How to Make 6 Figures As A Devsecops Engineer? (11 Best Ways in 2024)

Updated: September 9th, 2024

So you want to make six figures as a devsecops engineer? Good for you! Being a devsecops engineer is a highly respectable and well-paid profession, and there's no reason why you can't earn a high income if you put your mind to it.

In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best ways to make more money as a devsecops engineer - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)

Starting a blog could be an effective way for you to supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer and move you closer to making six figures overall. By sharing your knowledge and expertise on cybersecurity, continuous integration, and secure coding practices, you could attract a dedicated audience that values trustworthy, niche-specific content. Given that blogs rank as the 5th most trustworthy source of online information and 77% of internet users read blogs, you have a significant potential audience.

Furthermore, the sheer number of monthly blog views – with approximately 409 million people viewing over 20 billion pages – underscores the vast opportunities for monetization. You could utilize avenues such as sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, or even selling specialized DevSecOps courses and eBooks. As your readership grows, you also might find opportunities for consultancy work, speaking engagements, or partnerships with cybersecurity firms, thereby broadening your income streams and paving the way to achieving a six-figure salary.

How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

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2. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)

Starting a career coaching business could significantly supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer, potentially propelling you towards the six-figure mark. By leveraging your industry expertise, you could provide personalized guidance, support, and strategies to help clients navigate professional transitions and growth opportunities. Designing custom sessions focused on resume building, interview preparation, and workplace advancement could bring tangible benefits to your clients and establish your credibility as a valuable mentor.

Moreover, with the flexibility for in-person or virtual meetings, you could scale your coaching efforts and build a robust client base. This entrepreneurial venture would allow you to monetize your motivational and human resources skills, setting your own schedule and empowering clients to achieve their professional goals. Such a business not only offers financial rewards but also the gratification of making a significant impact on others' careers.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

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3. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)

Starting a podcast could offer you a unique opportunity to supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer. By leveraging your specialized knowledge, you could create valuable content that caters to an audience interested in cybersecurity and development operations. This can position you as an expert in the field, attracting a dedicated following and potentially drawing sponsor deals or advertisement opportunities.

Moreover, because podcasting can be started on a budget, the barrier to entry is low. With just a microphone, headphones, and a hosting platform, you could begin sharing your insights and experiences. Over time, as your audience grows, you could monetize the podcast through sponsored episodes, affiliate marketing, or even premium content, contributing significantly to your income and helping you achieve six figures.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week

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4. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)

Starting a YouTube channel could be an effective way to supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer and help you reach a six-figure salary. Given the incredible popularity of YouTube and its established monetization system, you could leverage your expertise to create valuable content that educates and entertains your audience, ranging from tutorials to industry insights.

By promoting your channel effectively and growing your viewers, you could qualify for the YouTube Partner Program, which requires a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months. Once you're part of the program, you could start earning through ad revenue, sponsored content, and even premium courses or consulting services, transforming your side hustle into a lucrative business opportunity.

How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

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5. Start a freelance writing business ($65.5K/month)

Starting a freelance writing business could significantly supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer and potentially help you reach six figures. Leveraging your expertise in cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and continuous integration/delivery, you could offer specialized content creation services such as technical articles, tutorials, and white papers. Given your strong writing skills, ability to meet deadlines, and staying current with writing tools, you likely have the attributes needed to succeed as a freelance writer.

This career choice provides the flexibility to work on your own schedule, allowing you to balance your engineering responsibilities while generating additional revenue. By establishing yourself in various niches—particularly those aligned with your DevSecOps background—you could attract high-paying clients and projects. With proper communication skills and a self-starter attitude, the potential to transform your freelance writing gig into a fully-fledged side business is well within your reach.

How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)

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6. Start a social media marketing agency ($116K/month)

Starting a social media marketing agency could be an excellent way to supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer, enabling you to reach the coveted six-figure mark. Leveraging your technical skills, you could automate marketing efforts using social media tools, which allows you to serve customers efficiently without committing a considerable amount of time.

