About Industry - Software development is a subset of software engineering, an umbrella term that covers a variety of branches. The main software development market segments are:
- Productivity
Software
- Enterprise
software
- System
infrastructure software
- Application
development software
Software is typically provided in one of two ways:
- Software-as-a-Service
(SaaS): This cloud-based model allows end users to
access software online without having to download or update it — the
provider is responsible for its hosting and maintenance. SaaS
companies often utilize subscription-based, pay-as-you-go, or
one-time-use revenue models. Currently, one of the biggest SaaS companies
is Salesforce.
- On-premise
solution: In this traditional software distribution model, the
end user installs and runs the software on their device. For data
integrity and security reasons, this model won’t go out of style anytime
soon — many businesses in highly regulated industries rely on it.
Microsoft is a good example of an on-premise software distributor.
Many software engineers start their careers in SaaS
companies. The industry is booming — in part because the recent pandemic made
many companies go remote and increase their cloud spending as a
result.
Some of the most popular industries for software engineer careers include:
- Finance
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Security
- Research
- Government
and defense
- Automotive
- Gaming
- Education
- Transport
and logistics
A software engineer usually earns a new title as their
career advances. The job title hierarchy varies from company to company, but
the standard software engineering career levels in order of seniority are:
- Staff
engineer
- Senior
staff engineer
- Principal
Engineer
- Distinguished
engineer
- Fellow
engineer
Software engineering jobs may have more exotic-sounding or
playful titles, like software artisan, software Jedi, or even full stack
magician, but it’s a candidate’s skill sets that’ll define who’s going to be a
good fit for the company.
Let’s see what some of those are, starting with
the most used programming languages in 2023:
- JavaScript
- HTML/CSS
- Python
- SQL
- TypeScript
- Java
- Bash/Shell
- C#
- C++
- PHP
However, the list of top-paying languages looks
rather different:
- Clojure
- F#
- Elixir
- Erlang
- Perl
- Ruby
- Scala
- Rust
- Go
- LISP
It’s a similar story with the
highest-paying databases — the ones that are commonly used didn’t
make it to the top of the list:
1) Detailed Understanding of Job Profile:
- Software
Developers/Engineers design, develop, test, and maintain software
applications and systems. They work with programming languages,
frameworks, and tools to create efficient and functional software
solutions that address user needs.
2) Work-Life Balance:
- Work-life
balance in software development can vary. While intense periods of coding
and project deadlines might require longer hours, many companies prioritize
work-life balance and offer flexible schedules and remote work options.
5) Travelling For Job:
- Software
Developers/Engineers typically have limited travel requirements. However,
occasional travel might be necessary for meetings, conferences, or to work
directly with clients or team members in other locations.
6) Work Review Frequencies:
- Work
reviews can vary based on project timelines and company practices. Regular
code reviews and project updates are common to ensure code quality and
alignment with project goals.
7) Rewards:
- Rewards
in software development can include salary increments, performance
bonuses, stock options, and recognition for outstanding contributions.
Recognition within the development community is also common.
8) Growth:
- Software
Developers/Engineers often have opportunities for growth into roles such
as Senior Developer, Tech Lead, Architect, or even management positions.
Continuous learning and skill development are crucial for career
progression.
9) Abroad Opportunities:
- Software
Developers/Engineers often have opportunities to work abroad, especially
in countries with thriving tech industries. International collaborations
and remote work can provide global exposure.
- Moving
to Silicon Valley for a software engineering job isn’t as desirable as it
used to be. The highest software engineer salary increase, 9%, happened in
2021 in Austin, Texas. The balance is shifting because tech talent is
gradually relocating to smaller, less trendy areas with a lower cost of
living.
The global IT outsourcing market was valued at $526.6
billion in 2021. Some analysts expect it to reach $806.63
billion by 2025, while others make more modest forecasts, valuing it at
$682.3 billion by 2027.
The IT outsourcing market can be broken down into three
categories:
- Onshore: The
outsourced specialists are based in the same country.
- Nearshore: The
IT operations are outsourced to a neighboring country.
- Offshore: The
outsourcing destinations are located overseas.
Businesses tend to outsource their software development and
engineering projects for multiple reasons:
- Hiring
coders from regions with a high cost of living, such as California, is too
expensive by default.
