207 metro areas
Computer Programmer Salary by City (2026)
Computer programmers earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $150,780 a year, against $105,170 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Fayetteville, AR ($142,390 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $105,170BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $150,780San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $142,390Fayetteville, AR
- Metro areas
- 207With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for computer programmers
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$150,780
- Boulder, CO$139,840
- Portland, ME$138,860
- Fayetteville, AR$130,080
- San Diego, CA$129,540
- New York, NY-NJ$128,880
- Boston, MA-NH$128,590
- Santa Cruz, CA$128,360
- Bridgeport, CT$128,070
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$127,770
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $150,780 |
| Boulder, CO | $139,840 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $138,860 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $130,080 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $129,540 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $128,880 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $128,590 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $128,360 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $128,070 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,770 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Fayetteville, AR$130,080 nominal$142,390
- San Jose, CA$150,780 nominal$136,550
- Portland, ME$138,860 nominal$136,330
- Boulder, CO$139,840 nominal$132,930
- Huntsville, AL$115,420 nominal$124,010
- Hartford, CT$126,280 nominal$122,910
- Bridgeport, CT$128,070 nominal$119,840
- Boston, MA-NH$128,590 nominal$118,770
- Iowa City, IA$108,010 nominal$118,030
- Bend, OR$122,240 nominal$117,980
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $142,390 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,550 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $136,330 |
| Boulder, CO | $132,930 |
| Huntsville, AL | $124,010 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $122,910 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $119,840 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $118,770 |
| Iowa City, IA | $118,030 |
| Bend, OR | $117,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Computer Programmer salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $150,780 | $98,280 | $176,630 | $136,550 |
| 2 | Boulder, CO | $139,840 | $73,510 | $172,520 | $132,930 |
| 3 | Portland, ME | $138,860 | $83,990 | $165,880 | $136,330 |
| 4 | Fayetteville, AR | $130,080 | $89,690 | $149,990 | $142,390 |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | $129,540 | $82,850 | $152,530 | $115,780 |
| 6 | New York, NY-NJ | $128,880 | $82,430 | $151,760 | $114,500 |
| 7 | Boston, MA-NH | $128,590 | $85,630 | $149,760 | $118,770 |
| 8 | Santa Cruz, CA | $128,360 | $92,830 | $145,870 | $116,800 |
| 9 | Bridgeport, CT | $128,070 | $88,250 | $147,660 | $119,840 |
| 10 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,770 | $78,940 | $151,840 | $117,350 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $127,030 | $76,560 | $151,880 | $109,880 |
| 12 | Hartford, CT | $126,280 | $89,560 | $144,350 | $122,910 |
| 13 | Kahului, HI | $125,490 | $113,440 | $131,440 | $114,710 |
| 14 | Bend, OR | $122,240 | $93,430 | $136,430 | $117,980 |
