15 Series · SOC 15-1251
Computer Programmers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $100,390
- Median / year
- +1.7%
- 2024→2025
- $160,460
- Top 10% earn
- -6%
- Growth '24–'34
- 92,230
- Estimated US jobs
Computer Programmers earn a median of $100,390 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $100,390, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $57,710 (10th percentile) to $160,460 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 92,230 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Connecticut ($133,820).
The pay verdict
Computer Programmers earn a median of $100,390, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 84% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Computer and Mathematical, it ranks #15 of 21 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2034.
- $100,390
- Median annual wage
- Top 16%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #15 of 21
- in Computer and Mathematical
- 2.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $133,820. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Computer Programmers moved from $86,550 in May 2019 to $100,390 in May 2025 (+16.0%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Computer Programmers sits -8.5 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Computer Programmers (SOC 15-1251) has a national median of $100,390 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $57,710 to $160,460, and the published mean is $105,170. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 92,230 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 47 state or territory areas and 249 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $98,670 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $100,390 in May 2025, a rise of $1,720 (+1.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 5,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Computer and Mathematical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $133,820, which is +33% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Boulder, CO at $155,030. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$100,390
per year
Median Hourly
$48.26/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$105,170
average
Employment
92,230
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Computer Programmers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$100,390 Top 16% higher than 84% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 (this entry) | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$100,390 · 84th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 15-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Computer Programmers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Software Developers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.8%, Median annual wage $135980
- Computer User Suppor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $61860
- Computer Systems Ana…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $105850
- Computer Occupations…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.2%, Median annual wage $116580
- Network and Computer…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.2%, Median annual wage $99130
- Data Scientists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 33.5%, Median annual wage $120230
- Information Security…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 28.5%, Median annual wage $129180
- Software Quality Ass…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10%, Median annual wage $104300
- Computer Network Arc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.9%, Median annual wage $134050
- Computer Network Sup…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $76220
- Web and Digital Inte…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $104000
- Operations Research …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 21.5%, Median annual wage $88940
- Computer Programmers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6%, Median annual wage $100390
- Web Developers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.5%, Median annual wage $92650
- Database Administrat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $104620
- Database Architects: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $139500
- Computer and Informa…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 19.7%, Median annual wage $140300
- Statisticians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $105650
- Actuaries: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 21.8%, Median annual wage $130000
- Mathematical Science…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $81490
- Mathematicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $126710
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-6%
Declining
Annual Openings
5,500
per year (projected)
Employment Change
-7,200
121,200 (2024) → 113,900 (2034)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Computer and Mathematical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
1/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Computer Programmers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Write, analyze, review, and rewrite programs, using workflow chart and diagram, and applying knowledge of computer capabilities, subject matter, and symbolic logic.
- ▸ Correct errors by making appropriate changes and rechecking the program to ensure that the desired results are produced.
- ▸ Perform or direct revision, repair, or expansion of existing programs to increase operating efficiency or adapt to new requirements.
- ▸ Write, update, and maintain computer programs or software packages to handle specific jobs such as tracking inventory, storing or retrieving data, or controlling other equipment.
- ▸ Consult with managerial, engineering, and technical personnel to clarify program intent, identify problems, and suggest changes.
- ▸ Conduct trial runs of programs and software applications to be sure they will produce the desired information and that the instructions are correct.
- ▸ Prepare detailed workflow charts and diagrams that describe input, output, and logical operation, and convert them into a series of instructions coded in a computer language.
- ▸ Compile and write documentation of program development and subsequent revisions, inserting comments in the coded instructions so others can understand the program.
- ▸ Train subordinates in programming and program coding.
