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Mainframe programmer vs programmer

The differences between mainframe programmers and programmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a mainframe programmer and a programmer. Additionally, a mainframe programmer has an average salary of $87,036, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of a programmer.

The top three skills for a mainframe programmer include JCL, DB2 and MQ. The most important skills for a programmer are java, javascript, and CSS.

Mainframe programmer vs programmer overview

Mainframe ProgrammerProgrammer
Yearly salary$87,036$73,007
Hourly rate$41.84$35.10
Growth rate-7%-7%
Number of jobs205,724234,565
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4747
Years of experience88

Mainframe programmer vs programmer salary

Mainframe programmers and programmers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Mainframe ProgrammerProgrammer
Average salary$87,036$73,007
Salary rangeBetween $64,000 And $117,000Between $54,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CityOlympia, WABothell, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyRandstad North America, Inc.Mayo Clinic
Best paying industryFinanceFinance

Differences between mainframe programmer and programmer education

There are a few differences between a mainframe programmer and a programmer in terms of educational background:

Mainframe ProgrammerProgrammer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorComputer ScienceComputer Science
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Mainframe programmer vs programmer demographics

Here are the differences between mainframe programmers' and programmers' demographics:

Mainframe ProgrammerProgrammer
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 75.4% Female, 24.6%Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 23.2% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 17.8% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between mainframe programmer and programmer duties and responsibilities

Mainframe programmer example 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.
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Programmer example responsibilities.

  • Create windows form application to manage flight and passenger information.
  • Utilize Jenkins to automate the building and deploying of these software units.
  • Implement a centralize configuration system for managing application settings, consisting of a desktop application with a WCF backend.
  • Create and automate ETL package to import monthly utility data from several electric utilities using Perl, PHP, and PL/SQL.
  • Convert PowerBuilder payroll applications into Java applications emphasizing user interface and customer requirements.
  • Work directly with the project manager to implement advance HTML and JavaScript solutions design to accurately capture survey data.
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Mainframe programmer vs programmer skills

Common mainframe programmer skills
  • JCL, 11%
  • DB2, 11%
  • MQ, 8%
  • CICS, 7%
  • SQL, 7%
  • VSAM, 4%
Common programmer skills
  • Java, 9%
  • JavaScript, 8%
  • CSS, 6%
  • Object Oriented Programming, 6%
  • Python, 5%
  • Data Entry, 5%

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