Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

15-1131 Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code, forms, and script that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software developers or other individuals. May assist software developers by analyzing user needs and designing software solutions. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
320,100 1.2 % $36.54 $76,010 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $20.06 $26.37 $34.92 $44.48 $55.58
Annual Wage (2) $41,710 $54,850 $72,630 $92,510 $115,610

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 115,010 7.67 $36.92 $76,800
Software Publishers 15,770 5.95 $39.10 $81,330
Management of Companies and Enterprises 14,790 0.78 $36.46 $75,830
Employment Services 13,790 0.47 $34.68 $72,140
Insurance Carriers 10,090 0.87 $36.33 $75,570

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 115,010 7.67 $36.92 $76,800
Software Publishers 15,770 5.95 $39.10 $81,330
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 9,550 4.00 $36.48 $75,870
Securities and Commodity Exchanges 180 2.48 $34.68 $72,130
Other Information Services 3,180 2.13 $39.64 $82,450

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 80 0.02 $53.20 $110,660
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 50 0.13 $47.77 $99,360
Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage 2,540 0.55 $47.48 $98,770
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 1,600 1.01 $46.41 $96,540
Other Financial Investment Activities 1,340 0.39 $46.00 $95,670

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 37,680 2.68 1.08 $41.11 $85,510
New York 27,510 3.26 1.31 $38.36 $79,800
Texas 24,630 2.39 0.96 $38.02 $79,090
Illinois 19,220 3.45 1.38 $36.36 $75,620
Florida 17,010 2.38 0.95 $33.72 $70,140




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utah 5,050 4.34 1.74 $36.61 $76,150
Washington 10,610 3.90 1.56 $44.20 $91,940
New Jersey 14,710 3.90 1.56 $39.55 $82,270
Idaho 2,130 3.59 1.44 $26.28 $54,660
Illinois 19,220 3.45 1.38 $36.36 $75,620




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 10,610 3.90 1.56 $44.20 $91,940
California 37,680 2.68 1.08 $41.11 $85,510
Massachusetts 7,430 2.35 0.94 $41.06 $85,400
District of Columbia 2,020 3.14 1.26 $40.95 $85,180
New Mexico 1,070 1.38 0.55 $40.64 $84,540





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 20,230 4.00 1.60 $39.81 $82,810
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 15,380 4.29 1.72 $37.72 $78,450
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 9,290 6.78 2.72 $45.55 $94,740
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 9,120 2.39 0.96 $40.73 $84,730
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 8,850 3.83 1.54 $38.92 $80,950
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 8,440 4.13 1.65 $41.54 $86,400
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 7,750 3.48 1.39 $37.52 $78,050
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 6,040 3.33 1.33 $35.87 $74,600
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 5,460 2.14 0.86 $37.32 $77,630
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 5,390 3.22 1.29 $42.32 $88,020




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 2,210 11.20 4.49 $32.45 $67,490
Jefferson City, MO 680 9.58 3.84 $24.81 $51,610
Provo-Orem, UT 1,580 9.19 3.68 $31.70 $65,940
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 2,900 6.84 2.74 $34.52 $71,790
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 9,290 6.78 2.72 $45.55 $94,740
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 1,780 6.66 2.67 $47.91 $99,650
Bloomington-Normal, IL 580 6.64 2.66 $32.95 $68,530
Huntsville, AL 1,300 6.44 2.58 $38.31 $79,690
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 1,350 6.21 2.49 $38.76 $80,630
Tallahassee, FL 910 5.71 2.29 $28.18 $58,610