- ▸ Consult with and assist computer operators or system analysts to define and resolve problems in running computer programs.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Computer Programmers pay history, 2019–2025
Published national median across 7 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $86,550 |
| 2020 | $89,190 |
| 2021 | $93,000 |
| 2022 | $97,800 |
| 2023 | $99,700 |
| 2024 | $98,670 |
| 2025 | $100,390 |
2019 median
$86,550
2025 median
$100,390
2019–2025 change
+$13,840 (+16%)
Avg/year
+2.5%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2019 | $86,550 | First banked release | 199,540 |
| May 2020 | $89,190 | +3.1% | 178,140 |
| May 2021 | $93,000 | +4.3% | 152,610 |
| May 2022 | $97,800 | +5.2% | 132,740 |
| May 2023 | $99,700 | +1.9% | 120,370 |
| May 2024 | $98,670 | -1.0% | 109,870 |
| May 2025 | $100,390 | +1.7% | 92,230 |
Across the 7 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $86,550 in May 2019 to $100,390 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.5% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 199,540 in May 2019 to 92,230 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 47 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $133,820 | +33% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $128,390 | +28% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $125,620 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $125,570 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Virginia | $121,610 | +21% above national |
| 6 | Hawaii | $118,180 | +18% above national |
| 7 | California | $116,760 | +16% above national |
| 8 | Arkansas | $111,840 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Minnesota | $107,250 | +7% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $104,940 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Utah | $104,890 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Colorado | $104,610 | +4% above national |
| 13 | New York | $103,980 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Maine | $101,780 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $99,780 | 1% below national |
| 16 | South Carolina | $99,740 | 1% below national |
| 17 | Oregon | $99,540 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Texas | $99,330 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Georgia | $98,380 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Indiana | $97,000 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $96,470 | 4% below national |
| 22 | Nebraska | $95,150 | 5% below national |
| 23 | Kentucky | $94,850 | 6% below national |
| 24 | Alabama | $93,800 | 7% below national |
| 25 | Nevada | $93,600 | 7% below national |
| 26 | Florida | $93,180 | 7% below national |
| 27 | Kansas | $92,960 | 7% below national |
| 28 | North Dakota | $92,280 | 8% below national |
| 29 | Alaska | $91,700 | 9% below national |
| 30 | Missouri | $90,420 | 10% below national |
| 31 | Montana | $89,920 | 10% below national |
| 32 | Vermont | $89,560 | 11% below national |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $89,180 | 11% below national |
| 34 | Idaho | $89,020 | 11% below national |
| 35 | Arizona | $88,990 | 11% below national |
| 36 | Ohio | $85,270 | 15% below national |
| 37 | Mississippi | $85,120 | 15% below national |
| 38 | New Mexico | $83,750 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Wyoming | $81,640 | 19% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $81,070 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Iowa | $79,180 | 21% below national |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $74,000 | 26% below national |
| 43 | Illinois | $72,540 | 28% below national |
| 44 | Michigan | $65,860 | 34% below national |
| 45 | West Virginia | $65,320 | 35% below national |
| 46 | South Dakota | $58,240 | 42% below national |
| 47 | Puerto Rico | $51,310 | 49% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 207 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder, CO | $155,030 | +54% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $154,920 | +54% above national |
| 3 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $141,920 | +41% above national |
| 4 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $136,880 | +36% above national |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $134,130 | +34% above national |
| 6 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,850 | +32% above national |
| 7 | Bend, OR | $132,280 | +32% above national |
| 8 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $131,960 | +31% above national |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $130,790 | +30% above national |
| 10 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,730 | +30% above national |
| 11 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $130,390 | +30% above national |
| 12 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $128,900 | +28% above national |
| 13 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $128,240 | +28% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $126,750 | +26% above national |
| 15 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $125,240 | +25% above national |
| 16 | Visalia, CA | $121,710 | +21% above national |
| 17 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $119,330 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Worcester, MA | $119,010 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $118,000 | +18% above national |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $117,020 | +17% above national |
| 21 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $116,370 | +16% above national |
| 22 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $114,110 | +14% above national |
| 23 | Corvallis, OR | $113,950 | +14% above national |
| 24 | Iowa City, IA | $113,590 | +13% above national |
| 25 | Lexington Park, MD | $112,990 | +13% above national |
| 26 | Richmond, VA | $112,690 | +12% above national |
| 27 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $111,290 | +11% above national |
| 28 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $111,170 | +11% above national |
| 29 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $110,990 | +11% above national |
| 30 | Huntsville, AL | $110,110 | +10% above national |
| 31 | Charlottesville, VA | $109,770 | +9% above national |
| 32 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $109,690 | +9% above national |
| 33 | Vallejo, CA | $108,830 | +8% above national |
| 34 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $108,740 | +8% above national |