This side business not only helps you clear utility bills or save for a vacation but also offers the flexibility to handle alongside your primary job. Developing a robust social media marketing strategy and creating a compelling agency portfolio will help you attract clients, allowing you to scale the business and significantly boost your income. If you are entrepreneurially minded, this could be a lucrative and fulfilling venture.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week

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7. Digital products ($261K/month)

As a DevSecOps engineer with a keen entrepreneurial spirit, you could significantly boost your income by creating and selling digital products. Digital products, such as specialized software tools, eBooks on security best practices, or comprehensive online courses about DevSecOps methodologies, are effortless to develop and distribute. Given your technical expertise, crafting these products requires minimal additional resources and can be done in your spare time.

An added advantage of digital products is that they don’t involve inventory management, allowing you to sell them directly from your website. The scalability of digital goods means you can reach a global audience, substantially increasing your earning potential. By leveraging your unique knowledge and skills, you could establish a profitable side business that complements your career, potentially helping you achieve that six-figure income.

How much you can make: $10,417 — $1,766,666/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

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8. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)

Starting an affiliate marketer business could supplement your income as a DevSecOps engineer by leveraging your technical expertise to promote cybersecurity products or services. This venture requires minimal upfront investment since you don’t have to create or own the products yourself, making it accessible and low-risk. You could use your knowledge of the industry to identify high-quality products that resonate with your audience, thereby driving traffic and sales and earning commissions on successful referrals.

To get started, you could sign up for affiliate programs within relevant niches and receive unique tracking links for the products you choose to promote. By strategically using your marketing skills, you could potentially generate a substantial side income or even transition this into a full-time business, significantly boosting your earnings towards the six-figure mark.

How much you can make: $18,000 — $83,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

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9. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)

Starting an eCommerce store could serve as a lucrative side business or even a main venture, allowing you to supplement your income and potentially make six figures as a DevSecOps engineer. With the boom in online shopping due to its convenience and efficiency, an eCommerce business benefits from lower overhead costs and a wider reach compared to traditional brick-and-mortar stores. You could leverage your technical skills to set up a secure, efficient online platform where customers can browse and purchase products effortlessly.

As a DevSecOps engineer, you could automate many backend processes, from inventory management to payment processing, making the operation smoother and more efficient. The eCommerce sector's scalability allows you to reach a global audience, increasing your revenue potential significantly. By combining your engineering expertise with entrepreneurial skills, you open up the possibility of creating a highly profitable online business while maintaining your primary career.

How much you can make: $350 — $13,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

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10. Create an online course ($91.9K/month)

Creating an online course is a lucrative way to supplement your income and potentially make six figures as a DevSecOps engineer. By identifying educational gaps in DevSecOps and developing specialized video lessons and supplementary materials, you could tap into the growing demand for knowledge in this field.

Offering self-paced or cohort-based learning options, you have the flexibility to build a student base and generate passive income. If you enjoy sharing information, launching an online course platform allows you to monetize your expertise with minimal startup costs, catering to lifelong learners eager for convenient access to specialized subjects.

How much you can make: $350 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)

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11. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)

Starting a career as a social media influencer could open up exciting opportunities for you to supplement your income and potentially reach six figures as a DevSecOps engineer. By leveraging platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, you could share your expertise on cybersecurity, DevOps practices, and emerging technologies, positioning yourself as an authoritative voice in the field. As you build credibility and gain followers, brands and tech companies may approach you for sponsorships, partnerships, and paid promotions, adding extra revenue streams to your primary job.

Creating high-quality, engaging content around your niche could attract a sizable and dedicated audience, leading to monetization through ad revenue, affiliate marketing, and even online courses. Additionally, your influence as a thought leader could result in consulting gigs, speaking engagements, and collaborations that further enhance your professional reputation and financial success. By strategically focusing on content that resonates with both followers and industry needs, you could effectively turn your social media presence into a profitable side business or full-fledged career.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $166,666/month

How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)

How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)

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meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.