Computer Programmers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for computer programmerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $105,170 ≈ $51/hr
National median salary $100,390
Total employment 92,230 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -6%
Decline
Annual openings 5,500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 121,200 → 113,900 (-7,200)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Massachusetts$127,520
- Washington$126,540
- Virginia$122,060
- Connecticut$121,270
- California$119,900
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$67,940
- West Virginia$75,360
- Mississippi$75,920
- Michigan$77,870
- New Hampshire$79,720
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $127,520 | $128,390 | $61 | +21.3% | 1,930 |
| 2 | Washington | $126,540 | $125,620 | $61 | +20.3% | 2,540 |
| 3 | Virginia | $122,060 | $121,610 | $59 | +16.1% | 3,070 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $121,270 | $133,820 | $58 | +15.3% | 1,650 |
| 5 | California | $119,900 | $116,760 | $58 | +14% | 11,340 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $119,380 | $99,780 | $57 | +13.5% | 990 |
| 7 | Colorado | $119,260 | $104,610 | $57 | +13.4% | 930 |
| 8 | Maine | $117,430 | $101,780 | $56 | +11.7% | 450 |
| 9 | Maryland | $117,210 | $125,570 | $56 | +11.4% | 2,490 |
| 10 | New York | $115,900 | $103,980 | $56 | +10.2% | 7,020 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $114,950 | $104,940 | $55 | +9.3% | 3,930 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $112,070 | $111,840 | $54 | +6.6% | 1,050 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $111,530 | $118,180 | $54 | +6% | 450 |
| 14 | Oregon | $110,390 | $99,540 | $53 | +5% | 1,370 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $105,300 | $96,470 | $51 | +0.1% | 250 |
| 16 | Utah | $103,490 | $104,890 | $50 | -1.6% | 690 |
| 17 | Arizona | $102,710 | $88,990 | $49 | -2.3% | 1,560 |
| 18 | Nevada | $102,130 | $93,600 | $49 | -2.9% | 840 |
| 19 | Georgia | $101,520 | $98,380 | $49 | -3.5% | 1,890 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $101,200 | $94,850 | $49 | -3.8% | 950 |
| 21 | Texas | $100,740 | $99,330 | $48 | -4.2% | 7,620 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $100,720 | $99,740 | $48 | -4.2% | 790 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $100,530 | $107,250 | $48 | -4.4% | 2,070 |
| 24 | Kansas | $99,410 | $92,960 | $48 | -5.5% | 460 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $99,020 | $95,150 | $48 | -5.8% | 1,090 |
| 26 | Indiana | $98,340 | $97,000 | $47 | -6.5% | 1,520 |
| 27 | Alaska | $98,240 | $91,700 | $47 | -6.6% | 530 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $97,550 | $92,280 | $47 | -7.2% | 190 |
| 29 | Florida | $96,940 | $93,180 | $47 | -7.8% | 4,760 |
| 30 | Alabama | $96,410 | $93,800 | $46 | -8.3% | 890 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $95,820 | $89,180 | $46 | -8.9% | 3,120 |
| 32 | Ohio | $93,010 | $85,270 | $45 | -11.6% | 2,100 |
| 33 | Montana | $91,670 | $89,920 | $44 | -12.8% | — |
| 34 | Missouri | $91,390 | $90,420 | $44 | -13.1% | 1,520 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $91,280 | $83,750 | $44 | -13.2% | 600 |
| 36 | Idaho | $90,990 | $89,020 | $44 | -13.5% | — |
| 37 | Vermont | $88,720 | $89,560 | $43 | -15.6% | 170 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $88,620 | $81,640 | $43 | -15.7% | 60 |
| 39 | Illinois | $87,660 | $72,540 | $42 | -16.6% | 1,280 |
| 40 | Iowa | $87,010 | $79,180 | $42 | -17.3% | 950 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $81,740 | $81,070 | $39 | -22.3% | 4,120 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $79,720 | $74,000 | $38 | -24.2% | — |
| 43 | Michigan | $77,870 | $65,860 | $37 | -26% | 4,400 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $75,920 | $85,120 | $37 | -27.8% | 1,170 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $75,360 | $65,320 | $36 | -28.3% | 140 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $67,940 | $58,240 | $33 | -35.4% | 70 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 269 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder, CO | $155,030 | $139,840 | — |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $154,920 | $150,780 | 980 |
| 3 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $141,920 | $126,270 | 1,150 |
| 4 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $136,880 | $130,080 | 490 |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $134,130 | $129,530 | 1,600 |
| 6 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,850 | $128,360 | 90 |
| 7 | Bend, OR | $132,280 | $122,240 | 90 |
| 8 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $131,960 | $138,860 | 190 |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $130,790 | $128,060 | — |
| 10 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,730 | $127,030 | 2,440 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing computer programmerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $150,170 | $141,720 | 210 |
| 2 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $144,990 | $142,870 | 2,870 |
| 3 | Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers | $143,720 | $136,410 | 50 |
| 4 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $141,610 | $140,950 | 3,080 |
| 5 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $140,500 | $135,200 | 30 |
| 6 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $140,500 | $135,200 | 30 |
| 7 | Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $137,740 | $130,880 | 130 |
| 8 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $136,950 | $143,090 | 600 |
| 9 | Temporary Help Services | $134,820 | $130,070 | 1,440 |
| 10 | Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) | $134,040 | $122,430 | — |
| 11 | Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) | $134,040 | $122,430 | — |
| 12 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $133,820 | $129,850 | 1,680 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do computer programmers make in the U.S.?
The median computer programmers salary in the United States is $100,390 per year (mean $105,170), and about 80% earn between $57,710 and $160,460.
How much do computer programmers make per hour?
Roughly $51 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $105,170 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays computer programmers the most?
Massachusetts has the highest average pay for computer programmers at $127,520 per year (median $128,390).
What is the job outlook for computer programmers?
Employment is projected to change -6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 5,500 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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