| 15 | Worcester, MA | $120,180 | $80,790 | $139,590 | $117,220 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $117,960 | $76,090 | $138,590 | $112,890 |
| 17 | Lexington Park, MD | $116,000 | $74,420 | $136,490 | $115,130 |
| 18 | Charleston, SC | $115,960 | $81,950 | $132,720 | $114,860 |
| 19 | Huntsville, AL | $115,420 | $77,440 | $134,120 | $124,010 |
| 20 | Corvallis, OR | $115,020 | $81,640 | $131,460 | $110,580 |
| 21 | Colorado Springs, CO | $114,670 | $65,940 | $138,670 | $113,860 |
| 22 | Norwich, CT | $114,130 | $75,480 | $133,160 | $113,620 |
| 23 | Spokane, WA | $113,420 | $85,160 | $127,340 | $113,030 |
| 24 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $113,260 | $73,380 | $132,890 | $104,290 |
| 25 | Charlottesville, VA | $113,190 | $74,980 | $132,000 | $114,160 |
| 26 | Naples, FL | $113,070 | $77,670 | $130,520 | $109,560 |
| 27 | Sacramento, CA | $112,720 | $75,420 | $131,080 | $105,670 |
| 28 | Santa Rosa, CA | $112,400 | $76,690 | $130,000 | $104,280 |
| 29 | Portland, OR-WA | $111,950 | $85,280 | $125,090 | $106,190 |
| 30 | Richmond, VA | $111,950 | $73,240 | $131,020 | $114,400 |
| 31 | Reno, NV | $111,840 | $69,450 | $132,720 | $110,720 |
| 32 | Savannah, GA | $111,450 | $80,370 | $126,730 | $117,060 |
| 33 | Denver, CO | $110,800 | $73,200 | $129,330 | $104,740 |
| 34 | Salt Lake City, UT | $109,160 | $78,480 | $124,260 | $108,220 |
| 35 | Austin, TX | $109,100 | $66,000 | $130,330 | $111,250 |
| 36 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $108,930 | $73,490 | $126,400 | $117,040 |
| 37 | New Haven, CT | $108,450 | $77,060 | $123,910 | $103,720 |
| 38 | Santa Maria, CA | $108,450 | $78,790 | $123,050 | $99,680 |
| 39 | Trenton, NJ | $108,350 | $72,990 | $125,780 | $105,010 |
| 40 | Iowa City, IA | $108,010 | $76,170 | $123,700 | $118,030 |
| 41 | Los Angeles, CA | $108,010 | $69,180 | $127,150 | $95,110 |
| 42 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $107,910 | $75,940 | $123,660 | $102,950 |
| 43 | Durham, NC | $107,810 | $74,900 | $124,010 | $110,490 |
| 44 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $107,760 | $71,320 | $125,720 | $110,030 |
| 45 | Providence, RI-MA | $107,740 | $75,230 | $123,760 | $105,860 |
| 46 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $107,560 | $75,420 | $123,390 | $96,930 |
| 47 | Bremerton, WA | $107,490 | $81,060 | $120,520 | $101,780 |
| 48 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $107,240 | $65,120 | $127,980 | $104,570 |
| 49 | Phoenix, AZ | $106,850 | $65,480 | $127,230 | $103,420 |
| 50 | Bellingham, WA | $106,700 | $75,380 | $122,140 | $103,260 |
| 51 | Indianapolis, IN | $106,410 | $74,360 | $122,200 | $111,200 |
| 52 | Dallas, TX | $106,330 | $71,840 | $123,320 | $103,140 |
| 53 | Visalia, CA | $105,680 | $72,700 | $121,950 | $105,870 |
| 54 | Atlanta, GA | $105,310 | $73,900 | $120,790 | $105,250 |
| 55 | Vallejo, CA | $105,140 | $66,830 | $124,010 | $96,920 |
| 56 | Tampa, FL | $104,980 | $53,870 | $130,150 | $104,050 |
| 57 | Miami, FL | $104,920 | $67,520 | $123,340 | $91,910 |
| 58 | Elkhart, IN | $104,750 | $88,730 | $112,650 | $115,970 |
| 59 | Eugene, OR | $104,710 | $77,830 | $117,960 | $103,090 |
| 60 | Oklahoma City, OK | $104,690 | $67,500 | $123,010 | $115,800 |
| 61 | Riverside, CA | $104,620 | $68,910 | $122,200 | $98,290 |
| 62 | Salem, OR | $104,560 | $76,790 | $118,230 | $100,880 |
| 63 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $104,080 | $69,310 | $121,220 | $109,130 |
| 64 | Crestview, FL | $103,710 | $62,440 | $124,050 | $106,880 |
| 65 | Greenville, SC | $103,540 | $68,520 | $120,810 | $111,020 |
