Freelance software developer demographics and statistics in the US
Freelance software developer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates freelance software developer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our freelance software developer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about freelance software developers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 180,830 freelance software developers currently employed in the United States.
- 12.3% of all freelance software developers are women, while 87.7% are men.
- The average freelance software developer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of freelance software developers is White (52.6%), followed by Asian (30.0%), Hispanic or Latino (8.1%) and Unknown (4.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 8% of all freelance software developers are LGBT.
- Freelance software developers are 63% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Freelance software developer demographics by:
Freelance software developer gender statistics
12.3% of freelance software developers are women and 87.7% of freelance software developers are men.
- Male, 87.7%
- Female, 12.3%
Freelance software developer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 87.7% |
| Female | 12.3% |
Freelance software developer gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$109,879
Female income
$102,509
Freelance software developer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in freelance software developer positions over time. Currently, 12.3% of freelance software developers are female.
Freelance software developer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85.86% | 14.14% |
| 2011 | 85.69% | 14.31% |
| 2012 | 86.62% | 13.38% |
| 2013 | 86.56% | 13.44% |
| 2014 | 87.29% | 12.71% |
| 2015 | 87.10% | 12.90% |
| 2016 | 88.13% | 11.87% |
| 2017 | 87.78% | 12.22% |
| 2018 | 87.80% | 12.20% |
| 2019 | 87.63% | 12.37% |
| 2020 | 87.59% | 12.41% |
| 2021 | 87.66% | 12.34% |
Freelance software developer related jobs gender ratio
We compared freelance software developers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dell certified systems expert and software applications architect have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Informatics Nurse Specialist | 13% | 87% |
| Clinical Support Specialist | 22% | 78% |
| Clinic Administrator | 23% | 77% |
| Freelance Software Developer | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Data Center Engineer | 98% | 2% |
| Software Applications Architect | 98% | 2% |
| Dell Certified Systems Expert | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Freelance software developer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among freelance software developers is White, which makes up 52.6% of all freelance software developers. Comparatively, 30.0% of freelance software developers are Asian and 8.1% of freelance software developers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 52.6%
- Asian, 30.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.1%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- Black or African American, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Freelance software developer race
| Freelance software developer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 52.6% |
| Asian | 30.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.1% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| Black or African American | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Freelance software developer race and ethnicity over time
See how freelance software developer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Freelance software developer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 60.74% | 5.42% | 25.80% | 5.60% |
| 2011 | 61.20% | 5.65% | 25.31% | 5.31% |
| 2012 | 60.11% | 5.19% | 26.68% | 5.75% |
| 2013 | 60.51% | 4.71% | 26.50% | 5.56% |
| 2014 | 59.38% | 5.22% | 27.15% | 5.69% |
| 2015 | 58.55% | 5.03% | 27.27% | 6.27% |
| 2016 | 58.06% | 5.02% | 27.98% | 6.27% |
| 2017 | 56.64% | 4.90% | 28.54% | 6.63% |
| 2018 | 57.28% | 4.75% | 27.76% | 7.24% |
| 2019 | 56.45% | 4.84% | 28.95% | 6.87% |
| 2020 | 54.65% | 4.59% | 28.71% | 7.68% |
| 2021 | 52.64% | 4.34% | 30.02% | 8.07% |
Freelance software developer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian freelance software developers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american freelance software developers have the lowest average salary at $105,508.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $110,723 |
| White | $110,354 |
| Black or African American | $105,508 |
| Asian | $115,992 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $107,112 |
Average freelance software developer age
See how the average age of freelance software developers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Freelance software developer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 37 | 46 |
| Unknown | 37 | 34 |
| Asian | 38 | 37 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 34 |
| White | 39 | 40 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41 |
Freelance software developer age breakdown
The average age of freelance software developers is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the freelance software developer population.
Freelance software developer age breakdown
| Freelance Software Developer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 36% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Freelance software developer educational attainment
The most common degree for freelance software developers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of freelance software developers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 6%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Freelance software developers by degree level
| Freelance software developer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 67% |
| Master's | 20% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Freelance software developer jobs you might like
Freelance software developer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, freelance software developers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $130,728 annually. With a Master's degree, freelance software developers earn a median annual income of $120,489 compared to $110,396 for freelance software developers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $120,489 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $110,396 |
| Doctorate Degree | $130,728 |
Freelance software developer employment statistics
Most freelance software developers work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where freelance software developers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where freelance software developers work.
Freelance software developer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 29% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Freelance software developer jobs by company type
Employees with the freelance software developer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most freelance software developers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Freelance software developer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 13% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 63% |
| Government | 5% |
Freelance software developer jobs by industry
The most common industries for freelance software developers are manufacturing, technology and education.
Freelance software developer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 16% |
| Technology | 16% |
| Education | 11% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Start-up | 7% |
| Media | 7% |
| Transportation | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Internet | 5% |
| Real Estate | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
Freelance software developer turnover and employment statistics
Freelance software developer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for freelance software developers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Freelance software developer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Freelance software developer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.56% |
| 2011 | 3.25% |
| 2012 | 2.64% |
| 2013 | 2.67% |
| 2014 | 2.07% |
| 2015 | 2.26% |
| 2016 | 2.33% |
| 2017 | 2.17% |
| 2018 | 1.80% |
| 2019 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | 2.40% |
| 2021 | 2.07% |
Average freelance software developer tenure
The average freelance software developer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 392 freelance software developers resumes in Zippia's database.
Freelance software developer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 23% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 21% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 15% |
Freelance software developer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of freelance software developers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Data Architect | 7.31% | 150,424 |
| Contract Programmer Analyst | 8.42% | 38,517 |
| Freelance Software Developer | 8.46% | - |
| Information Systems Security Officer | 8.59% | 202,299 |
| Telecommunications Administrator | 9.03% | 56,254 |
| Performance Test Engineer | 10.54% | 44,502 |
| Deployment Coordinator | 10.88% | 17,106 |
Similar freelance software developer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Data Architect | 7.31% | 150,424 |
| Contract Programmer Analyst | 8.42% | 38,517 |
| Information Systems Security Officer | 8.59% | 202,299 |
| Telecommunications Administrator | 9.03% | 56,254 |
| Performance Test Engineer | 10.54% | 44,502 |
| Deployment Coordinator | 10.88% | 17,106 |
Foreign languages spoken by freelance software developers
The most common foreign language among freelance software developers is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.7% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 8.3%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- French, 16.7%
- Chinese, 8.3%
- Mandarin, 8.3%
- Russian, 8.3%
- Other, 8.4%
Freelance software developer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| French | 16.7% |
| Chinese | 8.3% |
| Mandarin | 8.3% |
| Russian | 8.3% |
| Other | 8.4% |
