Computer programmer earnings by seniority

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Computer programmer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Washington $131,520
District of Columbia $106,150
Illinois $76,718
Minnesota $86,710
California $95,370
Massachusetts $92,200
Colorado $92,680
North Carolina $91,340
Montana $68,690
Virginia $92,550
Connecticut $91,980
Maryland $88,860
Georgia $87,770
Texas $84,980
New York $85,450
Florida $78,890
Alaska $84,840
New Jersey $76,320
Maine $82,230
Arizona $79,070
Utah $79,750
West Virginia $66,220
Oklahoma $79,620
Alabama $76,071
Tennessee $77,490
South Carolina $75,680
Vermont $73,680
Nevada $81,700
Delaware $77,260
Oregon $81,260
Wisconsin $75,480
Indiana $70,617
Pennsylvania $72,146
Louisiana $66,550
Kentucky $70,991
Nebraska $74,920
Missouri $76,140
Michigan $75,080
North Dakota $71,030
New Hampshire $73,850
Ohio $72,780
Kansas $68,353
Mississippi $71,870
New Mexico $71,040
Wyoming $64,740
Idaho $65,053
Hawaii $67,403
Arkansas $64,799
Iowa $58,082
South Dakota $55,950
Puerto Rico $42,190

How much does a Computer Programmer earn?

Since computer programming can be done from anywhere in the world, companies often hire programmers in countries where wages are lower. This ongoing trend is projected to limit growth for computer programmers in the United States, and employment is projected to decline by eight percent from 2014 to 2024 according to the BLS. However, there are high costs associated with managing projects given to overseas programmers, and these costs can offset the savings from the lower wages, causing some companies to bring back or keep programming jobs in the United States.

A computer programmer's work varies greatly, and so do typical starting salaries. reported that entry-level computer programmers earned a median wage of $51,174 in September 2015.

The highest computer programmer salaries are in the metropolitan areas of Seattle, Vallejo, California, Oxnard, California, Albuquerque, New Mexico and the District of Columbia. Computer Programmers tend to make the most in the following industries:

Finance and Insurance - $78,580
Information - $78,500
Manufacturing - $78,090
Wholesale Trade - $77,210
Transportation and Warehousing - $77,000
Utilities - $76,180

How do computer programmer salaries compare to similar careers?

Computer programmers earn about the same as related careers in Iowa. On average, they make less than statisticians but more than audio engineers.

Career Median Salary
Statistician salary $74K
Online merchant salary $64K
Web developer salary $58K
Bioinformatics scientist salary $63K
Hydroelectric plant technician salary $62K
Computer programmer salary $58K
Technical writer salary $57K
Industrial designer salary $58K
Computer repair technician salary $52K
Audio engineer salary $51K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)