- Building
and guiding a developer team requires a lot of managerial effort.
- Spikes
in demand create global tech talent shortages, which are hard to overcome
if you’re only hiring locally.
- Aggressive
competition for tech talent causes top performers to increase their rates
and be more selective.
- Remote IT
service providers offer an unbeatable economy of scale by connecting
organizations with reliable professionals overseas.
When looking at software engineering statistics, IT sourcing
is cheaper in 31% of cases:
10) Hierarchy:
- Hierarchy
can vary, but generally, it starts with Junior/Associate Developer,
progressing to Mid-Level Developer, Senior Developer, Technical Lead, and
potentially to roles like Software Architect or Engineering Manager.
11) Education 10+2 Degree in What Stream:
- A
common educational path is a bachelor's degree in Computer Science,
Software Engineering, or a related field.10+2 with a strong foundation in
mathematics and computer science is preferred.
Becoming a software engineer is also quite expensive —
students can expect to pay between $37,000 and $91,000 in total
tuition.
- Almost
60% of software developers acknowledge that they learned how to code
from online resources, so a relevant degree alone doesn’t necessarily make
one job-ready.
12) Hiring Methods by Company:
- Hiring
methods can vary. Some companies prefer campus placements to hire fresh
talent, while others hire directly through job portals, referrals, and
networking.
13) Types of Software Developer/Engineer:
- Types
include Front-End Developers, Back-End Developers, Full-Stack Developers,
Mobile App Developers, DevOps Engineers, Data Engineers, Machine Learning
Engineers, and more.
14) Pay's and Perks:
- Salaries
for Software Developers/Engineers can vary based on location, experience,
and the company's size. Perks may include health benefits, stock options,
flexible hours, remote work, and professional development opportunities.
The average annual salary for software engineers was
$155,000. Remote wages for software engineers are increasing as foreign
companies expand their reach and start to compete with the US market.
- The
average salaries for software development and engineering roles are:
It’s common practice to build project teams that
include at least one senior developer and one to two junior developers to reduce
expenses while preserving quality. Seasoned software engineers often charge
$400 an hour or more.
Small and medium-sized businesses can get away with paying
between $110 and $220 an hour for projects ranging in size from
$50,000 to $5 million. Offshore and nearshore developers will most likely
charge you less, but in that case, things like code quality, language barriers,
and time differences come into question.
Interestingly, part of the reason why software engineering
costs are so high is that small companies offer software engineers attractive
pay. Enterprises often have to compete with startups when it comes to hiring
tech talent.
15) Common Software Engineer Responsibilities:
To build the necessary software engineering fundamentals,
freshman applicants usually choose one of the following bachelor’s programs:
- Computer
Systems Engineering
- Software
Engineering and Business Informatics
- Software
Development
- Computer
Science
- Application
Software Development
- Human-Centered
Design & Engineering
- Game
DevelopmentOverseeing the software development process
- Software
testing and maintenance
- System
design
- Determining
operational feasibility
- Software
deployment
- System
integration
- Debugging
and troubleshooting
- Creating
and managing database applications
- Developing
technical documentation, charts, and layouts
Software developers and engineers have some overlapping
functions and responsibilities, but the latter focus on the bigger picture. A
software developer can become a software engineer if they have the right educational
background and are ready to develop or deepen the necessary skills for the job.
16) Skills Required :
Software engineers work on a bigger scale than software
developers and typically take on higher-level responsibilities. The following
soft skills are mandatory for software engineers, especially for senior
positions:
- Time-management
- Readiness
for lifelong learning
- Teamwork,
collaboration, and leadership skills
- Communication
skills
- Problem-solving
skills
- Conflict
resolution skills
- Creativity
- Product
management skills
- Critical
thinking
A highly skilled software engineer can land
a top-paying role, such as enterprise cloud architect, security
architect, or data architect.
17) Software Developer Demographics and Motivation:
There were 25.3 million active software developers
worldwide at the end of 2022. The median age for software engineers
is 44 years old, and 61% of developers are younger than 35 years.
These figures have gradually decreased with the entry of more young
professionals into the workforce.