| 66 | Chicago, IL-IN | $103,330 | $63,040 | $123,180 | $99,740 |
| 67 | Madison, WI | $102,860 | $68,350 | $119,850 | $105,730 |
| 68 | Evansville, IN | $102,360 | $78,350 | $114,190 | $111,830 |
| 69 | Merced, CA | $102,040 | $77,810 | $113,960 | $103,830 |
| 70 | Topeka, KS | $101,980 | $65,040 | $120,180 | $114,820 |
| 71 | Jacksonville, FL | $101,960 | $67,000 | $119,180 | $102,490 |
| 72 | Olympia, WA | $101,800 | $72,970 | $115,980 | $98,200 |
| 73 | Las Vegas, NV | $101,210 | $78,940 | $112,200 | $100,990 |
| 74 | Birmingham, AL | $100,940 | $68,680 | $116,830 | $110,140 |
| 75 | Little Rock, AR | $100,190 | $67,480 | $116,310 | $112,110 |
| 76 | Ogden, UT | $100,010 | $64,810 | $117,330 | $99,660 |
| 77 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $99,840 | $68,350 | $115,340 | $107,880 |
| 78 | Blacksburg, VA | $99,690 | $60,590 | $118,960 | $107,530 |
| 79 | Houston, TX | $99,420 | $63,480 | $117,120 | $100,800 |
| 80 | Lexington, KY | $99,170 | $69,280 | $113,900 | $106,760 |
| 81 | Burlington, VT | $99,090 | $70,010 | $113,420 | $98,160 |
| 82 | Provo, UT | $98,970 | $63,810 | $116,290 | $100,750 |
| 83 | Syracuse, NY | $98,970 | $72,200 | $112,150 | $103,370 |
| 84 | Anchorage, AK | $98,800 | $72,400 | $111,800 | $93,720 |
| 85 | Champaign, IL | $98,760 | $77,670 | $109,140 | $106,530 |
| 86 | Omaha, NE-IA | $98,650 | $63,750 | $115,840 | $107,330 |
| 87 | Greenville, NC | $98,300 | $74,610 | $109,950 | $111,200 |
| 88 | Fresno, CA | $98,200 | $64,480 | $114,800 | $96,130 |
| 89 | Buffalo, NY | $98,180 | $74,670 | $109,740 | $102,440 |
| 90 | Columbia, SC | $97,950 | $66,100 | $113,630 | $104,580 |
| 91 | Modesto, CA | $97,660 | $67,890 | $112,300 | $93,810 |
| 92 | Wichita, KS | $97,570 | $62,570 | $114,800 | $109,700 |
| 93 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $97,430 | $67,450 | $112,200 | $102,460 |
| 94 | Pensacola, FL | $96,950 | $63,650 | $113,340 | $99,220 |
| 95 | Reading, PA | $96,760 | $68,410 | $110,720 | $99,690 |
| 96 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $96,370 | $68,810 | $109,930 | $96,400 |
| 97 | Oxnard, CA | $96,280 | $57,120 | $115,590 | $87,100 |
| 98 | Medford, OR | $96,240 | $63,340 | $112,440 | $94,880 |
| 99 | Kenosha, WI | $96,050 | $53,310 | $117,100 | $94,990 |
| 100 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $95,490 | $56,760 | $114,570 | $87,270 |
| 101 | Cape Coral, FL | $95,430 | $59,900 | $112,920 | $93,240 |
| 102 | Dayton, OH | $95,220 | $59,880 | $112,610 | $102,730 |
| 103 | Midland, TX | $95,180 | $63,420 | $110,800 | $99,370 |
| 104 | Racine, WI | $95,180 | $59,070 | $112,940 | $99,190 |
| 105 | Boise City, ID | $94,930 | $63,270 | $110,530 | $96,480 |
| 106 | Bismarck, ND | $94,810 | $64,080 | $109,930 | $104,160 |
| 107 | Orlando, FL | $94,810 | $56,470 | $113,690 | $93,480 |
| 108 | Montgomery, AL | $94,640 | $62,190 | $110,640 | $105,530 |
| 109 | Detroit, MI | $94,580 | $62,940 | $110,160 | $94,300 |
| 110 | Fargo, ND-MN | $93,870 | $62,820 | $109,160 | $103,300 |
| 111 | Lincoln, NE | $93,810 | $63,710 | $108,620 | $102,430 |
| 112 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $93,770 | $63,690 | $108,580 | $100,140 |
| 113 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $93,520 | $55,370 | $112,320 | $96,070 |
| 114 | Cleveland, OH | $93,520 | $55,290 | $112,340 | $99,570 |
| 115 | Macon, GA | $93,140 | $67,560 | $105,730 | $105,210 |
| 116 | Palm Bay, FL | $93,040 | $55,620 | $111,490 | $93,040 |
| 117 | Roanoke, VA | $93,000 | $56,890 | $110,780 | $99,340 |
