Top 14 Profitable Career Paths for Python Coders (2023)

Is Python still an attractive niche to be in as a coder? And what about in the decade to come given that the programming industry undergoes rapid changes?

This article will give you answers to those questions.


In short, the top 14 profitable career paths for Python coders are:

Top 14 Best Profitable Career Paths for Python Coders

After reading this article, you’ll have a much better intuition on profitable and exciting career paths you could pursue in your career.

πŸ’‘ My personal favorites are career path #13: Python Finance “Quant” Developer and career path #9: Machine Learning Engineer.

So, let’s get started!

Career Path #1: General Python Developer

Not even Python

A Python developer is a programmer who creates software in the Python programming language. Python developers are often involved in data science, web development, and machine learning applications.

A Python developer earns $65,000 (entry-level), $82,000 (mid-level), or $114,000 (experienced) per year in the US according to Indeed.

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

However, the real money is in the niches. Let’s dive into some more interesting niches within the Python space that are super attractive for Python coders, shall we?

Career Path #2: Keras Developer

A Keras Developer developer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of software written in the Keras deep learning framework. Keras developers create machine learning apps using deep learning.

The average annual income of a Keras Developer in the United States is $95,000 per year according to PayScale (source). Top earners make $156,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #3: Blockchain Developer

A blockchain engineer operates, designs, develops, analyzes, implements, and supports a distributed blockchain network. Blockchain engineers manage specific business models dealing with blockchain technology.

Yes, most Blockchain development is done in Solidity and JavaScript (web3.js).

But many programming frameworks for Blockchain development start providing Python APIs as well. πŸŽ‰ Great news for Python coders like you and me!

The average annual income of a Blockchain engineer is between $105,180 and $108,560 according to Glassdoor

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #4: Crypto Trading Bot Developer

Day in the life of a crypto trader?

Trading bots are software programs that talk directly to financial exchanges. Crypto trading bots are programs that talk to crypto exchanges.

A crypto bot developer develops those programs. Crypto trading bot developers tend to be very proficient in trading, financial algorithms, APIs, and web services.

The average annual income of a Crypto Trading Bot Developer is similar to algorithmic traders of $104,422 (source).

However, due to the novelty of the industry, there’s little official data. If you assume an hourly rate of $50 and an annual 2000 hours worked, the annual income of a crypto trading bot developer would be $100,000.

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #5: Data Scientist

Data scientists use data to find quantifiable answers to questions that often need to be found as well!

For example, they not only find the answer to the question β€œHow can company ABC make more money?” Instead, they may find that a better question to ask would be: β€œWho are the top 20% of the clients that bring 80% of the revenue, and what do they want in the first place?”

How much does a Data Scientist make per year?

Average Income of a Data Scientist in the US by Source
Figure: Average Income of a Data Scientist in the US by Source.

The average annual income of a Data Scientist in the United States is between $97,294 and $135,924 with an average of $116,505 and a median of $119,413 per year.

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #6: Deep Learning Engineer

Artificial neural network

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning using artificial neural network (ANN) models with more than three layers.

ANNs are inspired by the behavior of the human brain to enable machines to learn β€” with the idea to connect neurons with each other via artificial β€œsynapses” and learning is modeled as the collective weights and magnitude of the neural connections.

A Deep Learning Engineer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of artificial neural networks (ANN) with multiple layers written in programming environments such as Python, TensorFlow, or Keras.

The average annual income of a Deep Learning Engineer in the United States is between $124,000 and $148,000 based on multiple sources such as Indeed, Ziprecruiter, and Salary.com.

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #7: Flask Developer

A Flask Developer developer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of software written in the Flask programming language.

You should have a basic understanding of web technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and of course Python.

The average annual income of a Flask Developer in the United States is between $79,000 (25th percentile) and $123,000 (75th percentile) with an average of $103,000 per year according to Ziprecruiter (source). Top earners make $151,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #8: Django Developer

A Django Developer developer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of software written in the Python programming language using the Django web development framework. You need to have good Python, HTML, and CSS skills.

The average annual income of a Django Developer in the United States is between $101,000 (25th percentile) and $137,000 (75th percentile) with an average of $117,000 per year according to Ziprecruiter (source) and $90,000 per year according to PayScale (source). Top earners make $150,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #9: Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning (ML) is a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on the automatic creation of models from training data that predict outcomes accurately. The automatic creation of an ML model based on existing data is called training, whereas the prediction on new input data is called inference.

A Machine Learning Engineer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, models, and supervises the development of machine learning models using programming languages such as Python or C++ and machine learning libraries such as Keras or TensorFlow.

How much does a Machine Learning Engineer make per year?

Figure: Average Machine Learning Engineer Income.

The average annual income of a Machine Learning Engineer in the United States is between $112,000 and $157,000 with a median of $131,000 per year according to multiple data sources such as Indeed, Glassdoor, Salary.com, and Payscale.

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #10: NumPy Developer

A NumPy Developer developer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of software written in the Python programming language and its powerful NumPy library for data science and numerical computations.

The average annual income of a NumPy Developer in the United States is $105,000 per year according to PayScale (source). Top earners make $149,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #11: Pandas Developer

A Pandas Developer developer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of software written in the Pandas library of the Python programming language.

The average annual income of a Pandas Developer in the United States is $87,000 per year according to Ziprecruiter (source). Top earners make $125,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #12: PyTorch Developer

A PyTorch Developer writes code using in Python’s PyTorch library to analyze data, create machine learning models, or runs deep learning algorithms on various hardware devices such as GPUs.

The average annual income of a PyTorch Developer in the United States is $109,000 per year according to PayScale (source). Top earners make $131,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #13: Python Finance “Quant” Developer

A quantitative developer (i.e., Quant) is a financial programmer focused on financial modeling and quantitative finance and trading.

Question: How much does a Quant Developer in the US make per year?

Figure: Average Income of a Quant Developer in the US by Source.
Figure: Average Income of a Quant Developer in the US by Source.

The expected annual income of a Quantitative Developer (Quant) in the United States is between $86,528 and $170,000 per year, with an average annual income of $127,375 per year and a median income of $136,321 per year.

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Career Path #14: TensorFlow Developer

A TensorFlow Developer creates, edits, analyzes, debugs, and supervises the development of code written with the TensorFlow library that is accessed mostly via the Python API.

Because a TensorFlow developer is a deep learning engineer, they design and create machine learning models, train them, and improve them to reach high level of model accuracy and robustness.

The average annual income of a TensorFlow Developer in the United States is between $104,000 (25th percentile) and $187,000 (75th percentile) with an average of $148,000 per year according to Ziprecruiter (source). Top earners make $197,000 and more in the US!

🌍 Learn More: Interested? Read our full guide on this job role on the Finxter blog here.

Summary

This article has shown you the 14 best career paths as a Python coder:

  1. General Python Developer
  2. Keras Developer
  3. Blockchain Developer
  4. Crypto Trading Bot Developer
  5. Data Scientist
  6. Deep Learning Engineer
  7. Flask Developer
  8. Django Developer
  9. Machine Learning Engineer
  10. NumPy Developer
  11. Pandas Developer
  12. PyTorch Developer
  13. Python Finance β€œQuant” Developer
  14. TensorFlow Developer

You’ve seen that all of those can make you six-figures easily. And they are future-proof and growing in general interest.


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