According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Moreover, the average salary according to Glassdoor for a software engineer in the United States is over US$95,000 per year. This is significantly higher than the average salary for all occupations in the United States, which is around US$51,000 per year.
These statistics demonstrate how coding skills can benefit your career, from increased job opportunities to higher salaries and career advancement.
Here are some ways coding can improve your career prospects:
- Increased employability: As technology becomes increasingly important in every industry, coding skills are in high demand. Having the ability to code makes you a more attractive candidate to employers, as you will be able to contribute to a wider range of projects.
- Career advancement: Many technical positions require coding skills. If you want to move up the career ladder in a technical field, having coding skills can be essential. For example, if you are a web developer, learning to code in a new programming language or mastering a new framework can help you advance to a more senior position.
- Better problem-solving skills: Learning to code requires you to think logically and systematically. These problem-solving skills can be applied to other areas of your career, enabling you to approach complex tasks with a clear and analytical mindset.
- Improved collaboration: Many coding projects are collaborative, requiring team members to work together on code bases. By learning to code, you can better understand and contribute to these projects, improving your digital communication and collaboration skills.
- Increased creativity: Coding allows you to create something from scratch, and with practice, you can turn your ideas into real-world applications. This process can be incredibly rewarding and can help you develop your creativity in other areas of your career.
Overall, learning to code can open up new career opportunities and enhance your skillset, regardless of your industry or job title. Programmers essentially become creators, they can literally build any idea and with this type of skill set, the ability to create value in the digital word is immensely sought after by employers.