Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Computer programmers work in a field that offers a relatively high national median salary of $98,670 and employment of 121,000 positions nationwide. The role typically calls for a bachelor’s degree and a mix of technical, analytical, and communication skills. While national projected employment growth is -6.0%, there are still an estimated 6,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing replacement needs and transitions within the workforce. Career potential varies by location, with some states and metro areas offering higher salaries and stronger CareerGPS opportunity scores than others. Top skills for computer programmers include computers and information technology, critical and analytical thinking, mathematics, and creativity and innovation, supported by strong writing and reading, detail orientation, and speaking and listening. For people considering options with related skill sets, similar occupations include software quality assurance analysts and testers, architectural and civil drafters, database architects, web developers, and web and digital interface designers.
Computer programmers earn a national median annual salary of $98,670, with notable variation across states and metro areas. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median salaries range from $103,980 in New York to $128,390 in Massachusetts. California and Washington also offer higher median salaries of $116,760 and $125,620, respectively, while Colorado’s median is $104,610. At the metro level, earnings can be even higher. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro reports a median salary of $154,920 for computer programmers, the highest among the listed metro areas. Other metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH show median salaries clustered between $126,750 and $130,900, indicating strong earning potential in these regions.
Nationwide, computer programmers account for 121,000 jobs, with projected employment growth of -6.0%. Despite this projected decline, there are still about 6,000 annual openings, which suggests opportunities for new entrants and career changers as existing workers retire or move into other roles. The -6.0% growth projection is consistent across the top states and metro areas listed, indicating that the overall employment trend is similar in many locations. However, the presence of annual openings alongside declining projected employment means that people entering the field may encounter a more competitive environment and should pay close attention to location and skill development. Considering related options such as software quality assurance analysts and testers, architectural and civil drafters, database architects, web developers, and web and digital interface designers can also be useful for individuals looking to apply similar skills in other occupations.
Location plays a major role in shaping opportunities for computer programmers. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York stand out with higher CareerGPS opportunity scores of 67.38, 65.87, and 65.78, respectively. These states also offer strong median salaries, with Massachusetts at $128,390 and California at $116,760. Washington and Colorado provide additional options, with opportunity scores of 56.29 and 56.97 and median salaries slightly above $100,000. Employment levels differ as well: California (11,340) and New York (7,020) have larger programmer workforces than Colorado (930) and Massachusetts (1,930). At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ show the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, at 77.42 and 77.27. San Jose also has the highest listed median salary of $154,920. Other metros such as San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH combine solid employment counts with strong salaries and opportunity scores.
Computer programmers typically need a bachelor’s degree, reflecting the technical and analytical demands of the role. Success in this field is closely tied to strong skills in computers and information technology and critical and analytical thinking. Mathematics and science also play important roles, along with creativity and innovation, which support problem-solving and developing new solutions. Detail orientation helps ensure accuracy, while adaptability is important as tools and methods evolve. Strong writing and reading skills are valuable for understanding technical information and documenting work clearly. Speaking and listening skills, plus leadership, support collaboration and the ability to guide projects or teams when needed. Together, this blend of education and skills positions computer programmers to handle both the technical and communication aspects of their work and to consider related paths such as software quality assurance analysts and testers, database architects, web developers, and web and digital interface designers.
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