Career profile · 15-1251
Computer Programmers
Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.
What the work can involve
- Write, analyze, review, and rewrite programs, using workflow chart and diagram, and applying knowledge of computer capabilities, subject matter, and symbolic logic.
- Correct errors by making appropriate changes and rechecking the program to ensure that the desired results are produced.
- Perform or direct revision, repair, or expansion of existing programs to increase operating efficiency or adapt to new requirements.
- Write, update, and maintain computer programs or software packages to handle specific jobs such as tracking inventory, storing or retrieving data, or controlling other equipment.
- Consult with managerial, engineering, and technical personnel to clarify program intent, identify problems, and suggest changes.
- Conduct trial runs of programs and software applications to be sure they will produce the desired information and that the instructions are correct.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Learning
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Working with Computers
- Processing Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
- Computer Programming/Programmer, General436 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Specific Applications159 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification34 institutions →
- Computer Game Programming22 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Specific Platforms10 institutions →
- Computer Programming, Other18 institutions →
- Computer Science329 institutions →
- Computer Graphics110 institutions →
- Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation20 institutions →
- Cloud Computing60 institutions →
- Computer Software Technology/Technician21 institutions →
- Medical Office Computer Specialist/Assistant9 institutions →
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 65.5%08/2018 · sample 22 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 94.5%08/2018 · sample 23 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 100.0%08/2018 · sample 23 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 100.0%08/2018 · sample 23 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Continually or almost continually | 90.4%08/2018 · sample 23 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 49.0%08/2018 · sample 23 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 39.8%08/2018 · sample 23 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 100.0%08/2018 · sample 22 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 95.5%08/2018 · sample 23 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Access software: Citrix cloud computing software
- Accounting software: Tax software
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics, Minitab, SAS, Simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis SPICE
- Application server software: Docker, GitHub, Oracle WebLogic Server, Red Hat OpenShift
- Backup or archival software: Veritas NetBackup
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: IBM Cognos Impromptu, MicroStrategy, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Qlik Tech QlikView
- Cloud-based management software: Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation, IBM WebSphere, Splunk Enterprise
- Clustering software: VMware
- Communications server software: IBM Domino
- Compiler and decompiler software: Code generator software, Command interpreters, Compilers, Decompilers
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation, Computer aided design and drafting CADD software, Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Configuration management software: Chef, IBM Rational ClearCase, Perforce Helix software, Puppet
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for computer programmers
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 51 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93,800 | $45.10 | 890 |
| Alaska | $91,700 | $44.09 | 530 |
| Arizona | $88,990 | $42.78 | 1,560 |
| Arkansas | $111,840 | $53.77 | 1,050 |
| California | $116,760 | $56.13 | 11,340 |
| Colorado | $104,610 | $50.29 | 930 |
| Connecticut | $133,820 | $64.34 | 1,650 |
| Delaware | Not published | Not published | 450 |
| District of Columbia | Not published | Not published | 230 |
| Florida | $93,180 | $44.80 | 4,760 |
| Georgia | $98,380 | $47.30 | 1,890 |
| Hawaii | $118,180 | $56.82 | 450 |
| Idaho | $89,020 | $42.80 | Not published |
| Illinois | $72,540 | $34.88 | 1,280 |
| Indiana | $97,000 | $46.64 | 1,520 |
| Iowa | $79,180 | $38.07 | 950 |
| Kansas | $92,960 | $44.69 | 460 |
| Kentucky | $94,850 | $45.60 | 950 |
| Louisiana | Not published | Not published | 1,580 |
| Maine | $101,780 | $48.93 | 450 |
| Maryland | $125,570 | $60.37 | 2,490 |
| Massachusetts | $128,390 | $61.73 | 1,930 |
| Michigan | $65,860 | $31.67 | 4,400 |
| Minnesota | $107,250 | $51.56 | 2,070 |
| Mississippi | $85,120 | $40.92 | 1,170 |
| Missouri | $90,420 | $43.47 | 1,520 |
| Montana | $89,920 | $43.23 | Not published |
| Nebraska | $95,150 | $45.75 | 1,090 |
| Nevada | $93,600 | $45.00 | 840 |
| New Hampshire | $74,000 | $35.58 | Not published |
| New Jersey | $104,940 | $50.45 | 3,930 |
| New Mexico | $83,750 | $40.26 | 600 |
| New York | $103,980 | $49.99 | 7,020 |
| North Carolina | $81,070 | $38.98 | 4,120 |
| North Dakota | $92,280 | $44.37 | 190 |
| Ohio | $85,270 | $41.00 | 2,100 |
| Oklahoma | $99,780 | $47.97 | 990 |
| Oregon | $99,540 | $47.85 | 1,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,180 | $42.87 | 3,120 |
| Rhode Island | $96,470 | $46.38 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $99,740 | $47.95 | 790 |
| South Dakota | $58,240 | $28.00 | 70 |
| Tennessee | Not published | Not published | 920 |
| Texas | $99,330 | $47.76 | 7,620 |
| Utah | $104,890 | $50.43 | 690 |
| Vermont | $89,560 | $43.06 | 170 |
| Virginia | $121,610 | $58.47 | 3,070 |
| Washington | $125,620 | $60.39 | 2,540 |
| West Virginia | $65,320 | $31.40 | 140 |
| Wisconsin | Not published | Not published | 3,080 |
| Wyoming | $81,640 | $39.25 | 60 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 270 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
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Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 15-1251.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.