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How Much Does a Computer Programmer Make?

A computer programmer in the US earns a median salary of $100,390 a year, or $48.26 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $105,170, and the middle half earn between $75,850 and $130,680.

Median a year $100,390
Median an hour $48.26
Median a month $8,366
Average a year $105,170

Computer programmer pay range

What computer programmers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $57,710 $27.74
25th $75,850 $36.47
Median (50th) $100,390 $48.26
75th $130,680 $62.83
90th (top 10%) $160,460 $77.15

The median is 97% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 92,230 people work as computer programmers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,931
Every two weeks
$3,861
Twice a month
$4,183
A month
$8,366

At the median salary, before tax.

Computer programmer salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Massachusetts pays computer programmers the most, at $127,520 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Massachusetts $127,520 $128,390 1,930 After tax
Washington $126,540 $125,620 2,540 After tax
Virginia $122,060 $121,610 3,070 After tax
Connecticut $121,270 $133,820 1,650 After tax
California $119,900 $116,760 11,340 After tax
Oklahoma $119,380 $99,780 990 After tax
Colorado $119,260 $104,610 930 After tax
Maine $117,430 $101,780 450 After tax
Maryland $117,210 $125,570 2,490 After tax
New York $115,900 $103,980 7,020 After tax
New Jersey $114,950 $104,940 3,930 After tax
Arkansas $112,070 $111,840 1,050 After tax
Hawaii $111,530 $118,180 450 After tax
Oregon $110,390 $99,540 1,370 After tax
Rhode Island $105,300 $96,470 250 After tax
Utah $103,490 $104,890 690 After tax
Arizona $102,710 $88,990 1,560 After tax
Nevada $102,130 $93,600 840 After tax
Georgia $101,520 $98,380 1,890 After tax
Kentucky $101,200 $94,850 950 After tax
Texas $100,740 $99,330 7,620 After tax
South Carolina $100,720 $99,740 790 After tax
Minnesota $100,530 $107,250 2,070 After tax
Kansas $99,410 $92,960 460 After tax
Nebraska $99,020 $95,150 1,090 After tax
Indiana $98,340 $97,000 1,520 After tax
Alaska $98,240 $91,700 530 After tax
North Dakota $97,550 $92,280 190 After tax
Florida $96,940 $93,180 4,760 After tax
Alabama $96,410 $93,800 890 After tax
Pennsylvania $95,820 $89,180 3,120 After tax
Ohio $93,010 $85,270 2,100 After tax
Montana $91,670 $89,920 – After tax
Missouri $91,390 $90,420 1,520 After tax
New Mexico $91,280 $83,750 600 After tax
Idaho $90,990 $89,020 – After tax
Vermont $88,720 $89,560 170 After tax
Wyoming $88,620 $81,640 60 After tax
Illinois $87,660 $72,540 1,280 After tax
Iowa $87,010 $79,180 950 After tax
North Carolina $81,740 $81,070 4,120 After tax
New Hampshire $79,720 $74,000 – After tax
Michigan $77,870 $65,860 4,400 After tax
Mississippi $75,920 $85,120 1,170 After tax
West Virginia $75,360 $65,320 140 After tax
South Dakota $67,940 $58,240 70 After tax
Puerto Rico $57,480 $51,310 920

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other computer and mathematical jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Computer Programmers” (SOC 15-1251). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a computer programmer make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a computer programmer is $48.26, and the average is $50.56. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $27.74 an hour and the top 10% over $77.15.

How much does a computer programmer make a month?

At the median salary of $100,390, a computer programmer earns about $8,366 a month before tax, or $3,861 every two weeks.

Which state pays computer programmers the most?

Massachusetts has the highest average pay for a computer programmer, at $127,520 a year. Next are Washington and Virginia. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a computer programmer?

The lowest-paid 10% of computer programmers earn less than $57,710 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $75,850. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid computer programmers make?

The top 10% earn more than $160,460 a year, and the top 25% more than $130,680.