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Job outlook for mainframe programmers in the United States
Are mainframe programmer jobs in demand?
Mainframe programmer job and salary trends over time
Mainframe programmer jobs over time
Mainframe programmer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,912 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,781 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 263 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,803 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 8,387 | 0.00% |
Average mainframe programmer salary over time
Mainframe programmer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $87,036 | $41.84 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $84,168 | $40.47 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $82,263 | $39.55 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $80,272 | $38.59 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $77,929 | $37.47 | +0.4% |
Mainframe programmer jobs by state
Most common states for mainframe programmers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 33 | 4% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 31 | 4% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 22 | 4% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 159 | 3% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 15 | 3% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 197 | 2% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 154 | 2% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 144 | 2% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 110 | 2% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 76 | 2% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 64 | 2% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 50 | 2% |
| 13 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 29 | 2% |
| 14 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 28 | 2% |
| 15 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 25 | 2% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 23 | 2% |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 23 | 2% |
| 18 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 20 | 2% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 19 | 2% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 14 | 2% |
Most common cities for mainframe programmers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allen | 1 | 1% | $84,314 |
| 2 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $82,901 |
| 3 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $98,904 |
Mainframe Programmer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of mainframe programmer experts
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Nova Southeastern University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Richmond
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Southeastern Louisiana University
University of Tulsa
Gannon University
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Keiser University Latin American Campus.
Eastern Washington University
Florida Atlantic University
Auburn University at Montgomery
University of New Haven
Murray State University
Washington University in St. Louis
Allegheny College
Saint Xavier University
Taylor University
What general advice would you give to a Mainframe Programmer?
Lyle Ford: Having a broad base of skills, both technical and interpersonal are very valuable. Often, physics majors are hired to be problem solvers and each problem has its own set of unique conditions that may require a different set of skills to solve. The ability to be an effective team member is vital and proof of that will make you stand out. Evidence of independent work is also helpful so highlight and research or internship experiences you have had.
What will help Mainframe Programmers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Frank Mitropoulos Ph.D.: As we look toward the future of careers in Computer Applications, several skills stand out for their growing importance. These skills revolve around specific technologies that are expected to continue to grow and evolve. Technologies related to Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and Data Science are quickly evolving and being applied across the technology sector. Cloud Computing: Given the widespread adoption of Cloud services, Cloud computing expertise is indispensable. Understanding how to leverage platforms like Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud is crucial to developing scalable, efficient solutions that meet business needs. Artificial Intelligence: AI and Machine Learning are transforming the world. Skills in these areas to solve real-world problems will be even more critical in the future. Cybersecurity: Digital threats are becoming more sophisticated. Safeguarding data, networks, and systems will require encryption, intrusion detection, development, and regulation skills. Data Science: Skills in Data Science will be increasingly sought after as businesses embrace data-driven decision-making. Extracting meaningful insights from extensive datasets and effectively communicating these findings will be essential. Soft skills: Finally, soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication cannot be overlooked. Adapting, communicating, and leading will be essential for success.
What will help Mainframe Programmers increase their earning potential?
Ahmed Imteaj PH.D.: Research Salary Trends: Before entering the job market, research salary trends for entry-level positions in your field and location. Websites like Glassdoor, PayScale, and LinkedIn Salary can provide valuable insights into typical salary ranges for different roles.
Acquire In-Demand Skills: Identify in-demand skills and technologies in your field and focus on acquiring them through coursework, certifications, internships, or personal projects. Skills such as machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data science are highly valued and can command higher salaries.
Gain Relevant Experience: Prioritize gaining relevant experience through internships, co-op programs, part-time jobs, or freelance projects. Practical experience can significantly increase your market value and make you more attractive to employers.Customize Your Resume and Cover Letter: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that align with the job requirements. Highlighting your unique qualifications can increase your chances of landing interviews and negotiating a higher salary.
Prepare for Salary Negotiations: Before entering salary negotiations, research the typical salary range for the position and location, considering factors such as cost of living and industry standards. Practice articulating your value proposition and be prepared to negotiate confidently for a salary that reflects your skills, experience, and market value.
