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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

15-1251 Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.


National estimates for Computer Programmers
Industry profile for Computer Programmers
Geographic profile for Computer Programmers

National estimates for Computer Programmers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Computer Programmers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
132,740 2.8 % $ 49.42 $ 102,790 1.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Computer Programmers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 26.11 $ 34.84 $ 47.02 $ 59.64 $ 75.81
Annual Wage (2) $ 54,310 $ 72,460 $ 97,800 $ 124,060 $ 157,690


Industry profile for Computer Programmers:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Computer Programmers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 47,440 1.92 $ 48.45 $ 100,780
Software Publishers 8,330 1.36 $ 52.20 $ 108,580
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 7,110 0.24 $ 42.08 $ 87,530
Scientific Research and Development Services 5,820 0.67 $ 65.87 $ 137,020
Management of Companies and Enterprises 5,650 0.21 $ 51.53 $ 107,180

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Computer Programmers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 47,440 1.92 $ 48.45 $ 100,780
Software Publishers 8,330 1.36 $ 52.20 $ 108,580
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services 4,480 0.99 $ 52.64 $ 109,480
Scientific Research and Development Services 5,820 0.67 $ 65.87 $ 137,020
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 2,210 0.59 $ 63.73 $ 132,560

Top paying industries for Computer Programmers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying 30 0.03 $ 67.20 $ 139,780
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 550 0.35 $ 65.87 $ 137,020
Scientific Research and Development Services 5,820 0.67 $ 65.87 $ 137,020
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 2,210 0.59 $ 63.73 $ 132,560
Local Messengers and Local Delivery 40 0.02 $ 62.32 $ 129,620


Geographic profile for Computer Programmers:

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



Map of employment of computer programmers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Computer Programmers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 19,050 1.08 1.20 $ 58.97 $ 122,660
New York 10,130 1.11 1.24 $ 52.37 $ 108,940
Texas 9,840 0.76 0.84 $ 44.98 $ 93,570
Pennsylvania 7,320 1.26 1.40 $ 46.92 $ 97,590
New Jersey 6,770 1.65 1.83 $ 53.88 $ 112,070


Map of location quotient of computer programmers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Computer Programmers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utah 2,850 1.75 1.95 $ 48.00 $ 99,840
Arkansas 2,090 1.70 1.89 $ 40.34 $ 83,910
Massachusetts 6,040 1.69 1.89 $ 53.49 $ 111,270
New Jersey 6,770 1.65 1.83 $ 53.88 $ 112,070
Alaska 500 1.64 1.83 $ 46.85 $ 97,440


Map of annual mean wages of computer programmers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Computer Programmers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 2,500 0.74 0.82 $ 60.73 $ 126,320
California 19,050 1.08 1.20 $ 58.97 $ 122,660
Colorado 2,140 0.77 0.86 $ 57.87 $ 120,370
Virginia 2,900 0.75 0.83 $ 57.41 $ 119,410
New Jersey 6,770 1.65 1.83 $ 53.88 $ 112,070



Map of employment of computer programmers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Computer Programmers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,340 1.13 1.25 $ 57.97 $ 120,580
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,220 1.56 1.74 $ 55.26 $ 114,940
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,190 1.75 1.95 $ 64.89 $ 134,960
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,030 0.66 0.74 $ 52.39 $ 108,960
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,690 2.48 2.76 $ 61.76 $ 128,450
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,600 1.19 1.32 $ 59.90 $ 124,580
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,500 0.92 1.02 $ 46.27 $ 96,230
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,100 2.76 3.08 $ 70.63 $ 146,900
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,610 0.94 1.05 $ 48.86 $ 101,620
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,070 0.93 1.04 $ 42.27 $ 87,910


Map of location quotient of computer programmers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Computer Programmers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State College, PA 320 4.89 5.45 $ 36.19 $ 75,270
Bloomington, IN 310 4.33 4.83 $ 36.99 $ 76,950
Tallahassee, FL 740 4.19 4.67 $ 31.62 $ 65,770
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 1,480 3.46 3.86 $ 41.91 $ 87,180
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,100 2.76 3.08 $ 70.63 $ 146,900
Madison, WI 1,040 2.70 3.01 $ 56.02 $ 116,510
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,690 2.48 2.76 $ 61.76 $ 128,450
Provo-Orem, UT 710 2.48 2.76 $ 50.42 $ 104,870
Montgomery, AL 370 2.36 2.63 $ 39.95 $ 83,090
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 770 2.35 2.62 $ 51.67 $ 107,470


Map of annual mean wages of computer programmers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Computer Programmers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boulder, CO 370 1.93 2.15 $ 71.67 $ 149,080
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,100 2.76 3.08 $ 70.63 $ 146,900
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,190 1.75 1.95 $ 64.89 $ 134,960
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,020 0.99 1.10 $ 64.30 $ 133,750
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,690 2.48 2.76 $ 61.76 $ 128,450
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,600 1.19 1.32 $ 59.90 $ 124,580
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO (8) (8) (8) $ 59.06 $ 122,850
Dalton, GA 50 0.77 0.86 $ 58.82 $ 122,340
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,340 1.13 1.25 $ 57.97 $ 120,580
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,150 0.44 0.49 $ 57.52 $ 119,650

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Computer Programmers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 180 0.95 1.06 (8) (8)
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 150 0.96 1.07 $ 41.25 $ 85,810
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 1.56 $ 46.24 $ 96,170
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 130 0.92 1.03 $ 37.30 $ 77,590
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 130 0.67 0.75 $ 40.41 $ 84,050

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Computer Programmers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 100 1.42 1.58 $ 38.15 $ 79,350
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 1.56 $ 46.24 $ 96,170
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 100 1.22 1.36 $ 35.70 $ 74,260
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 40 1.21 1.34 $ 35.47 $ 73,780
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 150 0.96 1.07 $ 41.25 $ 85,810

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Computer Programmers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Big Thicket Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 0.34 $ 50.24 $ 104,510
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 60 0.23 0.25 $ 47.35 $ 98,490
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.15 0.17 $ 47.19 $ 98,160
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 1.56 $ 46.24 $ 96,170
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.22 0.24 $ 46.07 $ 95,830


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023