Python Developer 

Salary: 

As of Apr 9, 2020, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Python Developer in the United States is $80,845 a year. The average pay range for an Entry Level Python Developer varies. The current range across the US is between $53,500 (25th percentile) to $107,000 (75th percentile)

Education: 

Individuals are expected to have a bachelor's degree in computer science, management information systems, or experience in a related field to work as a Python developer. 

Skills and Requirements: 

What to Look For When Hiring a Python Developer

• A strong grasp of Object Oriented Programming Concepts (OOP)
• Knowledge of the core Python frameworks like Django or TensorFlow (depending on their technology stack. 
• The ability to create, analyze, and implement algorithms and effectively organize code.
• Understanding of the Python ecosystem and development tools such as debuggers, editors and IDEs, etc. 
• Know front-end technologies like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and etc..
• Understand RESTful APIs
• Familiarity with some ORM (Object Relational Mapper) libraries (e.g. SQLAlchemy)
• Able to integrate multiple data sources and databases into one system

Career-Boosting Skills: Bridging the Gap 

• Great Python developers usually have a thorough understanding of other programming technologies such as a high level OOP language like Java.
• They have an uncanny ability to envision and distill requirements correctly and to use their experience to produce lasting solutions.
• Be able to perform root cause analysis to determine the effectiveness of applications. 
• Produce reports using SQL queries  

Can You Become a Python Developer Without a Degree?

Getting a programming job without a degree or past experience isn’t easy because companies and in particular hiring managers want assurance that they made the right choice. You can make yourself less risky by putting together a portfolio showing your contribution to a project(s). GitHub is a good place to start making connections with people that are participating in existing projects. This will also open doors in the sense that you can be a part of a team of people with existing jobs that can guide you as to the best interviewing approach within their organization. 

Another option is to build your own clientele as a freelancer. To do so, create a profile as a Python developer on a bidding platform and bid for jobs that you know you can handle or possibly source out until you can. If you can deliver on these jobs, the client becomes a validating reference for you.