No you do not need a degree, although it can help.

I have worked with several people that do not have degrees.

The common characteristics i have found between both sides are:

• Ability to problem solve
• Keen interest in programming
• Great research skills
• Not being afraid of trying new techniques and learning from the failure
• As always – being able to communicate with your colleagues, boss, clients/customers.

If you have these skills then you are nearly there!

Post taken from my answer on Quora Do you need a degree to be a programmer?