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Role hub · Computer Programmers

Computer Programmer: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Nov 2, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of computer programmers earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$100,390
Hourly
$48.26
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Computer Programmers create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. The median pay is $100,390 a year ($48.26 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a bachelor's degree (88% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$100,390
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
92,230
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 4 of 5
considerable preparation
Most common education
Bachelor's Degree
88% of workers
Key facts

Computer Programmers at a glance

  • Computer programmers in the United States earned a median annual wage of $100,390 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

  • In its 2025–35 employment projections, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for computer programmers in the United States.

    Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35

  • BLS projects employment of computer programmers in the United States to decline 7.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,400 openings a year on average, including replacement openings.

    Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35

  • BLS estimated that 92,230 people were employed as computer programmers in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the role

Every page for Computer Programmers

SalaryComputer Programmer salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomeComputer Programmer how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

Open →ResumeComputer Programmer resume

Keywords, bullet formulas and the skills to prove.

Open →Interview questionsComputer Programmer interview questions

Questions with what they test, plus practice mode.

Open →Career changeComputer Programmer career change

Where these skills transfer, with skill match and pay change.

Open →Free toolCheck your resume

Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

Open →
The work

What computer programmers do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Write, analyze, review, and rewrite programs, using workflow chart and diagram, and applying knowledge of computer capabilities, subject matter, and symbolic logic.
  2. Correct errors by making appropriate changes and rechecking the program to ensure that the desired results are produced.
  3. Perform or direct revision, repair, or expansion of existing programs to increase operating efficiency or adapt to new requirements.
  4. Write, update, and maintain computer programs or software packages to handle specific jobs such as tracking inventory, storing or retrieving data, or controlling other equipment.
  5. Consult with managerial, engineering, and technical personnel to clarify program intent, identify problems, and suggest changes.
  6. Conduct trial runs of programs and software applications to be sure they will produce the desired information and that the instructions are correct.
  7. Prepare detailed workflow charts and diagrams that describe input, output, and logical operation, and convert them into a series of instructions coded in a computer language.
  8. Compile and write documentation of program development and subsequent revisions, inserting comments in the coded instructions so others can understand the program.
Where this career works

Industries that employ it

Data Share of all computer programmer jobs in each industry, 2025 (BLS Employment Matrix).

  1. Professional, scientific, and technical services34.5% of all jobs in this occupation · -3.5% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $104,810
  2. Educational services; state, local, and private9.9% of all jobs in this occupation · -12.6% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $98,630
  3. Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals7.4% of all jobs in this occupation · -12.8% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $96,520
  4. Insurance carriers and related activities2.9% of all jobs in this occupation · -9.5% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $103,940
  5. Management of companies and enterprises2.8% of all jobs in this occupation · -11.1% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $110,990
  6. Administrative and support services2.8% of all jobs in this occupation · -13.8% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $113,690

Sources: BLS 2025–35 National Employment Matrix (share of the occupation's jobs, projected change) and BLS OEWS May 2025 industry estimates (mean wage). Different industry estimates are not a pay forecast for any person.

Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

ProgrammingcoreComplex Problem SolvingcoreActive ListeningcoreCritical ThinkingQuality Control AnalysisSystems AnalysisReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingWriting

Knowledge areas: Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management.

Tools and technology

Software computer programmers use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Extensible markup language XMLEnterprise application integration softwareIn demand
  • GitFile versioning softwareIn demand
  • SASAnalytical or scientific softwareIn demand
  • Adobe IllustratorGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Adobe PhotoshopGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Amazon DynamoDBData base management system softwareHot technology
  • Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormationCloud-based management softwareHot technology
  • Ansible softwareExpert system softwareHot technology
  • Apache CassandraData base management system softwareHot technology
  • Apache HadoopData base management system softwareHot technology
  • Apache Subversion SVNFile versioning softwareHot technology
  • Atlassian JIRAContent workflow softwareHot technology

Also called: Analyst Programmer, Application Programmer Analyst, Computer Programmer Analyst, Internet Programmer, Java Developer.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the cosine similarity of the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level and subtract the average across all occupations, then compare the direction of the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 means unrelated or opposite (negative values are shown as 0). Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).

How TryHired builds this data: sources, methods and downloads. Spotted an error? Report a correction.