Consider Additional Benefits: In addition to salary, consider other benefits and perks offered by employers, such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and bonuses. These benefits can add significant value to your overall compensation package.
Ahmed Temani
Senior InstructorUniversity of Richmond
Computer/Information Technology Administration And Management
What general advice would you give to a Mainframe Programmer?
Ahmed Temani: A lot of the buzz is about using chatbots to improve coding efficiency. However, there is a great need for systems level thinking and design as software is deployed across cloud and edge computing devices. Gaining more experience in systems design provides you with additional skills that complement whatever AI-based technology gets deployed.
Travis Stouffer
Assistant Professor of Information Systems, ChairUniversity of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Department of Information Systems
What general advice would you give to a Mainframe Programmer?
Travis Stouffer: Operate with a high-level of attention to detail. Superiors always appreciate a new or old employee who is self-sufficient and doesn’t need their hand to be held. Secondly, do everything you can to support the development process. You want to be seen a key cog in the development process, even if you are not writing code. You want to be the person with answers. Research APIs to use as datasources, write detailed requirements, support those requirements with detailed wireframes and mockups which blueprint the end-state of the application, test coded features and lastly just volunteer to do anything that will lighten the burden on the programmers of the team. Doing these things will also position you with a well-rounded experience that will help you ascend to project management type roles.
Travis Mandel Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Hawaii at Hilo
Department of Computer Science
What skills stand out on Mainframe Programmer resumes?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: The number one thing that employers typically look for is a project that demonstrates your ability to program something new and useful. The best projects are ones that someone undertakes independently or with a small group of others - if it is the latter, you need to clarify what you contributed. It's even better if you include a link to public code on Github so that employers can look around your Github page and get a sense of your coding style. A working demo is also very impressive. Ideally, this wouldn't be something you were forced to do for a class but rather something you took the independent initiative to do.
College GPA doesn't matter as much as people think it does - most companies care much more about what you can do than how well you did in class. Unless it is extremely low, it shouldn't be a problem. Listing courses can be useful, but even better would be listing skills you learned in classes. For instance, the class "Artificial Intelligence" means completely different things at institutions. So employers may not necessarily understand what skills you learned in that class unless you highlight them.
What soft skills should all Mainframe Programmers possess?
Travis Mandel Ph.D.: Although computer science seems like a highly technical field, soft skills are really what differentiates software engineers. One of the most important qualities of any software engineer is explaining their code clearly at various levels of technical depth and explaining why certain design decisions were made. You could write code that does amazing things, but if that code consists of snippets you pasted from StackOverflow without really fully understanding them, it will be a huge headache for anyone who needs to come into the codebase later and maintain or update it.
Another one is asking the right questions. Imagine you are dropped into a huge codebase and asked to add a new feature (very common!). There's no time to understand everything that is going on, but on the other hand, you need to understand enough of the code to do your task effectively, which involves asking questions. A failure to ask questions will likely result in you wasting a huge amount of time working on something that is ultimately not useful, for instance, re-implementing a complex function that already exists somewhere in the codebase.
Dr. Ghanssan Alkadi Ph.D.
Professor of Computer ScienceSoutheastern Louisiana University
Department of Computer Science
What skills stand out on Mainframe Programmer resumes?
Dr. Ghanssan Alkadi Ph.D.: Working on Software projects that involve team communication, Agile Process, and working with either the MERN, MEAN, or .Net stacks.
What skills will help Mainframe Programmers earn the most?
Dr. Ghanssan Alkadi Ph.D.: Web and Mobile App development will help you earn the most.
Sal Aurigemma Ph.D.
Associate Professor of CIS, J. Bradley Oxley Professor of Computer Information SystemsUniversity of Tulsa
School of Accounting and CIS at the Collins College of Business
What skills stand out on Mainframe Programmer resumes?