Here are the top motivation drivers for software engineers
and developers:
- New
challenges
- A
sense of fulfillment
- Endless
learning
- Knowing
their purpose and value
- Being
part of a global tech community
- Belief
in the product they’re working on
- Pushing
the boundaries of technology
It’s not the exorbitant salaries that make students decide
to obtain a computer science degree — or, at least, it’s not just them.
Software engineering can be an extremely thrilling and rewarding job.
18) Work Pressure :
However, high demands also mean high pressure.
- Two
out of every five people working in tech are at a high risk of
burnout, and stress seems to affect women especially.
- 43%
of the population at high burnout risk struggle to find satisfaction in
finishing their everyday tasks. The tech industry has some of the
highest resignation rates across industries.
Today, tech professionals expect their employers
to encourage their happiness at work through:
- Rewarding
pay
- Healthy
communication and lack of distractions
- Flexible
working hours
- Frequent
check-ins
- Growth
opportunities
- Reducing
workload
- Positive
and inclusive work culture
- Less
demanding timelines
- Work-life
balance
- Employee
recognition
- Healthcare
- Free
mental health days
Many tech companies are addressing diversity and inclusion,
but the real changes are occurring rather slowly. The software development
field is still pretty homogeneous — only 20% of all people working in it are
women, according to Developer Nation. Other sources show even lower figures.
The same goes for race and ethnicity. However, we expect to
see a new, more diverse group of developers enter the workforce, thanks to the
gradual democratization of tech education.
As of now, 39% of software developers identify as
White. Some sources suggest that this number may be even higher — as high
as 52%. Comparatively, 33% of developers are of Asian ethnicity, and 6.9%
are of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. These figures vary depending on the
respondents’ proficiency.
19) Work from Home Software Engineering Statistics :
According to surveys on LinkedIn, over 50% of
software developers work remotely, and 85% say their organizations are at
least partially remote.
A 2022 survey conducted by Stack Overflow shows the
following remote software engineering statistics:
- Software
engineers who are ready to work remotely find themselves in a
better position — they receive 20% more interview requests compared
to their counterparts who prefer in-person work.
- 74% of
engineers would like to be remote 3 days a week or more. Surprisingly,
smaller organizations are more likely to have in-person
engineers, whereas larger organizations with 10k+ employees usually
offer a hybrid work model.
There are two reasons behind this:
- For
small businesses and startups, it’s especially important to cultivate a
collaborative culture and loyalty, which is easier to do face-to-face.
- Big
companies can afford expensive morale-boosters and enterprise-grade tools
for their remote employees to mitigate the effects of the long-distance
format.
Software engineers have different takes on location-based
salaries:
- 68% of
engineers say that working from home improves their productivity and
reduces their stress levels. Contrary to popular belief, older generations
of engineers prefer flexible working arrangements, while younger
professionals don’t mind working in an office setting.
- Pay
transparency is especially critical for engineers who work remotely.
According to Terminal’s report, 89% of remote software engineers
think that tech companies should offer equity compensation.
20) Key Takeaways :
Here’s what we’ve learned from these software engineering
statistics:
- The
market is more competitive than ever, but there is a shortage of highly
skilled and specialized professionals.
- Companies
need software engineers now, so they cut corners by hiring top talent
instead of developing engineering leaders in-house — which is cheaper but
takes years.
- Companies
turn to outsourcing because domestic IT resources are costly and scarce.
- Tech
professionals move away from the grind mentality and choose companies that
support employees’ mental health and offer flexible working conditions.
- Universities’
slow pace of change results in fewer work-ready graduates.
- New
trends and technologies, such as the IoT, create thrilling, diverse career
paths for engineers and developers.
- Many
software engineers and developers rely on online resources and coding
bootcamps more than traditional education.
- Industry
trends are changing every year, and employers and tech professionals have
to stay flexible to win the race.
Now you can see why it’s tricky to find a software
engineering job or internship — it’s the top talent that HR is after.
Enterprises don’t always have the time or patience to nurture their own professionals,
which perpetuates the current imbalance in labor supply and demand.
Thankfully, the situation is bound to change. The new generation of developers is entering the job market, and the variety of coding schools and bootcamps makes software engineering education more available to more people. Artificial Intelligence technology will play an important role in these can say it is the key for futuristic software development.