| 35 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $108,060 | +8% above national |
| 36 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $107,850 | +7% above national |
| 37 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $107,770 | +7% above national |
| 38 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $107,400 | +7% above national |
| 39 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $107,090 | +7% above national |
| 40 | Greenville, NC | $106,770 | +6% above national |
| 41 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $106,420 | +6% above national |
| 42 | New Haven, CT | $105,790 | +5% above national |
| 43 | Savannah, GA | $105,600 | +5% above national |
| 44 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $105,160 | +5% above national |
| 45 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $105,050 | +5% above national |
| 46 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $104,610 | +4% above national |
| 47 | Bellingham, WA | $104,240 | +4% above national |
| 48 | Reno, NV | $104,200 | +4% above national |
| 49 | Birmingham, AL | $103,750 | +3% above national |
| 50 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $103,600 | +3% above national |
| 51 | Modesto, CA | $103,250 | +3% above national |
| 52 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $103,070 | +3% above national |
| 53 | Salem, OR | $103,040 | +3% above national |
| 54 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $102,600 | +2% above national |
| 55 | Flagstaff, AZ | $102,300 | +2% above national |
| 56 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $102,240 | +2% above national |
| 57 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $102,150 | +2% above national |
| 58 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $102,070 | +2% above national |
| 59 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $101,910 | +2% above national |
| 60 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $101,830 | +1% above national |
| 61 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $101,810 | +1% above national |
| 62 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $101,640 | +1% above national |
| 63 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $101,530 | +1% above national |
| 64 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $101,420 | +1% above national |
| 65 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $101,190 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $101,020 | +1% above national |
| 67 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $100,700 | same as national |
| 68 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $100,650 | same as national |
| 69 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $100,450 | same as national |
| 70 | Merced, CA | $100,410 | same as national |
| 71 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,140 | same as national |
| 72 | Ogden, UT | $100,120 | same as national |
| 73 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $100,100 | same as national |
| 74 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $100,070 | same as national |
| 75 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $99,980 | same as national |
| 76 | Syracuse, NY | $99,920 | same as national |
| 77 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,750 | 1% below national |
| 78 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $99,520 | 1% below national |
| 79 | Fresno, CA | $99,370 | 1% below national |
| 80 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $99,150 | 1% below national |
| 81 | Jacksonville, FL | $99,050 | 1% below national |
| 82 | Reading, PA | $98,690 | 2% below national |
| 83 | Columbia, SC | $98,490 | 2% below national |
| 84 | Bangor, ME | $98,260 | 2% below national |
| 85 | Montgomery, AL | $97,710 | 3% below national |
| 86 | Evansville, IN | $97,630 | 3% below national |
| 87 | Madison, WI | $97,410 | 3% below national |
| 88 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $97,300 | 3% below national |
| 89 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $96,920 | 3% below national |
| 90 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $96,750 | 4% below national |
| 91 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $96,440 | 4% below national |
| 92 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $96,350 | 4% below national |
| 93 | Omaha, NE-IA | $95,150 | 5% below national |
| 94 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $94,260 | 6% below national |
| 95 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $93,600 | 7% below national |
| 96 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $93,510 | 7% below national |
| 97 | Topeka, KS | $92,960 | 7% below national |
| 98 | Wichita, KS | $92,960 | 7% below national |
| 99 | Roanoke, VA | $92,830 | 8% below national |
| 100 | Oklahoma City, OK | $92,790 | 8% below national |
| 101 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $92,600 | 8% below national |
| 102 | Lincoln, NE | $92,510 | 8% below national |
| 103 | Fargo, ND-MN | $92,280 | 8% below national |
| 104 | Boise City, ID | $92,270 | 8% below national |
| 105 | York-Hanover, PA | $91,760 | 9% below national |
| 106 | Santa Fe, NM | $91,600 | 9% below national |
| 107 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $91,180 | 9% below national |
| 108 | Anchorage, AK | $91,130 | 9% below national |
| 109 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $91,110 | 9% below national |
| 110 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $90,850 | 10% below national |
| 111 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $90,730 | 10% below national |
| 112 | Medford, OR | $90,570 | 10% below national |
| 113 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $90,040 | 10% below national |
| 114 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $89,380 | 11% below national |
| 115 | Tucson, AZ | $88,990 | 11% below national |
| 116 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $88,220 | 12% below national |
| 117 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $88,180 | 12% below national |
| 118 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $87,860 | 12% below national |
| 119 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $87,640 | 13% below national |
| 120 | Fort Wayne, IN | $87,630 | 13% below national |
| 121 | State College, PA | $87,610 | 13% below national |
| 122 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $87,100 | 13% below national |
| 123 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $86,970 | 13% below national |
