How To Get Paid To Learn To Code? 4 Ways

There are plenty of high-quality courses that teach programming to beginners online. These are invaluable resources that you can complete in a few weeks to a few months. Once you’ve done so, however, you can usually find paid programming opportunities that are open to beginners who are still learning.

There are valid ways to get paid to learn programming, from paid internships to assistantships, freelancing gigs, and more.

In this article, I’m diving into paid opportunities that you can take on while you’re still learning programming skills. Keep reading to get the rundown!

Ways to Get Paid to Learn Programming

Just because you are still learning new programming skills, it doesn’t mean you can’t be making income in the meantime. Entry-level skills are usually sufficient to land you an opportunity assisting a web developer.

Beginner knowledge may even be good enough to help you find a local freelancing opportunity in your community.

1. Paid Programming Internships

The first option is an obvious choice, as paid internships in computer science are popping up on job boards online everyday.

Some computer programming internships pay by the hour, while others pay a flat fee for a period of weeks/months that you work for them.

While you might have to take on a side hustle to supplement internship income, you can make a few thousand dollars while getting valuable experience. You can find positions posted on sites like Indeed, where some internships pay up to $20/hour.

The best part is that you don’t have to be an expert, as internships are designed for entry-level candidates to improve their skills. These opportunities often provide some form of training as you prepare for a career.

Certain companies will even accept candidates who are currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree. This means you can get paid real money while you are still pursuing your computer science education.

You’ll likely be working beneath a professional in the computer science field who can pass on valuable knowledge to you during your time there.

2. Paid Programming Assistantships

Paid assistantships or shadowing opportunities are another way that you can make money while sharpening your programming skills. Perhaps there is a website developer or programmer who can get you a part-time gig assisting them at their company.

You might not get full control of programming projects, but the chance to learn from a professional is invaluable. Again, the pay will probably be lower (closer to minimum wage). However, it’s worth reaching out to developers online or locally to find out if someone is looking for some help.

3. “Get Paid to Learn” Job Positions

Fortunately, there are also companies that set up entry-level programmers with full-time paid jobs where you’re basically getting a salary to learn programming skills.

Certain companies, such as Revature, allow beginner programmers to apply for 2-year positions where they can get paid to learn programming skills. Along the way, you can add web programming projects to your professional portfolio, experience to your resume, and certifications to your name.

Revature offers customized training (10-14 weeks) for your skill level, as well, preparing you for the programming projects that are in demand in the tech world. According to Indeed, Revature pays around $32,460 in annual salary for their Learning and Development Associate positions.

Entry-Level Paid Freelancing Gigs

My third suggestion is to dive into the freelancing world. As a programmer, getting some projects in your portfolio is really important to landing jobs down the line. There are plenty of online freelancing platforms that you can easily sign up for, such as Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer.

Certain freelancing gigs also present “get paid to learn” opportunities specifically, such as freelancing assistant positions. These are similar to the opportunities at companies like Revature, although they may be contract positions or short-lived.

Even though you might not be an expert yet, you can filter job postings for entry-level work and make a few bucks on the side.

And who knows? The right freelancing opportunity could be a segue into a full-time paid gig with a client.

Pro Tip: Polish Your Programming Skills While You Get Paid

If you want to eventually get mid-level and professional programming jobs, you should be improving your programming knowledge as you take on entry-level jobs.

Try out the free courses on sites like edX, Udacity, Khan Academy or Coursera to supplement your education and learn how to improve your coding skills.

Final Thoughts

If you play your cards right, beginner programmers can absolutely make money while learning programming skills. You may even find a full-time paid gig that allows you to get relevant training for in-demand computer science skills.

Try out our suggestions, such as paid internships, paid assistant jobs, and freelancing gigs, to get started.