I've really caught the freelance bug, but I have a question about earning potential for developers.
I did some research on yearly pay for developers. I saw a few articles saying that the US average for freelance developers is about $5k per month. That comes out to $60k per year.
That might be great for some junior developers, but I make close to 6 figures working for companies and for contracting. Although the benefits of freelancing are very enticing, I would have a hard time taking such a pay cut. (I'm not bragging - Most seasoned fulltime and contract developers make this much and more.)
I definitely don't plan on quitting my day job until my freelance business is mature. However, I just want to know whether or not it's realistic to expect to eventually make 6 figures as a freelance developer.
Please don't mention hourly rates, because, as I understand it, those depend on how long it takes you to finish your fixed-rate projects. When all is said and done, what's the upper end that one can realistically expect to make by the end of the year?
I'm just wondering if this path is worth taking.
Thanks in advance!