How to hire a mainframe programmer

How to hire a mainframe programmer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mainframe programmer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a mainframe programmer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new mainframe programmer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a mainframe programmer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The mainframe programmer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a mainframe programmer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a mainframe programmer that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of mainframe programmers.

   Type of Mainframe Programmer	Description	Hourly rate
   Mainframe Programmer	Computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly. They turn the program designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions that a computer can follow.	$30-56
   Sap/Abap Developer	An SAP/ABAP developer is responsible for designing and creating software programs and applications through the SAP and ABAP programming codes. They conduct multiple diagnostic tests for newly-created and existing applications to ensure adherence to quality standards and requirements... Show more	$37-65
   Program Development Internship	A Program Development Intern helps to improve the quality of education in schools and other academic institutions. They work in order to gain work experience and satisfy the requirements for a qualification.	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • JCL
   • DB2
   • MQ
   • CICS
   • SQL
   • VSAM
   • Cobol II
   • FTP
   • Java
   • Test Data
   • Procs
   • Unix
   • TSO
   • ISPF

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train the local programming staff in JCL and in revise COBOL coding to take advantage of the expanded mainframe processing capacity.
   • Code SQL statements to generate reports and check the optimization of SQL queries using SPUFI.
   • Create new programs using COBOL CICS VSAM to generate the adjudication process of claims whenever the user approves the policy.
   • Access creation in RACF and ACF2 systems and train the team.
   • Have expert level knowledge in using ENDEVOR.
   • Experience with VTAM and TCP/IP definitions and problem diagnosis.

   More mainframe programmer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the mainframe programmer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A mainframe programmer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a mainframe programmer in West Virginia may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level mainframe programmer. Additionally, a mainframe programmer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average mainframe programmer salary

   $87,036yearly

   $41.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mainframe programmer salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average mainframe programmer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$109,150	$52
   2	California	$104,495	$50
   3	Delaware	$99,774	$48
   4	District of Columbia	$98,904	$48
   5	Georgia	$94,316	$45
   6	Maryland	$93,280	$45
   7	South Carolina	$89,699	$43
   8	Arizona	$89,355	$43
   9	Virginia	$88,265	$42
   10	New Jersey	$87,893	$42
   11	Minnesota	$86,943	$42
   12	Illinois	$85,568	$41
   13	North Carolina	$84,746	$41
   14	Texas	$84,510	$41
   15	Alabama	$84,196	$40
   16	Louisiana	$81,945	$39
   17	Ohio	$81,348	$39
   18	Michigan	$80,821	$39
   19	Missouri	$77,267	$37
   20	Arkansas	$75,360	$36

   Average mainframe programmer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Randstad North America, Inc.	$95,098	$45.72	28
   2	DXC Technology	$94,358	$45.36	13
   3	Broadcom	$91,398	$43.94	57
   4	Genesis10	$91,300	$43.89
   5	Proficient Health	$90,737	$43.62
   6	EBSCO Industries	$90,416	$43.47
   7	DIVERSANT	$90,177	$43.35
   8	COMPanion	$89,360	$42.96
   9	COMSYS Information Technology Services Inc	$89,286	$42.93
   10	Delviom	$89,135	$42.85
   11	USM Business Systems	$88,901	$42.74	273
   12	Bank of America	$87,706	$42.17	75
   13	DISYS	$85,123	$40.92	5
   14	Parker Hannifin	$84,738	$40.74	7
   15	Dataquest	$84,005	$40.39
   16	VLS Systems	$83,504	$40.15
   17	Conduent	$83,431	$40.11	4
   18	CDI	$83,098	$39.95
   19	Boden	$77,857	$37.43
   20	Pyramid Technology Solutions	$76,489	$36.77

4. Writing a mainframe programmer job description

   A mainframe programmer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a mainframe programmer job description:

   Mainframe programmer job description example

   Please Note:
   1. If you are a first time user, please create your candidate login account before you apply for a job. (Click Sign In > Create Account)
   2. If you already have a Candidate Account, please Sign-In before you apply.
   
   Job Description:
   
   Broadcom's Mainframe Software Division (MSD) is looking for a talented and motivated Software Engineer with a passion for building high quality applications using agile practices to join our Mainframe Security and Compliance team. In this role, you will be a key member of the development team and will focus on building, testing, and supporting leading edge Mainframe Security solutions used by many of the world's largest companies.
   
   We are looking for an engineer who is highly motivated, team oriented and has excellent organization and problem-solving skills. The individual and team goal will be to develop and maintain high-quality software aligned with user needs and business objectives.
   
   Preferred work Location for this position is in our Lisle, IL office.
   
   What you will be doing in a typical week:
   Applying your past experience to inform the product roadmap;Experimenting with new technologies that improve our software;Developing modern high-quality software - Create unit tests and perform functional testing of software to find bugs and confirm that delivered software meets specifications and quality requirements;Interactions with customers for demos, and feedback sessions;Work closely with UX design engineers to design and implement user interfaces;Drive opportunities to increase efficiency and productivity through best practices.
   
   Qualifications:
   At the end of the day, the main things we're searching for are talent and passion. However, experience in one or more of these areas could make you a great addition to our team:
   Has development experience in the IBM mainframe environment;Experience in software development using IBM Assembler/Metal C on the mainframe (zOS or zVSE) platform;Mainframe debugging skills using IPCS, VM Trace, XDC, etc.Experience is implementing JCL to execute batch processes in zOS or zVSE;Exposure to RESTful APIs and Object-Oriented Programming. Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment Experience mentoring, teaching, and developing lessor experience team members Experience in software testing methodologies such as BDD and TDDKnowledge of Source Code Controls such as Endevor and GithubWorking experience in an Agile Software Development environment Effective communication skills Experience in Agile Software Development;
   
   Preferred Education
   Bachelor's degree or global equivalent in a software related field.
   
   Work Experience
   Typically, 5 years' experience in software development or a related field.
   
   Mainframe systems are at the heart of the digital economy, did you know 67 of the Fortune 100 companies use Mainframes, 45 of the world's top 50 banks, 8 of the top 10 insurers, 4 of the top 5 airlines, and 7 of the 10 global retailers all rely on the mainframe. With 80% of the world's structured corporate data residing or originating on mainframes, and 55% of all enterprise applications hitting the mainframe to complete transactions. Our industry-leading products are critical to many Fortune 1000 companies. If you want to be part of this interesting and energetic business and work on software that makes a difference to the world's economy, please apply today.
   
   Broadcom is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We will consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability status, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We will also consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records consistent with local law.
   
   If you are located outside USA, please be sure to fill out a home address as this will be used for future correspondence.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find mainframe programmers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any mainframe programmers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level mainframe programmers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your mainframe programmer job on Zippia to find and recruit mainframe programmer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit mainframe programmers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview mainframe programmer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new mainframe programmer

   Once you've found the mainframe programmer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new mainframe programmer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a mainframe programmer?