Computer Network Support Specialists vs Computer Programmers

Side-by-side salary and career comparison using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Computer Network Support Specialists

$73,340

median annual salary

Computer Programmers

$98,670

median annual salary

Computer Programmers earns $25,330 more per year (26% higher)

Salary & Career Comparison

Metric Computer Network Support Specialists Computer Programmers
Median Salary $73,340 $98,670
Median Hourly $35.26/hr $47.44/hr
Mean Salary $79,610 $103,640
10th Percentile $46,010 $52,190
90th Percentile $124,470 $162,090
Total Employment 146,450 109,870
Job Growth (2023–2033) +1.8% -6%
Annual Openings 9.6 5.5
Education Associate's degree Bachelor's degree
Work Experience None None

Salary by State

States where both occupations have reported wage data, sorted by salary difference.

State Computer Network Support Specialists Computer Programmers Difference
District of Columbia $86,730 $82,580 +$4,150
Puerto Rico $47,160 $43,010 +$4,150
Maryland $99,780 $103,000 $-3,220
South Dakota $52,120 $56,520 $-4,400
Arizona $65,340 $71,930 $-6,590
Michigan $61,890 $68,790 $-6,900
New Hampshire $73,640 $80,880 $-7,240
Pennsylvania $73,750 $84,770 $-11,020
Alaska $77,760 $88,930 $-11,170
Vermont $65,790 $78,230 $-12,440
West Virginia $51,670 $65,140 $-13,470
Idaho $66,910 $80,390 $-13,480
New Jersey $88,440 $102,770 $-14,330
Rhode Island $80,220 $94,560 $-14,340
Mississippi $50,600 $65,120 $-14,520
North Carolina $79,680 $95,770 $-16,090
Indiana $67,440 $83,670 $-16,230
Texas $64,440 $80,820 $-16,380
North Dakota $70,740 $88,910 $-18,170
Illinois $64,800 $83,460 $-18,660

Showing top 20 of 52 states.

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Common Questions

Which pays more, Computer Network Support Specialists or Computer Programmers?
Computer Programmers pays more, with a median annual salary of $98,670 compared to $73,340 — a difference of $25,330 per year.
Which has better job outlook?
Computer Network Support Specialists has faster projected growth at 1.8% from 2023 to 2033, compared to -6% for Computer Programmers.
Where does this data come from?
All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. Job outlook data comes from the BLS Employment Projections program covering 2023-2033.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024.