Sal Aurigemma Ph.D.: We constantly work with employers that recruit our students, and for the past several years, there has been an almost insatiable need for workers with skills in data analytics & visualization, agile software development, cloud system architecture and administration, and cyber security.
What skills will help Mainframe Programmers earn the most?
Sal Aurigemma Ph.D.: Each of the areas and skills mentioned above is important. The way to earn the most in any of the varied specialties in IT depends on having the right blend of technical and soft skills for a particular employer and, frankly, being the right person at the right time for the right employer. That sounds ambiguous, but the point is that those looking for IT work need to research which companies, locations, and specific jobs pay the most with open positions that match their skillset. And, if you find that dream job with the dream pay but you don't have the requisite skills, there are plenty of opportunities to show a potential employer that you are willing to learn the skills to succeed in that position.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Mainframe Programmers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Computing is ubiquitous, and with more industries moving to remote work, location is becoming less critical. If the internet reaches a place reliably, computing jobs can be located there.
How do you envision technology impacting Mainframe Programmers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.: Breadth and depth: Computing is becoming more like engineering; where the value of the product, its lifetime risks, costs, and benefits are more critical than just it's roll-out. So the engineering competencies that have always been a part of computing will become more central. Computing is also expanding; the role of data and the shift of once-research technologies (like machine learning) into production applications will continue to require computing graduates to broaden their base and continue as learners. This will cause shifts in what is considered 'fundamental' and the need for professionals to continue to hone and redevelop their technical skill sets.
Janos Fustos Ph.D.
ProfessorMetropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics
What's a good job out of college for Mainframe Programmers?
Janos Fustos Ph.D.: I hope students are asking that question before they enroll in the first course at a college because otherwise, they would waste lot of time and money to work on a degree or a career path that does not fulfill their goals and personal interest. In that sense any job is a good job that somebody understands, feels that he/she is a good fit and can live up to the imposed challenges, and has the knowledge/skills to work in the field. There are interesting and self-fulfilling jobs to choose from. Certainly, it starts with the definition what a "good" means to an individual, what are the attributes of that definition: is that the professional area, is the salary, is it the challenging nature, is it more about the working environment and the people they can work with, is it the promotion options, the high impact etc. There are several lists available on the internet that provide recommendations and track the different aspects of job selection options for seekers.
Elio Rivas
Department Chair – Software Engineering & MIS Keiser University Latin American CampusKeiser University Latin American Campus.
Software Engineering and Management Information Systems (MIS) Department
What soft skills should all Mainframe Programmers possess?
Elio Rivas: All the graduates should have customer services-oriented, teamwork, emotional intelligence, patient, persistency, audacity. Negotiation skills to get better paid.
Christian Hansen Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairEastern Washington University
Department of Mathematics
What's a day at work look like for a Mainframe Programmer?
Christian Hansen Ph.D.: In the post-pandemic era, a typical workday for a recent graduate will likely involve some form of remote work. I predict that many businesses will benefit from the reduced cost of remote infrastructure compared to the cost of maintaining brick and mortar office space. Many new graduates will continue to spend their day on a computer while collaborating in teams via Zoom and other teleconference tools. People working in disciplines that have traditionally been "on the ground" will move towards more hybrid modes of work, reducing the need for travel and participating in face-to-face meetings and training.
Maria Larrondo Petrie Ph.D.
ProfessorFlorida Atlantic University
Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Mainframe Programmers?
Maria Larrondo Petrie Ph.D.: Students graduating during the pandemic are missing career fair and career service events that the universities and professional association offer, which are very important to get an internship and an entry level position. So their entry-level position may be not in their major and not at the salary and responsibilities that they had hoped. This impacts subsequent offers.
What technical skills for a Mainframe Programmer stand out to employers?
Maria Larrondo Petrie Ph.D.: The potential employee needs to be comfortable and flexible to learn different technologies needed to be successful in the virtual work environment. More importantly than the technical schools are the soft skills that give the employee the self-discipline and communications skills to be effective and productive in a virtual work environment. The non-technical major needs to be computer literate and have the mindset to learn new technical skills.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Mainframe Programmers?
