Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017

15-1131 Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code, forms, and script that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software developers or other individuals. May assist software developers by analyzing user needs and designing software solutions. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
247,690 1.9 % $42.08 $87,530 1.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $22.64 $30.22 $39.54 $51.24 $63.72
Annual Wage (2) $47,090 $62,860 $82,240 $106,580 $132,530


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 98,900 4.91 $42.10 $87,570
Software Publishers 17,220 4.69 $48.36 $100,580
Management of Companies and Enterprises 11,010 0.47 $41.44 $86,200
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 6,960 0.32 $35.65 $74,150
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 6,670 2.17 $41.78 $86,910

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 98,900 4.91 $42.10 $87,570
Software Publishers 17,220 4.69 $48.36 $100,580
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 6,670 2.17 $41.78 $86,910
Other Information Services 2,340 0.85 $44.34 $92,220
Scientific Research and Development Services 4,420 0.68 $47.10 $97,970

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonresidential Building Construction 200 0.03 $58.77 $122,240
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 2,440 0.27 $56.14 $116,770
Other Wood Product Manufacturing 100 0.05 $53.92 $112,150
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services 840 0.39 $52.89 $110,010
Natural Gas Distribution 470 0.42 $52.38 $108,950


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 34,050 2.04 1.17 $46.28 $96,270
Texas 20,850 1.75 1.01 $41.44 $86,200
New York 16,420 1.78 1.03 $42.92 $89,260
Illinois 12,060 2.03 1.17 $42.98 $89,390
New Jersey 10,930 2.73 1.57 $44.38 $92,320




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alabama 7,420 3.86 2.22 $42.17 $87,700
Washington 10,500 3.29 1.90 $58.17 $121,000
Connecticut 5,250 3.17 1.83 $42.12 $87,610
New Jersey 10,930 2.73 1.57 $44.38 $92,320
Utah 3,780 2.68 1.54 $38.91 $80,930




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 10,500 3.29 1.90 $58.17 $121,000
District of Columbia 1,200 1.69 0.97 $48.91 $101,740
California 34,050 2.04 1.17 $46.28 $96,270
Colorado 3,260 1.27 0.73 $46.20 $96,100
Virginia (8) (8) (8) $45.92 $95,520



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Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 13,740 2.05 1.18 $46.79 $97,320
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 9,510 5.77 3.32 $59.98 $124,750
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 8,700 2.37 1.37 $44.41 $92,380
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 7,370 2.96 1.70 $41.55 $86,410
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 6,740 1.52 0.88 $43.98 $91,470
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 6,090 2.42 1.39 $47.77 $99,370
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 5,800 2.21 1.27 $42.12 $87,610
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,010 4.60 2.65 $50.22 $104,470
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,820 1.65 0.95 $42.18 $87,720
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 4,700 3.28 1.89 $46.71 $97,150


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Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Huntsville, AL 2,730 12.31 7.09 $50.18 $104,380
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 9,510 5.77 3.32 $59.98 $124,750
Ithaca, NY 280 5.50 3.16 $44.55 $92,660
Montgomery, AL 900 5.49 3.16 $37.37 $77,740
State College, PA 340 4.93 2.84 $37.02 $77,000
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 2,210 4.93 2.84 $37.32 $77,630
Bloomington, IN 340 4.92 2.83 $29.71 $61,790
Columbia, MO 440 4.73 2.72 $30.95 $64,390
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 840 4.65 2.68 $45.59 $94,830
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,010 4.60 2.65 $50.22 $104,470


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Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 9,510 5.77 3.32 $59.98 $124,750
Bellingham, WA 50 0.61 0.35 $52.99 $110,220
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division 4,600 4.12 2.37 $50.91 $105,890
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 5,010 4.60 2.65 $50.22 $104,470
Huntsville, AL 2,730 12.31 7.09 $50.18 $104,380
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 90 0.68 0.39 $48.79 $101,480
Roanoke, VA 180 1.17 0.67 $48.65 $101,190
San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division 270 2.38 1.37 $48.62 $101,140
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 6,090 2.42 1.39 $47.77 $99,370
Colorado Springs, CO 400 1.45 0.84 $47.60 $99,000

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 290 2.13 1.23 (8) (8)
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 220 1.18 0.68 $33.92 $70,550
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 170 0.67 0.38 $34.51 $71,790
West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 170 2.62 1.51 $32.29 $67,150
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 170 0.62 0.35 $39.49 $82,140

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area 140 4.08 2.35 $45.44 $94,510
West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 170 2.62 1.51 $32.29 $67,150
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 290 2.13 1.23 (8) (8)
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 130 1.80 1.03 $32.64 $67,890
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 220 1.18 0.68 $33.92 $70,550

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wasatch Back nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $45.77 $95,190
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 60 0.44 0.25 $45.62 $94,890
Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area 140 4.08 2.35 $45.44 $94,510
Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 30 0.22 0.13 $41.56 $86,440
Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.36 0.21 $41.45 $86,220


About May 2017 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 OES estimates and related information:

May 2017 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 30, 2018