But how common is it for developers that is, people actually writing code for a living to make twice that much annually? According to Salary. What does it take to get to that level of pay, while still remaining a hands-on coder in other words, without moving into a pure management role? While there is no magic formula — or one path — for making this much money as a developer, some common themes did crop up. Not surprisingly, working in the finance industry seems to be a good place to get paid well, as is working for a big, profitable tech company like Microsoft, Google or Facebook see Glassdoor data. If hw the top-dollar for your work is your main goal, working as a contractor or consultant is considered one of the best ways to go. Softwarf of the drawbacks, of course, are having to cover your own benefits, the uncertainty of your next job after your contract ends and potentially crazy hours. But, with the greater risks come potentially bigger rewards. That is not a very hig...