Dr. Semih Dinc: I personally think there may be a positive impact of this pandemic for CS graduates in medium/long term. Even if many companies have frozen or slowed down their hiring process now, I believe this is a temporary decision. There is still a big need for new CS graduates in the industry. And to me it is more clear that people realized they can work remotely for many CS related positions. This means that many companies can cut their physical office budgets and hire more remote people. One of the factors for our students is the challenges/expenses of the city they would work. Some of them do not want to move to big cities. I am assuming with more remote working opportunities graduates will have more options.
What experience really stands out on Mainframe Programmer resumes?
Dr. Semih Dinc: According to my experience, most companies are not looking for "straight A" students. Instead, they look for someone with real world experience in their field. A recent graduate will most likely stand out if he/she has somehow contributed real projects. This can be achieved through internships. For many students, who do not have this option, they can still stand out by sharing their "good" school projects to platforms like GitHub. This way they can show companies that they are aware of these tools, and they will be ready to adopt the new company environment.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Mainframe Programmers?
Christopher Martinez Ph.D.: Courses that have a heavy emphasis on hands-on projects can have a massive impact on your job prospects. In the technology field, you want to make sure your resume has many tools/skills that the industry uses, from hardware, test equipment, software tools, and programming languages. If you can take a course that will allow you to learn what industry uses while teaching you theory, you should run to take the course.
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceMurray State University
Computer Science and Information Systems
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Mainframe Programmers?
Dr. Matthew Tennyson Ph.D.: A bachelor's degree in computer science is extremely valuable. It has been and continues to be one of the most valuable college degrees a student can pursue. I really think all areas of computing are in demand, but web and mobile computing might be one of the strongest. Some employers do like to see extra certifications in addition to the bachelor's degree. There are literally hundreds of certifications available in the computing industry. They all vary in the required amount of time, effort, and money. I think anything that can set a candidate apart from other candidates is valuable, and that includes any certification. I would not recommend investing thousands of dollars into additional certifications after completing a bachelor's degree, but I don't think it's a bad idea for students to pursue one of the free or lower-cost certifications that are available - especially those students who might not have strong internship experience, extracurricular activities, projects, etc. to put on their resumes. I think anything DevOps related or cloud-based like Amazon's AWS or Microsoft's Azure are especially valuable right now.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Mainframe Programmer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Tao Ju: History has proven that engineers have fared well in the most challenging job markets; the aftermath of this pandemic will be no different. If anything, we may see some industries pull back on hiring while other industries pick up (health care, technology, consumer products, etc.). As the global economy remains a bit turbulent, it's likely that we'll see more just-in-time hiring. Companies may be cautious to hire new grads 6-9 months prior to graduation like we've seen in recent years, but it will only be temporary. Until things stabilize a bit more, companies may turn to hiring more interns or contractors to fill gaps. However, the overall demand for engineers will not slow for a significant period of time. We'll see companies use more virtual recruiting strategies because they have seen the success they can have with multi-school virtual sessions, online job fairs and video interviewing. More and more companies will integrate artificial intelligence to standardize and simplify their recruiting process. We'll also see an upward trend in diversity, equity and inclusive (DEI) hiring practices as more candidates seek out diverse and inclusive employers and more attention is drawn to ongoing challenges.
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorAllegheny College
Department of Computer Science and Affiliated Faculty in Integrative Informatics
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Mainframe Programmer job market given the pandemic?
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.: Pandemic has accelerated social connectivity trends using technology, including technology for remote work, and e-learning, and technology to make e-commerce more comfortable and faster. I foresee these accelerated technology trends to continue, even after the pandemic, and therefore job markets in these areas to continue to grow. Another big surge we have seen is in data analytics, which has been increasing over the last decade, and COVID-19 has spotlighted this field. I expect data analyst jobs to continue to be in demand and to grow. Also, the pandemic showed us the interconnectedness of technology with other areas. As the need to develop better solutions to fight various diseases heightens, for example, I expect jobs in biotech to grow.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Mainframe Programmers in the next 5 years?
