks using social media marketing tools.
You could leverage your web development skills to create an effective social media marketing strategy and serve clients efficiently. Building an agency portfolio could further market your services to potential customers, showcasing your expertise and drawing in more business. By efficiently managing this side venture alongside your main job, it's possible to create a steady stream of additional income without overwhelming your schedule.
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.
3. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be an effective way to supplement your income as a web developer and even help you reach six figures. By creating and producing audio content on topics related to web development or tech, you could position yourself as an expert in your field and attract a dedicated audience. This audience could lead to multiple income streams, including sponsorship deals, advertising, or even monetizing through exclusive content for subscribers.
First, choose a niche that merges your passion with an area that has an audience, such as web development trends, coding tips, or tech news. Get some basic recording equipment like a microphone and headphones, and find a free or affordable hosting platform to publish your episodes. As your podcast grows in popularity, you could leverage your audience to generate additional consulting opportunities, online courses, or even speaking engagements, all of which could significantly boost your earnings.
Building a podcast requires consistent promotion through social media, online communities, and word of mouth to attract and retain listeners. By focusing on creating valuable and engaging content, you could not only supplement your income but also establish a thriving side business that has the potential to contribute significantly to your overall earnings.
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.
4. Start a freelance writing business ($62.6K/month)
Starting a freelance writing business could be an excellent way to supplement your income as a web developer. Leveraging your industry knowledge and strong technical background, you could write high-quality content for tech blogs, create tutorials, or produce technical documentation. The flexibility of freelance writing allows you to work from home and set your own schedule, making it an ideal side gig or even a full-time pursuit.
To succeed, you’ll need strong writing skills, the ability to meet deadlines, and to stay on top of current writing tools and trends. If you are a self-starter and possess good communication skills, freelance writing could not only diversify your income streams but also potentially help you achieve a six-figure annual earnings.
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 career coaching business ($48.5K/month)
Starting a career coaching business could be a strategic way for you, as a web developer, to make six figures while leveraging your industry expertise. By offering personalized guidance in areas like resume building, interview preparation, and workplace advancement, you can help other professionals navigate their career transitions and growth opportunities.
You could conduct coaching sessions virtually or in-person, giving you flexibility to manage your time effectively alongside your primary job. Not only would you be monetizing your motivational and HR skills, but you would also be building a scalable business that capitalizes on your deep understanding of the tech industry. By empowering others to achieve their professional aspirations, you create a dual-income stream that could significantly boost your financial standing.
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.
6. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)
Starting an ecommerce store could significantly supplement your income as a web developer and potentially help you reach six figures. With your existing expertise in web development, you have a distinct advantage in creating a seamless and user-friendly online shopping experience. By leveraging your skills to build and optimize an ecommerce platform, you could attract a wider audience, thanks to the increased flexibility and lower overhead costs associated with online businesses.
Moreover, the booming ecommerce market offers enormous potential due to its convenience and efficiency, allowing consumers to shop from the comfort of their homes. Setting up an ecommerce store involves creating a website, integrating payment processing software, choosing suitable shopping cart software, and managing inventory tracking—all areas that align with your technical skills. Transitioning into ecommerce not only opens additional revenue streams but also gives you the entrepreneurial freedom to scale your business according to market demands.
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.
7. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)
Starting an affiliate marketing venture could be a lucrative way for a web developer to supplement their income and potentially scale to six figures. By promoting other companies' products or services, you could earn commissions on sales without the need to create or own the products yourself.
Given your technical skills, you could optimize your website or blog to effectively drive traffic and conversions, thus maximizing your affiliate commissions. With minimal upfront investment and the ability to sign up for multiple affiliate programs, it presents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for entrepreneurial-minded developers.
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.
8. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)
Starting a social media influencer journey could significantly boost your income as a web developer by leveraging your tech expertise to attract brands and clients. Using platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, you could create content that showcases your skills, shares valuable development tips, and reviews the latest tech tools. This content can establish your credibility and attract a large, engaged audience interested in web development.
With an established following, tech brands may offer sponsorship deals, affiliate marketing opportunities, or paid promotions, giving you multiple income streams. Additionally, you could offer exclusive tutorials or courses, turning your influence into a profitable side business or even a full-fledged enterprise. By strategically growing your social media presence, supplementing your income to hit the six-figure mark becomes a viable and exciting possibility.
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.
9. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)
Starting a blog could significantly boost your income as a web developer by tapping into a broad, engaged audience and leveraging your expertise. With 77% of internet users reading blogs and approximately 409 million people viewing more than 20 billion pages each month, the potential for monetizing a blog is immense. By sharing valuable insights, tutorials, and industry trends, you could build a trustworthy platform that attracts a loyal following and establishes your authority in the field.
This increased visibility could lead to multiple revenue streams, including affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and even selling digital products like e-books and courses. As blogs continue to be rated as one of the most reliable sources of information, your blog could become a lucrative side hustle or even a standalone business, generating substantial supplemental income while offering flexibility in both location and work hours.
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.
10. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could greatly supplement your income as a web developer by providing a platform to share your expertise and projects. By creating engaging tutorials, discussing industry trends, and showcasing your development skills, you could attract a sizeable audience. Once you reach the threshold for the YouTube Partner Program, with a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months, you could start monetizing your content.
Additionally, the popularity of YouTube offers numerous opportunities for brand partnerships, sponsored content, and affiliate marketing. This could turn your side hustle into a significant revenue stream, helping you on your path to making six figures. If you have a passion for content creation, leveraging YouTube's established monetization system could be an effective strategy to boost your earnings as a web developer.
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. Create an online course ($82.8K/month)
Starting an online course could be a lucrative way to supplement your web developer income, potentially pushing you toward the six-figure threshold. As an entrepreneurial course creator, you could identify educational gaps in web development topics you have expertise in and develop engaging video lessons and supplementary materials to fill these gaps. This allows you to share your knowledge while earning extra money.
With flexible options around self-paced or cohort-based structures, you could build a student base that generates passive income. By launching an online course platform, you could monetize your instructional talents with relatively small startup costs, serving lifelong learners who seek convenient access to emerging subjects in web development. This side business offers a scalable way to significantly boost your earnings while positively impacting the developer community.
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.
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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.