| 124 | Waco, TX | $86,900 | 13% below national |
| 125 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $86,450 | 14% below national |
| 126 | Las Cruces, NM | $86,420 | 14% below national |
| 127 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $86,110 | 14% below national |
| 128 | Traverse City, MI | $85,590 | 15% below national |
| 129 | Ann Arbor, MI | $85,580 | 15% below national |
| 130 | Bloomington, IN | $85,580 | 15% below national |
| 131 | Pittsburgh, PA | $85,340 | 15% below national |
| 132 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $85,280 | 15% below national |
| 133 | Kenosha, WI | $85,020 | 15% below national |
| 134 | Lawrence, KS | $84,950 | 15% below national |
| 135 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $84,820 | 16% below national |
| 136 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $84,720 | 16% below national |
| 137 | Mankato, MN | $84,710 | 16% below national |
| 138 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $84,700 | 16% below national |
| 139 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $84,400 | 16% below national |
| 140 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $84,250 | 16% below national |
| 141 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $84,140 | 16% below national |
| 142 | Lancaster, PA | $83,990 | 16% below national |
| 143 | Winston-Salem, NC | $83,760 | 17% below national |
| 144 | Albuquerque, NM | $83,750 | 17% below national |
| 145 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $83,690 | 17% below national |
| 146 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $83,510 | 17% below national |
| 147 | Rochester, NY | $83,420 | 17% below national |
| 148 | Bismarck, ND | $83,160 | 17% below national |
| 149 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $82,750 | 18% below national |
| 150 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $82,560 | 18% below national |
| 151 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $81,970 | 18% below national |
| 152 | Green Bay, WI | $81,470 | 19% below national |
| 153 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $81,230 | 19% below national |
| 154 | Jefferson City, MO | $81,150 | 19% below national |
| 155 | Columbus, OH | $80,910 | 19% below national |
| 156 | Springfield, MO | $80,640 | 20% below national |
| 157 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $80,620 | 20% below national |
| 158 | Binghamton, NY | $80,510 | 20% below national |
| 159 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $80,060 | 20% below national |
| 160 | Toledo, OH | $79,770 | 21% below national |
| 161 | Mobile, AL | $79,640 | 21% below national |
| 162 | Wilmington, NC | $79,530 | 21% below national |
| 163 | Cleveland, OH | $79,290 | 21% below national |
| 164 | Appleton, WI | $79,270 | 21% below national |
| 165 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $79,200 | 21% below national |
| 166 | Gainesville, FL | $78,970 | 21% below national |
| 167 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $78,880 | 21% below national |
| 168 | Utica-Rome, NY | $78,770 | 22% below national |
| 169 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $78,730 | 22% below national |
| 170 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $78,250 | 22% below national |
| 171 | Akron, OH | $78,070 | 22% below national |
| 172 | Erie, PA | $78,060 | 22% below national |
| 173 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $77,880 | 22% below national |
| 174 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $77,730 | 23% below national |
| 175 | Ames, IA | $77,720 | 23% below national |
| 176 | St. Cloud, MN | $77,640 | 23% below national |
| 177 | Amarillo, TX | $77,570 | 23% below national |
| 178 | Asheville, NC | $77,460 | 23% below national |
| 179 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $77,220 | 23% below national |
| 180 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $76,530 | 24% below national |
| 181 | Longview, TX | $76,490 | 24% below national |
| 182 | Midland, TX | $75,640 | 25% below national |
| 183 | Corpus Christi, TX | $74,500 | 26% below national |
| 184 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $74,110 | 26% below national |
| 185 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $74,090 | 26% below national |
| 186 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $73,970 | 26% below national |
| 187 | Lafayette, LA | $73,470 | 27% below national |
| 188 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $73,440 | 27% below national |
| 189 | Wausau, WI | $73,250 | 27% below national |
| 190 | Tallahassee, FL | $72,680 | 28% below national |
| 191 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $72,430 | 28% below national |
| 192 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $72,430 | 28% below national |
| 193 | Dover, DE | $72,110 | 28% below national |
| 194 | Monroe, LA | $71,780 | 28% below national |
| 195 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $71,590 | 29% below national |
| 196 | Lubbock, TX | $70,260 | 30% below national |
| 197 | Jackson, MS | $70,090 | 30% below national |
| 198 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $68,790 | 31% below national |
| 199 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $68,090 | 32% below national |
| 200 | Flint, MI | $67,300 | 33% below national |
| 201 | Knoxville, TN | $66,760 | 33% below national |
| 202 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $65,530 | 35% below national |
| 203 | El Paso, TX | $65,220 | 35% below national |
| 204 | Rochester, MN | $65,070 | 35% below national |
| 205 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $62,810 | 37% below national |
| 206 | Springfield, IL | $61,160 | 39% below national |
| 207 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $51,460 | 49% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 15 (Computer and Mathematical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Actuaries
SOC 15-2011
Computer Network Architects
SOC 15-1241
Computer Network Support Specialists
SOC 15-1231
Computer Occupations, All Other
SOC 15-1299
Computer Systems Analysts
SOC 15-1211
Showing 5 of 20 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Computer and Mathematical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($100,390 here) and reported employment (92,230 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Computer Programmers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $130,680/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $133,820/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.