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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
178,140 1.8 % $ 45.98 $ 95,640 1.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Computer Programmers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 24.73 $ 32.39 $ 42.88 $ 55.87 $ 70.22
Annual Wage (2) $ 51,440 $ 67,370 $ 89,190 $ 116,220 $ 146,050


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 68,020 3.09 $ 45.59 $ 94,830
Software Publishers 10,030 2.06 $ 62.21 $ 129,410
Management of Companies and Enterprises 7,900 0.33 $ 46.88 $ 97,520
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 7,520 0.25 $ 38.24 $ 79,550
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 6,210 1.73 $ 49.21 $ 102,350

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 68,020 3.09 $ 45.59 $ 94,830
Software Publishers 10,030 2.06 $ 62.21 $ 129,410
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 6,210 1.73 $ 49.21 $ 102,350
Communications Equipment Manufacturing 540 0.64 $ 45.66 $ 94,980
Other Information Services 1,870 0.54 $ 56.66 $ 117,840

Top paying industries for Computer Programmers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers 10,030 2.06 $ 62.21 $ 129,410
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 70 0.34 $ 59.27 $ 123,280
Other Personal Services (8) (8) $ 57.29 $ 119,160
Other Information Services 1,870 0.54 $ 56.66 $ 117,840
Spectator Sports 30 0.03 $ 56.33 $ 117,160


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.





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 21,800 1.33 1.04 $ 51.59 $ 107,300
Texas 18,070 1.49 1.17 $ 49.35 $ 102,650
New York 12,910 1.48 1.16 $ 43.89 $ 91,290
Florida 8,310 0.98 0.77 $ 38.50 $ 80,070
Pennsylvania 7,420 1.35 1.05 $ 44.60 $ 92,760




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)
Rhode Island 1,090 2.47 1.93 (8) (8)
Maryland 5,880 2.33 1.82 $ 45.83 $ 95,320
Alabama 3,870 2.03 1.59 $ 42.33 $ 88,040
New Hampshire 1,230 1.99 1.56 $ 40.16 $ 83,530
New Jersey 7,120 1.88 1.47 $ 44.70 $ 92,980




Top paying states for Computer Programmers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 5,160 1.61 1.26 $ 85.20 $ 177,210
District of Columbia 360 0.53 0.41 $ 57.22 $ 119,010
California 21,800 1.33 1.04 $ 51.59 $ 107,300
Virginia 6,750 1.82 1.42 $ 49.59 $ 103,150
Texas 18,070 1.49 1.17 $ 49.35 $ 102,650





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 13,540 1.53 1.20 $ 46.28 $ 96,270
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,300 2.31 1.81 $ 53.87 $ 112,050
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 6,920 2.29 1.79 $ 50.51 $ 105,060
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,910 1.19 0.93 $ 47.38 $ 98,540
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,750 1.32 1.03 $ 49.84 $ 103,680
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,690 2.44 1.91 $ 60.30 $ 125,420
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,060 1.94 1.52 $ 49.27 $ 102,470
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 4,660 2.39 1.86 (8) (8)
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,510 1.67 1.31 $ 48.82 $ 101,530
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,660 3.32 2.59 $ 54.58 $ 113,530




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)
Bloomington, IN 340 5.01 3.91 $ 31.95 $ 66,450
California-Lexington Park, MD 220 4.92 3.84 $ 50.67 $ 105,390
Huntsville, AL 1,110 4.81 3.76 $ 41.94 $ 87,240
Dover-Durham, NH-ME 220 4.46 3.48 $ 45.81 $ 95,290
Tallahassee, FL 710 4.20 3.28 $ 31.03 $ 64,540
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 1,770 4.20 3.28 $ 38.68 $ 80,460
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 1,270 4.09 3.19 $ 47.50 $ 98,790
Ithaca, NY 180 4.01 3.13 $ 44.39 $ 92,320
Madison, WI 1,330 3.47 2.71 $ 51.95 $ 108,060
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,660 3.32 2.59 $ 54.58 $ 113,530




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)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,690 2.44 1.91 $ 60.30 $ 125,420
Midland, TX 40 0.36 0.28 $ 57.40 $ 119,390
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,660 3.32 2.59 $ 54.58 $ 113,530
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,300 2.31 1.81 $ 53.87 $ 112,050
Mobile, AL (8) (8) (8) $ 52.59 $ 109,380
Madison, WI 1,330 3.47 2.71 $ 51.95 $ 108,060
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 1,170 2.21 1.73 $ 51.83 $ 107,800
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 50 0.36 0.28 $ 51.60 $ 107,340
Killeen-Temple, TX 220 1.64 1.28 $ 50.85 $ 105,770
California-Lexington Park, MD 220 4.92 3.84 $ 50.67 $ 105,390

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 Montana nonmetropolitan area 450 3.32 2.59 $ 41.04 $ 85,360
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 230 1.23 0.96 $ 37.90 $ 78,830
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 210 0.67 0.52 $ 37.10 $ 77,170
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 170 0.88 0.69 $ 38.68 $ 80,450
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 170 1.69 1.32 (8) (8)

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)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 450 3.32 2.59 $ 41.04 $ 85,360
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 170 1.69 1.32 (8) (8)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 160 1.60 1.25 $ 44.79 $ 93,160
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 230 1.23 0.96 $ 37.90 $ 78,830
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 130 1.07 0.84 $ 32.30 $ 67,190

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)
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 47.05 $ 97,870
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 140 0.70 0.54 $ 46.62 $ 96,970
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 50 0.52 0.40 $ 45.39 $ 94,420
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 160 1.60 1.25 $ 44.79 $ 93,160
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 70 0.41 0.32 $ 43.09 $ 89,630


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021