Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for freelance software developers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • 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 age of an employed freelance software developer 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 2021, 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.

Freelance Software Developer Statistics By Gender

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 Developers By Gender

GenderPercentages
Male87.7%
Female12.3%

Gender Pay Gap For Freelance Software Developer

Women Earn 93ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men

male-income
Male Income
$109,879
female-income
Female Income
$102,509

Freelance Software Developer Gender Over Time

This data shows how men and women predominate in the freelance software developer position over time.

Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Freelance Software Developer Gender By Year

YearMaleFemale
201085.86%14.14%
201185.69%14.31%
201286.62%13.38%
201386.56%13.44%
201487.29%12.71%
201587.10%12.90%
201688.13%11.87%
201787.78%12.22%
201887.80%12.20%
201987.63%12.37%
202087.59%12.41%
202187.66%12.34%

Freelance Software Developer Male to Female Ratio

We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, dell certified systems expert and software applications architect have the biggest difference in gender.

Job TitleMaleFemale
Informatics Nurse Specialist13%87%
Clinical Support Specialist22%78%
Clinic Administrator23%77%
Freelance Software Developer88%12%
Senior Data Center Engineer98%2%
Software Applications Architect98%2%
Dell Certified Systems Expert99%1%

Freelance Software Developer Statistics By Race

The most common ethnicity among freelance software developers is White, which makes up 52.6% of all freelance software developers. Comparatively, there are 30.0% of the Asian ethnicity and 8.1% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.

  • 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 RacePercentages
White52.6%
Asian30.0%
Hispanic or Latino8.1%
Unknown4.8%
Black or African American4.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%

Freelance Software Developer Race And Ethnicity Over Time

Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among freelance software developers.

  • White
  • Asian
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Black or African American

Freelance Software Developer Race By Year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201060.74%5.42%25.80%5.60%
201161.20%5.65%25.31%5.31%
201260.11%5.19%26.68%5.75%
201360.51%4.71%26.50%5.56%
201459.38%5.22%27.15%5.69%
201558.55%5.03%27.27%6.27%
201658.06%5.02%27.98%6.27%
201756.64%4.90%28.54%6.63%
201857.28%4.75%27.76%7.24%
201956.45%4.84%28.95%6.87%
202054.65%4.59%28.71%7.68%
202152.64%4.34%30.02%8.07%

Freelance Software Developer Wage Gap By Race

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.
$118,000
$115,000
$112,000
$109,000
$106,000
$103,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$110,723
White$110,354
Black or African American$105,508
Asian$115,992
Hispanic or Latino$107,112

Freelance Software Developer JOBS

Average Age of a Freelance Software Developer

We determined the average age of freelance software developers based on ethnicity and gender.

Male
Female

Freelance Software Developer Age By Race

RaceMale AgeFemale Age
Black or African American3746
Unknown3734
Asian3837
Hispanic or Latino3634
White3940
American Indian and Alaska Native41

Freelance Software Developer Age Breakdown

This chart breaks down the ages of freelance software developer employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of freelance software developers is 40+ years old, which represents 45% of the population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Freelance Software Developer Age

Freelance Software Developer YearsPercentages
40+ years45%
30-40 years36%
20-30 years18%

Types of Freelance Software Developer Degree Levels

The most common degree for freelance software developers is bachelor's degree 67% of freelance software developers earn that degree. A close second is master's degree with 20% and rounding it off is associate degree with 6%.

  • Bachelors, 67%
  • Masters, 20%
  • Associate, 6%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

Freelance Software Developers By Education

Freelance Software Developer DegreePercentages
Bachelors67%
Masters20%
Associate6%
Diploma3%
Other Degrees4%

Freelance Software Developer Jobs You Might Like

Freelance Software Developer Wage Gap By Education

Freelance software developers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $130,728 annually. With a Masters degree, freelance software developers earn a median annual income of $120,489 compared to $110,396 for freelance software developers with an Bachelors degree.
$136,000
$131,000
$126,000
$121,000
$116,000
$111,000
$106,000
Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Doctorate Degree
EducationSalary
Master's Degree$120,489
Bachelor's Degree$110,396
Doctorate Degree$130,728

Freelance Software Developer Employment Statistics

This section highlights information about where freelance software developers work. We found most freelance software developers work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most freelance software developers is the manufacturing industry.

Company Size

We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire freelance software developers.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Freelance Software Developer Jobs By Employer Size

Company SizePercentages
< 50 employees10%
50 - 100 employees29%
100 - 500 employees21%
500 - 1,000 employees10%
1,000 - 10,000 employees19%
> 10,000 employees12%

The Types Of Companies Freelance Software Developer Work In

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.

Education

Public

Private

Government

Freelance Software Developer Jobs By Sector

Company TypePercentages
Education13%
Public20%
Private63%
Government5%

Top Industries Hiring Freelance Software Developers

Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ freelance software developers. Those industries include manufacturing, technology and education.

