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Cobol programmer salary
Average cobol programmer salary
$84,879
Understanding Cobol Programmer Salaries
Cobol Programmers play a critical role in industries that rely on legacy systems, particularly in finance, insurance, and government sectors. As of October 2025, the average salary for a Cobol Programmer stands at $84,879 per year, which breaks down to about $41 per hour. Factors influencing these figures include experience level, geographic location, and industry specialization.
Salary Variation by State
Geographic location significantly impacts salary. States such as California and New York offer some of the highest salaries for Cobol Programmers, driven by higher demand for skilled professionals. In contrast, states with fewer technology job opportunities may offer lower salaries. Understanding these regional differences is essential for maximizing your earning potential.
Salary by Experience
Experience plays a pivotal role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start below the average, while seasoned Cobol Programmers with specialized skills can command significantly higher salaries. Leveraging certifications and additional skills can further enhance career prospects and income potential.
Job Opportunities
To explore job openings, consider utilizing job boards that specialize in tech roles. These platforms provide insights into salary estimates and job trends, helping you make informed decisions about your career path as a Cobol Programmer.
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Where can a Cobol Programmer earn more?
Cobol programmer salary estimates from across the web
Average cobol programmer salary by state
The average cobol programmer salary in Nevada, Washington, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cobol programmer salary states are New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cobol programmers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $98,500 | $47.36 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $97,527 | $46.89 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $86,930 | $41.79 |
| 4 | Nevada | $103,573 | $49.79 |
| 5 | Oregon | $89,903 | $43.22 |
| 6 | Maryland | $93,611 | $45.01 |
| 7 | California | $94,104 | $45.24 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $83,977 | $40.37 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $89,685 | $43.12 |
| 10 | Utah | $82,379 | $39.61 |
| 11 | Alaska | $90,625 | $43.57 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $89,736 | $43.14 |
| 13 | Virginia | $84,175 | $40.47 |
| 14 | Alabama | $83,535 | $40.16 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $80,288 | $38.60 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $84,247 | $40.50 |
| 17 | Ohio | $81,635 | $39.25 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $84,085 | $40.43 |
| 19 | New York | $85,813 | $41.26 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $84,529 | $40.64 |
| 21 | Vermont | $80,401 | $38.65 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $85,001 | $40.87 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $79,239 | $38.10 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $79,910 | $38.42 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $80,018 | $38.47 |
| 26 | Indiana | $78,165 | $37.58 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $80,906 | $38.90 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $78,802 | $37.89 |
| 29 | Illinois | $78,537 | $37.76 |
| 30 | Maine | $78,671 | $37.82 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $79,412 | $38.18 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $76,728 | $36.89 |
| 33 | Delaware | $76,537 | $36.80 |
| 34 | Colorado | $78,088 | $37.54 |
| 35 | Florida | $77,441 | $37.23 |
| 36 | Kansas | $75,564 | $36.33 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $75,626 | $36.36 |
| 38 | Idaho | $74,108 | $35.63 |
| 39 | Iowa | $76,845 | $36.94 |
| 40 | Georgia | $76,115 | $36.59 |
| 41 | Arizona | $73,898 | $35.53 |
| 42 | Texas | $71,947 | $34.59 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $72,807 | $35.00 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $69,703 | $33.51 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $72,492 | $34.85 |
| 46 | Montana | $69,299 | $33.32 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $72,321 | $34.77 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $72,621 | $34.91 |
| 49 | Missouri | $74,299 | $35.72 |
| 50 | Michigan | $69,164 | $33.25 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $64,363 | $30.94 |
Highest paying cities for cobol programmers
The highest-paying cities for cobol programmers are Seattle, WA, Columbia, MD, and Torrance, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $99,034 | $47.61 |
| 2 | Columbia, MD | $93,586 | $44.99 |
| 3 | Torrance, CA | $91,372 | $43.93 |
| 4 | Montgomery, AL | $83,735 | $40.26 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $81,739 | $39.30 |
| 6 | East Chicago, IN | $77,630 | $37.32 |
| 7 | Decatur, IL | $77,567 | $37.29 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | $76,835 | $36.94 |
| 9 | Coral Springs, FL | $76,499 | $36.78 |
| 10 | Alpharetta, GA | $75,804 | $36.44 |
| 11 | Saint Louis, MO | $74,827 | $35.97 |
| 12 | Menomonee Falls, WI | $72,713 | $34.96 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $72,443 | $34.83 |
| 14 | Farmington Hills, MI | $69,312 | $33.32 |
Cobol programmer salary details
A cobol programmer's salary ranges from $63,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $112,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cobol programmer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
| 75th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| Average | $84,879 | $7,073 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
Highest paying cobol programmer jobs
The highest paying types of cobol programmers are lead programmer, senior programmer, and programmer/analyst lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOS Developer | $101,536 | $8,461 | $48.82 | 237,714 |
| NET Developer | $88,984 | $7,415 | $42.78 | 236,690 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Developer | $100,076 | $8,340 | $48.11 | 262,570 |
| Mainframe Developer | $90,902 | $7,575 | $43.70 | 255,034 |
Top companies hiring cobol programmers now:
Which companies pay cobol programmers the most?
