Computer programmers

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Total Workforce

419k

Average Age

42.5

Average Salary

$87,870

Average Male Salary

$90,123

Average Female Salary

$79,603

About

Employment

Diversity

Education

Skills

About

Computer programmers are most often employed by the Computer Systems Design industry. The average yearly wage for Computer programmers was $87,870 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Computer programmers by wage are Mechanical engineers, Materials engineers, and Public relations & fundraising managers.

Computer programmers are part of the Computer & mathematical occupations, along with Computer systems analysts, Information security analysts, Computer and information research scientists, Computer support specialists, Computer network architects, and 11 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Computer programmers are Charlotte City (South) PUMA, NC, Middlesex County (Southwest) PUMA, NJ, and Irvine City (Central) PUMA, CA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Computer programmers are Middlesex County (Southwest) PUMA, NJ, Charlotte City (South) PUMA, NC, and Apex & Holly Springs Towns PUMA, NC.

Photo by Long Road Photography (formerly Aff)

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Computer & mathematical occupations Computer, engineering, & science occupations

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Computer programmers and on wages and locations for those in the field. Computer Systems Design is the industry that employs the most Computer programmers, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Computer programmers, by average wage, is Restaurants & Food Services. Computer programmers are paid most in Milton Township PUMA, IL but are relatively concentrated in Middlesex County (Southwest) PUMA, NJ.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$87,870

AVERAGE SALARY

± $2,219

In 2017, Computer programmers earned an average of $87,870, $33,981 more than than the average national salary of $53,888.

Public relations & fundraising managers make somewhat more than Computer programmers while Mechanical engineers make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Computer programmers as measured by average annual salary in the US.

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Wage Distribution

0.309

WAGE GINI

In 2017, Computer programmers had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.309, which is lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Computer programmers (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

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Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Computer programmers.

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Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Computer programmers

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Computer programmers.

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Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Computer programmers, by number of employees, are Computer Systems Design, Insurance carriers & related activities, and Banking & related activities.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Computer programmers, by average wage, are Restaurants & Food Services, Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments, and Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals.

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Industries by Share

419k

2017 Workforce

± 15,867

-0.844%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 5.39%

The number of people employed as Computer programmers has been declining at a rate of -0.844%, from 422,435 people in 2016 to 418,869 people in 2017.

This graphic shows the share of Computer programmers employed by various industries. Computer Systems Design employs the largest share of Computer programmers at 30.7%, followed by Insurance carriers & related activities with 5.64% and Banking & related activities with 4.64%.

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Diversity

Demographic information on Computer programmers in the US. The average age of male Computer programmers in the workforce is 42 and of female Computer programmers is 44.4, and the most common race/ethnicity for Computer programmers is White.

Gender Composition

329k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 14,070

89.7k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 7,351

78.6% of Computer programmers are Male, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Computer programmers.

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Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Computer programmers

White
Asian
Black

71.3% of Computer programmers are White, making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 20.3% of Computer programmers, Asian is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Computer programmers.

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Age by Gender

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 0.542

44.4

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 0.996

The median age of Computer programmers is 42.5, and Male employees are generally 2.39 years younger than than their Female counterparts.

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Education

Data on higher education choices for Computer programmers from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Computer programmers is Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services but a relatively high number of Computer programmers hold a major in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

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Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Computer programmers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Computer programmers need many skills, but most especially Programming, Active Listening, and Complex Problem Solving. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Computer programmers need more than the average amount of Programming, Operations Analysis, and Technology Design.