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.: More technology and expertise to use online productivity, development, and communication technologies, is now needed to build and maintain online infrastructures to bring people together in a smaller world. The increase in demand for graduates in the areas mentioned above will result from the current dependence that the pandemic has forced upon Internet-based technologies for communications and productivity. For instance, more will likely be done online after the pandemic since companies have grown used to the convenience of organizing online meetings, working in the cloud, and completing development and scheduling tasks, using freshly-minted, online productivity technologies from GitHub, Zoom, Google Meet, and similar organizations.
In academia, conferences used to be in-person only, and so if you wanted to meet colleagues in your research area, you had to attend in person. Due to the lessons learned from conducting meetings during the pandemic, participants are encouraged to attend conferences virtually, give presentations, develop collaborations, and become involved in new and exciting projects without leaving their living rooms.
These events have grown used to this freedom to organize events, without physical boundaries, when getting people together to meet, think, and work. It is logical to perform more online work now, to be done so conveniently to include more people and more productivity, with less travel and hotels to worry about. It would seem that those who design technological innovations, permitting better communication, development, and productivity for online users will be the creators of the collaboration spaces of tomorrow.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Mainframe Programmers in the next 3-5 years?
Oliver Bonham-Carter Ph.D.: In the next few years, technologies related to artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud computing, container-orchestration systems, and cybersecurity will continue to become more important and prominent. These technologies have the foundation to improve the quality of life in terms of health, education, fighting misinformation, creating better connections, fighting climate change, etc. IoT with smart devices connected online will continue to rise, thus producing more data, which will necessitate AI, data analytics, and security solutions. Additionally, I foresee 5G technology to play an essential role in the next few years, as e-commerce expands into autonomous delivery services. In the software engineering field, to enable fast, secure, and connected software development, technologies allowing to automate a part of that process, such as version control, containerization, and Kubernetes, will also become increasingly important.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Mainframe Programmers in the next 5 years?
James Vanderhyde: There has been a steady increase in software and IT jobs for the last 20 years, and this is not going to slow down any time soon. In the next 5 years, demand will increase, particularly in software development and cybersecurity. The technology field changes so quickly that beyond 5 years, it is difficult to make predictions. That is why we thoroughly prepare our computer science and information systems students for technology changes and career shifts to discover the best in themselves and to be prepared to meet the demand and excel within the field.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Mainframe Programmers to find work opportunities?
James Vanderhyde: Any big city will have lots of opportunities for computing, software, and IT work. Silicon Valley and the rest of the west coast are the most famous, but innovation is happening everywhere around the country and around the world, including here in Chicago. Chicago tech companies have hired our students upon graduation, and likewise, our graduates have found success and gratification in the field.
What are the best companies to work for a Mainframe Programmer?
James Vanderhyde: The best companies to work for are companies that respect you as a person and not just a cog in the machine. They are inclusive, and they recognize and appreciate diversity. They have a track record of handling sick leave and family leave as needed. They will not expect you to eat dinner in your office and then go back to work after an already long day. All software companies experience crunch times around release dates, but the best companies do not experience constant crunch. That is a sign of poor management. The best companies will give you challenging problems to work on and reward innovation.
Dr. Jonathan Geisler
Associate ProfessorTaylor University
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
What are the best companies to work for a Mainframe Programmer?
Dr. Jonathan Geisler: The best companies to work for are the ones that are responsive to both their customers' and employees' needs. They are the ones that have tried to be proactive during the pandemic and not just survive until everything got "back to normal." They know that a damaged workforce leads to a damaged company, and so they provide good management, encouraging everyone to be healthy mentally and physically.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Mainframe Programmers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Jonathan Geisler: There will be a continued increase in demand for computer engineering
graduates as computers become more heavily integrated into the fabric
of our lives. Things like self-driving cars, the Internet of Things, and
mobile computing will become more commonplace and increase the demand for engineering talent; the long-term trend of using smartphones and web-based applications will not slow, leading to an increase in the
demand for computing talent.