Cobol programmer salaries at Levi, Ray & Shoup and Data are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cobol programmer salary at companies like DXC Technology and Randstad North America, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Levi, Ray & Shoup | $101,258 | $48.68 |
| 2 | Data | $95,201 | $45.77 |
| 3 | DXC Technology | $92,758 | $44.60 |
| 4 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $92,610 | $44.52 |
| 5 | myMatrixx | $92,449 | $44.45 |
| 6 | Advanced Systems Design | $92,392 | $44.42 |
| 7 | DIVERSANT | $88,427 | $42.51 |
| 8 | Boden | $88,185 | $42.40 |
| 9 | Smart IMS | $87,721 | $42.17 |
| 10 | DEW Softech | $87,043 | $41.85 |
| 11 | FIS | $84,172 | $40.47 |
| 12 | University of Washington | $82,146 | $39.49 |
| 13 | Tech Providers | $80,765 | $38.83 |
| 14 | Texas Department of Transportation | $56,631 | $27.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cobol Programmer salary by industry
The average cobol programmer salary varies across industries:
- The average cobol programmer salary in the finance industry is $94,634, the highest of any industry.
- The average cobol programmer salary in the finance industry is $91,255.
- Cobol programmers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $80,103, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for cobol programmers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $94,634 | $45.50 |
| 2 | Insurance | $91,255 | $43.87 |
| 3 | Government | $81,537 | $39.20 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $80,103 | $38.51 |
High paying cobol programmer jobs
Cobol programmer salary trends
The average cobol programmer salary has risen by $15,745 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cobol programmer earned $69,134 annually, but today, they earn $84,879 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for cobol programmers over the last decade.
Compare cobol programmer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cobol programmer salary over time
Compare cobol programmer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cobol programmer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,900 | $40.81 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $82,100 | $39.46 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $80,200 | $38.57 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $78,300 | $37.64 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $76,000 | $36.54 | +0.4% |
Recently added cobol programmer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchants | Cobol Programmer Analyst | Buffalo, NY | 06/15/2025 | $64,000 |
| Select Minds | Cobol Programmer | Dallas, TX | 05/09/2025 | $125,220 |
| Ledgent Technology | As400 Cobol Programmer | Westminster, CA | 03/28/2025 | $93,915 |
| Ascendion | Cobol Programmer | Seattle, WA | 03/26/2025 | $90,000 |
| Innova Solutions Inc. | TWC-Remote Cobol or Natural Programmer-Information Technology | Austin, TX | 02/19/2025 | $104,350 |
| Ledgent Technology | Programmer As400 Cobol | Garden Grove, CA | 02/17/2025 | $93,915 |
| Izertis | Cobol-Medios de Pago, Prestamos, Cuentas Y Valores | Bode, IA | 02/16/2025 | $20,473 |
| Sismos Solutions, Inc. | Cobol Programmer | Flowood, MS | 02/13/2025 | $71,167 |
| Sismos Solutions, Inc. | Cobol Programmer “ Healthcare Industry | Flowood, MS | 02/12/2025 | $71,167 |
| Synechron | Cobol Requirement | Alpharetta, GA | 01/26/2025 | $105,000 |
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