Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$57,710
- 25th Percentile — Junior$75,850
- 50th Percentile — Median$100,390
- 75th Percentile — Senior$130,680
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$160,460
The top 10% of Computer Programmers earn $160,460 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $57,710, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $159,858 | +52.0% |
| Massachusetts | $127,520 | +21.3% |
| Washington | $126,540 | +20.3% |
| Virginia | $122,060 | +16.1% |
| Connecticut | $121,270 | +15.3% |
| California | $119,900 | +14.0% |
| Oklahoma | $119,380 | +13.5% |
| Colorado | $119,260 | +13.4% |
| Maine | $117,430 | +11.7% |
| Maryland | $117,210 | +11.4% |
| New York | $115,900 | +10.2% |
| New Jersey | $114,950 | +9.3% |
| Arkansas | $112,070 | +6.6% |
| Hawaii | $111,530 | +6.0% |
| Delaware (est.) | $110,428 | +5.0% |
| Oregon | $110,390 | +5.0% |
| Rhode Island | $105,300 | +0.1% |
| Utah | $103,490 | -1.6% |
| Arizona | $102,710 | -2.3% |
| Nevada | $102,130 | -2.9% |
| Georgia | $101,520 | -3.5% |
| Kentucky | $101,200 | -3.8% |
| Texas | $100,740 | -4.2% |
| South Carolina | $100,720 | -4.2% |
| Minnesota | $100,530 | -4.4% |
| Kansas | $99,410 | -5.5% |
| Nebraska | $99,020 | -5.8% |
| Indiana | $98,340 | -6.5% |
| Alaska | $98,240 | -6.6% |
| North Dakota | $97,550 | -7.2% |
| Florida | $96,940 | -7.8% |
| Wisconsin (est.) | $96,756 | -8.0% |
| Alabama | $96,410 | -8.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $95,820 | -8.9% |
| Ohio | $93,010 | -11.6% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $92,550 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $92,550 | -12.0% |
| Montana | $91,670 | -12.8% |
| Missouri | $91,390 | -13.1% |
| New Mexico | $91,280 | -13.2% |
| Idaho | $90,990 | -13.5% |
| Vermont | $88,720 | -15.6% |
| Wyoming | $88,620 | -15.7% |
| Illinois | $87,660 | -16.6% |
| Iowa | $87,010 | -17.3% |
| North Carolina | $81,740 | -22.3% |
| New Hampshire | $79,720 | -24.2% |
| Michigan | $77,870 | -26.0% |
| Mississippi | $75,920 | -27.8% |
| West Virginia | $75,360 | -28.3% |
| South Dakota | $67,940 | -35.4% |
What Factors Affect Computer Programmers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Computer Programmers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Massachusetts pays an average of $127,520, while South Dakota pays $67,940 — a gap of $59,580 per year.
The middle half of Computer Programmers earn between $75,850 and $130,680 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $57,710, while the top 10% earn more than $160,460.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Software Developers $148,100/yr United States +40.8% vs this role
- Information Security Analysts $132,510/yr United States +26.0% vs this role
- Data Scientists $126,800/yr United States +20.6% vs this role
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts $111,490/yr United States +6.0% vs this role
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators $103,680/yr United States 1.4% vs this role
- Computer Network Architects $139,580/yr United States +32.7% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 3.6% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +30.6% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Computer Programmers?
The average salary for Computer Programmers in the United States is $105,170 per year, with a median of $100,390.
What is the starting salary for Computer Programmers?
Entry-level Computer Programmers typically earn between $57,710 and $75,850 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Computer Programmers the most?
Massachusetts pays Computer Programmers the most at $127,520 per year on average, followed by Washington ($126,540) and Virginia ($122,060).
How much do Computer Programmers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $105,170, Computer Programmers earn approximately $50.56 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Computer Programmers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 92,230 Computer Programmers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $105,170 and a median of $100,390 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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