How To Become A Mainframe Developer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a mainframe developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Frank McCown Ph.D.,

Christian Hansen Ph.D.

A mainframe developer is essentially a software developer but one who works within the mainframe system. As such, they have similar responsibilities as a software developer.

Mainframe experts are a diminishing group of developers. This has created an increasing demand for mainframe experts on a global scale. With the right skill set, they could find work in a wide range of industries anywhere in the world.

To start, they need to have a strong knowledge of mainframe languages and tools. Additionally, knowledge of project management and software development cycle can also be beneficial. Depending on the sector, industry-specific skills and knowledge may be required, too.

Most mainframe programmers have a bachelor's degree; however, some employers hire workers who have an associate's degree. While a degree in computer science is important, in the programming field, programming skill is what counts.

What general advice would you give to a mainframe developer?

Frank McCown Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Harding University

The market is stable for software developers, despite the economic challenges created by the pandemic. Before accepting a job offer, talk to the company's employees through online meetings or email, and see what they think of the company. Do they enjoy their work? Are there opportunities to learn new technologies? How does the company treat their employees? There's a good chance you will be working remotely in your first job, so you will need to exercise a lot of self-discipline, be punctual for online meetings, do the work you've been assigned, and know when to ask questions when you get stuck. Expect a steeper-than-normal learning curve if you are working remotely instead of in an office.

ScoreMainframe DeveloperUS Average

Salary

7.1

Avg. Salary $90,902

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.1

Growth rate -7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.18%

Asian 25.98%

Black or African American 4.13%

Hispanic or Latino 7.28%

Unknown 4.42%

White 58.01%

Gender

female 26.36%

male 73.64%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

5.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a mainframe developer

Explore mainframe developer education requirements

Most common mainframe developer degrees

Bachelor's

75.9 %

Master's

14.4 %

Associate

6.5 %

Start to develop specific mainframe developer skills

Skills	Percentages
DB2	11.07%
JCL	10.11%
CICS	7.57%
SQL	5.68%
VSAM	4.38%

Complete relevant mainframe developer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New mainframe developers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a mainframe developer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real mainframe developer resumes.

Research mainframe developer duties and responsibilities

Used ChangeMan to manage change control for source code and JCL migrations/promotions.
Design and develop SQL SSIS packages to manage the flow and synchronization of data across multiple systems.
Utilize significant experience working with end users, managing off-shore resources and interfacing with diverse QA groups across the firm.
Create a completely automate and fully manage desktop management solution.

Prepare your mainframe developer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mainframe developer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mainframe developer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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