Computer Programmer Salary
Computer Programmers earn a median $100,390 a year nationally. Computer and Mathematical Occupations
U.S. median
$100,390
$48.26 per hour
Range
$57,710 – $160,460
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
92,230
across the U.S.
Computer Programmer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$79,454
per year · effective tax rate 20.9%
$6,621Monthly
$3,311Twice a month
$3,056Every 2 weeks
$38.20Hourly
- Federal income tax$13,256
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,224
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,456
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$79,454
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $57,710 | $27.75 | $48,550 |
| 25th percentile | $75,850 | $36.47 | $62,190 |
| Median (50th) | $100,390 | $48.26 | $79,454 |
| 75th percentile | $130,680 | $62.83 | $100,586 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $160,460 | $77.14 | $120,940 |
Best cities for computer programmers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville, AR | $136,880 | $99,698 | $109,135 | 490 |
| 2 | Hartford, CT | $141,920 | $101,903 | $99,180 | 1,150 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $154,920 | $104,962 | $95,054 | 980 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $128,900 | $93,144 | $86,033 | 1,600 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $130,390 | $92,273 | $84,744 | 2,680 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | $134,130 | $92,956 | $83,080 | 1,600 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $101,830 | $76,619 | $82,793 | 500 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $118,000 | $85,342 | $81,416 | 1,570 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $126,750 | $91,462 | $81,254 | 6,670 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $102,070 | $77,655 | $81,147 | 550 |
| 11 | Durham, NC | $105,160 | $79,123 | $81,092 | 450 |
| 12 | San Francisco, CA | $130,730 | $90,992 | $78,704 | 2,440 |
| 13 | Omaha, NE | $95,150 | $72,318 | $78,683 | 640 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $100,140 | $79,278 | $78,579 | 830 |
| 15 | Orlando, FL | $100,450 | $79,497 | $78,385 | 540 |
| 16 | Dallas, TX | $102,240 | $80,756 | $78,335 | 3,260 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $96,440 | $76,676 | $77,741 | 1,340 |
| 18 | St. Louis, MO | $96,920 | $73,395 | $77,187 | 660 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $101,910 | $75,857 | $75,813 | 1,260 |
| 20 | Baltimore, MD | $106,420 | $79,005 | $75,612 | 780 |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $101,420 | $77,065 | $75,146 | 1,770 |
| 22 | Las Vegas, NV | $93,600 | $74,678 | $74,517 | 740 |
| 23 | Denver, CO | $104,610 | $78,529 | $74,236 | 540 |
| 24 | Chicago, IL | $99,750 | $74,211 | $71,636 | 650 |
| 25 | Miami, FL | $101,530 | $80,256 | $70,305 | 1,100 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $154,920
- Hartford, CT — $141,920
- Fayetteville, AR — $136,880
- San Diego, CA — $134,130
- San Francisco, CA — $130,730
- Washington, DC — $130,390
- Boston, MA — $128,900
- New York, NY — $126,750
- Minneapolis, MN — $118,000
- Los Angeles, CA — $107,090
- Baltimore, MD — $106,420
- Durham, NC — $105,160
- Denver, CO — $104,610
- Sacramento, CA — $102,600
- Dallas, TX — $102,240
Computer Programmer salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $133,820 | $96,853 | $82,110 – $141,920 | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $128,390 | $92,821 | $77,060 – $168,310 | 1,930 |
| Washington | $125,620 | $97,127 | $84,760 – $166,400 | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125,570 | $91,445 | $74,470 – $158,880 | 2,490 |