| 118 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $92,930 | $64,940 | $106,720 | $108,200 |
| 119 | Fairbanks, AK | $92,850 | $69,100 | $104,560 | $89,960 |
| 120 | Bangor, ME | $92,310 | $68,450 | $104,040 | $95,650 |
| 121 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $92,270 | $54,600 | $110,820 | $97,980 |
| 122 | Harrisburg, PA | $92,060 | $60,200 | $107,740 | $93,320 |
| 123 | Santa Fe, NM | $92,040 | $61,590 | $107,040 | $93,190 |
| 124 | Tucson, AZ | $91,810 | $66,270 | $104,370 | $94,750 |
| 125 | Fort Wayne, IN | $91,790 | $64,650 | $105,160 | $99,160 |
| 126 | Atlantic City, NJ | $91,000 | $52,520 | $109,950 | $92,050 |
| 127 | Winston, NC | $90,710 | $65,830 | $102,980 | $98,550 |
| 128 | Pittsburgh, PA | $90,520 | $57,680 | $106,700 | $95,620 |
| 129 | York, PA | $90,380 | $65,540 | $102,610 | $94,150 |
| 130 | Toledo, OH | $90,360 | $58,510 | $106,020 | $98,800 |
| 131 | Milwaukee, WI | $90,290 | $61,110 | $104,670 | $93,140 |
| 132 | Rochester, NY | $90,250 | $60,920 | $104,690 | $93,010 |
| 133 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $90,000 | $54,290 | $107,580 | $89,800 |
| 134 | Lancaster, PA | $89,980 | $62,570 | $103,500 | $91,580 |
| 135 | South Bend, IN-MI | $89,880 | $65,080 | $102,090 | $96,790 |
| 136 | Akron, OH | $89,480 | $55,240 | $106,330 | $95,830 |
| 137 | Davenport, IA-IL | $89,130 | $55,700 | $105,580 | $100,060 |
| 138 | Flagstaff, AZ | $89,040 | $66,730 | $100,030 | $88,750 |
| 139 | Lakeland, FL | $89,000 | $59,700 | $103,440 | $91,620 |
| 140 | Scranton, PA | $88,960 | $65,400 | $100,570 | $95,090 |
| 141 | Ames, IA | $88,840 | $62,670 | $101,710 | $100,010 |
| 142 | Traverse City, MI | $88,800 | $58,220 | $103,850 | $95,100 |
| 143 | Bloomington, IN | $88,770 | $69,580 | $98,220 | $93,360 |
| 144 | Shreveport, LA | $88,770 | $63,090 | $101,420 | $104,720 |
| 145 | Springfield, MO | $88,770 | $57,200 | $104,310 | $100,210 |
| 146 | Albuquerque, NM | $88,570 | $61,400 | $101,960 | $92,700 |
| 147 | Oshkosh, WI | $88,500 | $59,380 | $102,840 | $95,230 |
| 148 | Columbus, OH | $88,210 | $56,740 | $103,730 | $92,400 |
| 149 | Albany, NY | $88,030 | $65,690 | $99,030 | $88,410 |
| 150 | Appleton, WI | $87,960 | $57,120 | $103,150 | $95,180 |
| 151 | Kalamazoo, MI | $87,730 | $59,800 | $101,480 | $92,500 |
| 152 | Waco, TX | $87,710 | $62,980 | $99,900 | $94,770 |
| 153 | Mankato, MN | $87,460 | $54,890 | $103,500 | $96,160 |
| 154 | Greensboro, NC | $87,360 | $62,800 | $99,470 | $94,070 |
| 155 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $87,280 | $54,890 | $103,230 | $95,430 |
| 156 | Jefferson City, MO | $87,280 | $60,380 | $100,510 | $99,210 |
| 157 | Grand Rapids, MI | $87,050 | $60,590 | $100,090 | $91,110 |
| 158 | Ann Arbor, MI | $86,990 | $51,710 | $104,350 | $86,230 |
| 159 | Binghamton, NY | $86,440 | $67,100 | $95,970 | $93,080 |
| 160 | Green Bay, WI | $85,920 | $61,150 | $98,110 | $92,300 |
| 161 | Des Moines, IA | $85,630 | $58,780 | $98,860 | $93,380 |
| 162 | Canton, OH | $85,590 | $58,720 | $98,840 | $95,730 |
| 163 | Las Cruces, NM | $84,930 | $61,820 | $96,300 | $94,140 |
| 164 | Beaumont, TX | $84,760 | $54,120 | $99,860 | $94,130 |
| 165 | North Port, FL | $83,970 | $61,150 | $95,200 | $81,990 |
| 166 | Corpus Christi, TX | $83,550 | $62,940 | $93,700 | $90,160 |
| 167 | College Station, TX | $83,510 | $58,610 | $95,760 | $91,820 |
| 168 | Lawrence, KS | $83,510 | $67,000 | $91,640 | $92,540 |
| 169 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $83,450 | $56,280 | $96,820 | $95,130 |
