It is very valuable option these is absolutely no oversaturation, there is more demand than supply of good(!) software engineers. This will always be needed, and if you keep evolving as computer man, you will never run out of good money especially if you throw yourself at it for a good amount of years.

P.S. of course it depends on location (supply/demand), but then again, corona enabled us to work from home.

Yeah I’m 26 and I’ve gone back to college to study IT for two years. No point in breaking your back for peanuts working on a construction site.

I’ve been working through an online course for learning web software development (HTML, CSS, JS)

HTML and CSS are not software. JS is.

but I’ve read several things about the oversaturation of the market.

Look at job listings. Call five job agents and say "I'm learning how to be a software whatever.... what skills do you recommend? if I do this course, can I get a job?"

I am close to the sware industry: it is NOT over saturated with talented software developers competing to earn $35k a year, far from it. I know less about web development though - that looks easier and more likely to be saturated.

I’m pretty good at what I’ve learned so far, but I want to find the quickest path to making more money that I can

If you like software and if you are good at it, you should be earning 60k without any trouble at all within a year. You have to be good, work hard, learn fast, develop your skills, and not be disillusioned about what's involved. It's a great career.

. It is a little overwhelming when looking at the massive shifts I need to make in my life.

Not really. Write some software at home, get a job, work hard and be great at it, get a better job. I know lots of people who have done exactly this starting with less than you have now.

Currently a virgin… at 28… embarrassing.

Who cares. You're young, there's lots of time.

But moving to change this obviously. Thanks in advance for any input.

Well, two things here.

Being a software developer is fine with women. They'll sense your passion and enjoy it and find it attractive.

Meet more girls, physically escalate, learn and enjoy the process. Losing your virginity will make only one difference in your life: you'll no longer be a virgin. It's not a big deal, don't pressure yourself.

You want to have great times with cute girls, so get on that. Ignore your past...... fuck it, ignore your present. Focus on where you wanna go. It's worth it.