Computer Programmers
Also called Analyst Programmer, Computer Programmer, Programmer, or Programmer Analyst
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Computer Programmers do
You turn other people's plans into working code, then hunt down every error until the program does exactly what it should.
Computer programmers write and fix the instructions that make software run. Often someone else, like a software or web developer, hands you a specification (a written plan for what the program needs to do). You turn that plan into code, run trials to see what breaks, and rewrite until the results come out right. You also update older programs so they run faster or handle new requirements, and you write notes inside the code so the next person can follow your thinking.
The work is split between quiet focus and talking with people. You spend long stretches alone with a problem on screen. Then you sit down with managers, engineers, or the people running the systems to ask what a program is really supposed to do, or to track down why something failed.
A day in the life
You start indoors at a desk, in a climate-controlled office, checking email and messages from your team. You pick up the piece of code you were stuck on yesterday and read through it slowly, looking for the one line causing the wrong output. You make a change, run a trial, and watch what happens. Mid-morning you meet with an engineer to clarify what a new feature should actually do, mostly listening and asking questions. After lunch you map out the logic of the program in a diagram before writing any code. You add comments explaining your choices. A deadline is close, so you work steadily, sitting most of the day, fixing one small thing at a time.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Enjoy chasing down a problem until you find the exact cause
- ✓Like clear logic, order, and getting details exactly right
- ✓Can read a written plan carefully and ask good questions about it
- ✓Are comfortable sitting and concentrating for long stretches
- ✓Want a job that mixes solo focus with regular conversations
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to move around and work with your hands all day
- –Get frustrated when a single small error stops everything
- –Dislike deadlines and the pressure that comes with them
- –Want a field that is clearly expanding, since this one is projected to shrink 7.3% from 2025 to 2035 while all jobs grow 3.5%
How people get in
- 1Start coding now on your own, using free lessons and small projects, so you learn how it feels to debug (track down and fix errors in) something
- 2Take math, computer, and writing classes in high school; clear English matters for writing documentation, the notes that explain how a program works, and for meetings
- 3Earn a bachelor's degree, which is the typical entry education, in a field like computer science, computer programming, or management information systems
- 4Build a portfolio of programs you have written and can explain, including how you found and fixed the errors
- 5Look for internships or entry roles where you work alongside experienced programmers and learn a team's tools and standards
- 6Keep learning new languages and systems, and consider related paths like software developer or systems analyst as your skills grow
Who tends to enjoy it
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Official task list
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. (O*NET)
- 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.
- Prepare detailed workflow charts and diagrams that describe input, output, and logical operation, and convert them into a series of instructions coded in a computer language.
- Compile and write documentation of program development and subsequent revisions, inserting comments in the coded instructions so others can understand the program.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Programming
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
What you'll need to know
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
How much Computer Programmers make
The median pay for Computer Programmers in the U.S. is $100,390 a year ($48.26 an hour). Most earn between $57,710 and $160,460. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Connecticut ($133,820) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($51,310).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93,800 | 890 |
| Alaska | $91,700 | 530 |
| Arizona | $88,990 | 1,560 |
| Arkansas | $111,840 | 1,050 |
| California | $116,760 | 11,340 |
| Colorado | $104,610 | 930 |
| Connecticut | $133,820 | 1,650 |
| Florida | $93,180 | 4,760 |
| Georgia | $98,380 | 1,890 |
| Hawaii | $118,180 | 450 |
| Idaho | $89,020 | — |
| Illinois | $72,540 | 1,280 |
| Indiana | $97,000 | 1,520 |
| Iowa | $79,180 | 950 |
| Kansas | $92,960 | 460 |
| Kentucky | $94,850 | 950 |
| Maine | $101,780 | 450 |
| Maryland | $125,570 | 2,490 |
| Massachusetts | $128,390 | 1,930 |
| Michigan | $65,860 | 4,400 |
| Minnesota | $107,250 | 2,070 |
| Mississippi | $85,120 | 1,170 |
| Missouri | $90,420 | 1,520 |
| Montana | $89,920 | — |
| Nebraska | $95,150 | 1,090 |
| Nevada | $93,600 | 840 |
| New Hampshire | $74,000 | — |
| New Jersey | $104,940 | 3,930 |
| New Mexico | $83,750 | 600 |
| New York | $103,980 | 7,020 |
| North Carolina | $81,070 | 4,120 |
| North Dakota | $92,280 | 190 |
| Ohio | $85,270 | 2,100 |
| Oklahoma | $99,780 | 990 |
| Oregon | $99,540 | 1,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,180 | 3,120 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,310 | 920 |
| Rhode Island | $96,470 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $99,740 | 790 |
| South Dakota | $58,240 | 70 |
| Texas | $99,330 | 7,620 |
| Utah | $104,890 | 690 |
| Vermont | $89,560 | 170 |
| Virginia | $121,610 | 3,070 |
| Washington | $125,620 | 2,540 |
| West Virginia | $65,320 | 140 |
| Wyoming | $81,640 | 60 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Computer Science 1,091 colleges
- Computer Programming / Programmer 489 colleges
- Management Information Systems 461 colleges
- Computer Graphics 150 colleges
- Computer Programming, Specific Applications 184 colleges
- Computational Science 104 colleges
- Data Analytics 153 colleges
- Cloud Computing 71 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 15-1251.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 15-1251. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.