| 170 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $83,180 | $50,150 | $99,440 | $90,240 |
| 171 | Asheville, NC | $83,160 | $52,060 | $98,470 | $86,170 |
| 172 | Utica, NY | $82,910 | $55,990 | $96,160 | $89,460 |
| 173 | State College, PA | $82,870 | $56,890 | $95,660 | $85,640 |
| 174 | Gainesville, FL | $82,680 | $54,600 | $96,510 | $85,470 |
| 175 | Amarillo, TX | $82,470 | $57,640 | $94,700 | $89,820 |
| 176 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $81,580 | $56,640 | $93,870 | $91,700 |
| 177 | McAllen, TX | $81,490 | $57,950 | $93,080 | $94,870 |
| 178 | Wilmington, NC | $81,310 | $43,580 | $99,880 | $84,330 |
| 179 | Killeen, TX | $81,020 | $59,950 | $91,400 | $88,900 |
| 180 | Gulfport, MS | $80,830 | $55,100 | $93,500 | $89,810 |
| 181 | Mobile, AL | $80,830 | $66,680 | $87,800 | $91,750 |
| 182 | Dover, DE | $80,500 | $56,910 | $92,100 | $82,560 |
| 183 | St. Cloud, MN | $80,290 | $52,940 | $93,770 | $91,620 |
| 184 | Slidell, LA | $80,290 | $58,990 | $90,770 | $86,590 |
| 185 | Lansing, MI | $80,250 | $48,260 | $95,990 | $84,480 |
| 186 | Lafayette, LA | $80,200 | $53,460 | $93,370 | $91,960 |
| 187 | Youngstown, OH | $79,390 | $50,520 | $93,620 | $90,840 |
| 188 | Wausau, WI | $79,080 | $57,240 | $89,840 | $85,350 |
| 189 | Amherst Town, MA | $78,980 | $61,550 | $87,570 | $78,790 |
| 190 | Longview, TX | $78,540 | $50,020 | $92,560 | $87,770 |
| 191 | Waterloo, IA | $78,330 | $58,140 | $88,300 | $89,980 |
| 192 | Lubbock, TX | $77,460 | $60,420 | $85,840 | $84,830 |
| 193 | Erie, PA | $76,540 | $53,440 | $87,920 | $84,160 |
| 194 | Monroe, LA | $76,150 | $51,920 | $88,090 | $91,090 |
| 195 | Tallahassee, FL | $75,480 | $52,790 | $86,650 | $80,370 |
| 196 | Rochester, MN | $75,380 | $43,390 | $91,120 | $83,000 |
| 197 | Jackson, MS | $74,880 | $55,390 | $84,470 | $84,090 |
| 198 | El Paso, TX | $73,590 | $51,460 | $84,490 | $81,850 |
| 199 | Houma, LA | $73,570 | $49,880 | $85,240 | $86,450 |
| 200 | Manchester, NH | $73,550 | $53,460 | $83,450 | $69,610 |
| 201 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $73,530 | $48,090 | $86,070 | $80,850 |
| 202 | Panama City, FL | $71,660 | $42,640 | $85,950 | $73,650 |
| 203 | Springfield, IL | $71,240 | $54,140 | $79,680 | $76,810 |
| 204 | New Orleans, LA | $71,180 | $45,780 | $83,680 | $76,870 |
| 205 | Flint, MI | $71,050 | $50,540 | $81,160 | $76,370 |
| 206 | Knoxville, TN | $70,300 | $46,900 | $81,850 | $75,940 |
| 207 | San Juan, PR | $57,870 | $36,840 | $68,240 | N/A |
More
More on computer programmers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Computer Programmer salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays computer programmers the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $150,780 a year, followed by Boulder, CO ($139,840), Portland, ME ($138,860), Fayetteville, AR ($130,080). The national mean is $105,170 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do computer programmers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Fayetteville, AR ($142,390 at national prices, $130,080 nominal), San Jose, CA ($136,550 at national prices, $150,780 nominal), Portland, ME ($136,330 at national prices, $138,860 nominal).
How much do computer programmers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $128,880; Los Angeles, CA: $108,010; Chicago, IL-IN: $103,330; Dallas, TX: $106,330; Houston, TX: $99,420 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do computer programmers earn the least?
Of the 207 metro areas with their own estimate, San Juan, PR has the lowest mean wage, $57,870.