Manufacturing

Technology

Education

Professional

Start-up

Freelance Software Developer Industry Statistics

Freelance Software Developer Turnover And Employment Statistics

Freelance Software Developer Unemployment Rate Over Time

The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of freelance software developers changed.

  • Unemployment rate

Freelance Software Developer Unemployment Rate By Year

YearFreelance Software Developer Unemployment Rate
20104.56%
20113.25%
20122.64%
20132.67%
20142.07%
20152.26%
20162.33%
20172.17%
20181.80%
20191.88%
20202.40%
20212.07%

The Average Number of Years That Freelance Software Developer Stay in a Job

By looking over 392 freelance software developers resumes, we figured out that the average freelance software developer enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 23%.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Freelance Software Developer Tenure

Number or YearsPercentages
Less than 1 year19%
1-2 years23%
3-4 years15%
5-7 years21%
8-10 years8%
11+ years15%

Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Freelance Software Developers with Other Job Titles

After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to freelance software developers.

Job TitleLGBTJob Openings
Lead Data Architect7.31%150,424
Contract Programmer Analyst8.42%38,517
Freelance Software Developer8.46%-
Information Systems Security Officer8.59%202,299
Telecommunications Administrator9.03%56,254
Performance Test Engineer10.54%44,502
Deployment Coordinator10.88%17,106

Freelance Software Developer LGBT Demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job Openings
Lead Data Architect7.31%150,424
Contract Programmer Analyst8.42%38,517
Information Systems Security Officer8.59%202,299
Telecommunications Administrator9.03%56,254
Performance Test Engineer10.54%44,502
Deployment Coordinator10.88%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 LanguagePercentages
Spanish50.0%
French16.7%
Chinese8.3%
Mandarin8.3%
Russian8.3%
Other8.4%

Freelance Software Developer Jobs

Recently Added Freelance Software Developer Jobs

Freelance Software Developer Heatmaps

Which State Has The Most Freelance Software Developers?

By looking through more than 392 resumes, we found that the most popular places for freelance software developers are Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY.

Number of Freelance Software Developers

Number Of Freelance Software Developer Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California10,315$135,788
2Texas5,138$107,357
3Virginia3,492$110,631
4Washington3,279$124,683
5New York3,145$115,695
6Massachusetts2,941$113,850
7Florida2,879$98,700
8Illinois2,667$99,043
9Pennsylvania2,618$107,232
10Georgia2,269$101,295
11Ohio2,252$101,142
12Maryland2,203$112,905
13North Carolina1,876$102,873
14New Jersey1,829$114,720
15Colorado1,750$96,042
16Minnesota1,621$98,393
17Indiana1,568$93,661
18Michigan1,548$100,511
19Missouri1,404$94,046
20Wisconsin1,276$97,663
21Arizona1,226$108,830
22Oregon1,164$108,407
23Utah1,031$115,335
24Tennessee963$93,542
25Alabama836$93,122
26Kentucky773$89,507
27District of Columbia752$115,141
28Connecticut695$110,556
29Kansas691$90,341
30Iowa670$95,331
31South Carolina612$107,349
32Louisiana583$88,699
33Arkansas528$93,921
34Nevada481$102,808
35New Mexico455$94,384
36Nebraska443$82,108
37Oklahoma442$95,343
38Idaho411$97,355
39Rhode Island384$107,069
40Delaware366$116,642
41New Hampshire331$111,662
42West Virginia304$102,090
43Mississippi282$95,598
44Maine280$104,813
45Montana263$97,394
46South Dakota245$100,231
47Vermont234$119,283
48Hawaii180$85,831
49North Dakota170$88,249
50Wyoming166$94,679
51Alaska146$86,991

Freelance Software Developer Demographics FAQs

How Many Freelance Software Developer Are There In The Us?

There are over 180,830 Freelance Software Developers in the United States.

What Percentage Of Freelance Software Developers Are Black?

4.3% of Freelance Software Developers are Black or African American

What Race Are Most Freelance Software Developers?

Most a are White, with 52.6% of Freelance Software Developers belonging to this ethnicity. 30.0% of Freelance Software Developers are Asian, 8.1% of Freelance Software Developers are Hispanic or Latino, 4.8% of Freelance Software Developers are Unknown, 4.3% of Freelance Software Developers are Black or African American, and 0.2% of Freelance Software Developers are American Indian and Alaska Native

Are Freelance Software Developer Jobs Male - Dominated?

Yes, Freelance Software Developer jobs are male - dominated. 87% of Freelance Software Developers are male, and 12% are female, so there are more male Freelance Software Developers than female Freelance Software Developers in the United States.

How Old Is The Average Freelance Software Developer?

The average Freelance Software Developer is 39 years old. 45% of Freelance Software Developers are 40+ years old or older, 36% are between the ages of 30-40 years, and 18% are between 20-30 years old

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