| Virginia | $121,610 | $88,204 | $67,010 – $182,890 | 3,070 |
| Hawaii | $118,180 | $84,518 | $75,450 – $151,820 | 450 |
| California | $116,760 | $82,824 | $70,310 – $172,300 | 11,340 |
| Arkansas | $111,840 | $83,360 | $63,520 – $167,020 | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $107,250 | $78,511 | $52,740 – $125,300 | 2,070 |
| New Jersey | $104,940 | $78,161 | $65,000 – $172,990 | 3,930 |
| Utah | $104,890 | $78,866 | $62,930 – $134,010 | 690 |
| Colorado | $104,610 | $78,529 | $68,320 – $199,830 | 930 |
| New York | $103,980 | $76,885 | $65,970 – $172,020 | 7,020 |
| Maine | $101,780 | $74,651 | $72,930 – $191,670 | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $99,780 | $75,081 | $63,110 – $239,200+ | 990 |
| South Carolina | $99,740 | $74,170 | $63,130 – $135,250 | 790 |
| Oregon | $99,540 | $70,976 | $77,080 – $143,450 | 1,370 |
| Texas | $99,330 | $78,709 | $60,120 – $143,300 | 7,620 |
| Georgia | $98,380 | $73,557 | $65,080 – $138,320 | 1,890 |
| Indiana | $97,000 | $74,238 | $67,360 – $135,880 | 1,520 |
| Rhode Island | $96,470 | $73,696 | $69,780 – $144,480 | 250 |
| Nebraska | $95,150 | $72,318 | $61,680 – $154,500 | 1,090 |
| Kentucky | $94,850 | $72,355 | $61,990 – $140,460 | 950 |
| Alabama | $93,800 | $70,393 | $58,100 – $132,330 | 890 |
| Nevada | $93,600 | $74,678 | $68,400 – $131,910 | 840 |
| Florida | $93,180 | $74,382 | $52,810 – $138,770 | 4,760 |
| Kansas | $92,960 | $69,840 | $59,940 – $144,570 | 460 |
| North Dakota | $92,280 | $73,209 | $59,530 – $138,960 | 190 |
| Alaska | $91,700 | $73,341 | $64,150 – $138,530 | 530 |
| Missouri | $90,420 | $69,128 | $54,760 – $126,590 | 1,520 |
| Montana | $89,920 | $68,369 | $64,250 – $123,110 | — |
| Vermont | $89,560 | $68,385 | $61,400 – $110,930 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,180 | $68,830 | $60,070 – $134,710 | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $89,020 | $67,846 | $62,820 – $113,610 | — |
| Arizona | $88,990 | $69,418 | $61,790 – $164,410 | 1,560 |
| Ohio | $85,270 | $67,255 | $51,030 – $134,370 | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $85,120 | $66,039 | $46,500 – $88,100 | 1,170 |
| New Mexico | $83,750 | $64,975 | $55,500 – $128,940 | 600 |
| Wyoming | $81,640 | $66,264 | $47,880 – $124,870 | 60 |
| North Carolina | $81,070 | $63,137 | $26,170 – $134,780 | 4,120 |
| Iowa | $79,180 | $62,176 | $54,060 – $128,520 | 950 |
| New Hampshire | $74,000 | $60,889 | $53,790 – $124,920 | — |
| Illinois | $72,540 | $56,416 | $50,640 – $142,410 | 1,280 |
| Michigan | $65,860 | $52,550 | $35,600 – $127,850 | 4,400 |
| West Virginia | $65,320 | $52,451 | $46,330 – $123,320 | 140 |
| South Dakota | $58,240 | $48,976 | $47,670 – $106,820 | 70 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a computer programmer make?
The national median salary for computer programmers is $100,390 a year ($48.26 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $57,710 and the top 10% earn over $160,460. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays computer programmers the most?
Connecticut has the highest median pay at $133,820. After taxes and local prices, Fayetteville, AR offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many computer programmers are there in the U.S.?
About 92,230 people work as computer programmers nationwide.
All 34 cities
- Albany, NY
- Atlanta, GA
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Durham, NC
- Fayetteville, AR
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Kansas City, MO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Omaha, NE
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Portland, OR
- Sacramento, CA
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Washington, DC