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Mainframe programmer salary
Average mainframe programmer salary
$87,036
Understanding Mainframe Programmer Salaries
A Mainframe Programmer plays a vital role in the IT sector, specializing in large-scale systems that power critical business operations. The average salary, estimated at $87,036 annually, can vary based on experience, location, and the specific industry. For instance, programmers in finance or healthcare often see higher compensation due to the complexity and importance of systems they manage.
Salary ranges also differ significantly by state. For example, states like California and New York tend to offer some of the highest salaries for this role, reflecting a competitive job market. Conversely, regions with lower demand may offer reduced salary scales.
Moreover, years of experience greatly influence earning potential. Entry-level positions may start at around $60,000, but seasoned professionals with specialized skills can command salaries exceeding $100,000.
In summary, understanding the salary landscape for Mainframe Programmers is crucial for career planning. Utilize this information to identify lucrative opportunities and position yourself effectively in the job market.
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Where can a Mainframe Programmer earn more?
Mainframe programmer salary estimates from across the web
Average mainframe programmer salary by state
The average mainframe programmer salary in Washington, New Hampshire, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average mainframe programmer salary states are West Virginia, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for mainframe programmers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $99,801 | $47.98 |
| 2 | Alaska | $96,674 | $46.48 |
| 3 | Oregon | $95,832 | $46.07 |
| 4 | Washington | $108,985 | $52.40 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $94,592 | $45.48 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $101,487 | $48.79 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $93,452 | $44.93 |
| 8 | Georgia | $94,365 | $45.37 |
| 9 | Maine | $87,395 | $42.02 |
| 10 | Arizona | $89,214 | $42.89 |
| 11 | Vermont | $88,482 | $42.54 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $98,825 | $47.51 |
| 13 | Maryland | $93,138 | $44.78 |
| 14 | California | $97,515 | $46.88 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $91,499 | $43.99 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $85,455 | $41.08 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $89,608 | $43.08 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $81,274 | $39.07 |
| 19 | Texas | $86,141 | $41.41 |
| 20 | Utah | $85,264 | $40.99 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $85,359 | $41.04 |
| 22 | Virginia | $88,431 | $42.51 |
| 23 | Illinois | $85,287 | $41.00 |
| 24 | New York | $93,028 | $44.73 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $87,894 | $42.26 |
| 26 | Alabama | $84,630 | $40.69 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $83,946 | $40.36 |
| 28 | Ohio | $81,490 | $39.18 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $84,399 | $40.58 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $86,892 | $41.77 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $76,811 | $36.93 |
| 32 | Iowa | $81,641 | $39.25 |
| 33 | Michigan | $80,613 | $38.76 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $74,453 | $35.79 |
| 35 | Nevada | $82,176 | $39.51 |
| 36 | Idaho | $78,630 | $37.80 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $75,466 | $36.28 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $79,040 | $38.00 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $82,133 | $39.49 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $81,820 | $39.34 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $75,283 | $36.19 |
| 42 | Montana | $75,014 | $36.06 |
| 43 | Kansas | $76,794 | $36.92 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $75,302 | $36.20 |
| 45 | Missouri | $77,230 | $37.13 |
| 46 | Florida | $66,144 | $31.80 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $72,476 | $34.84 |
| 48 | Colorado | $76,873 | $36.96 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $66,026 | $31.74 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $73,839 | $35.50 |
| 51 | Indiana | $69,988 | $33.65 |
Highest paying cities for mainframe programmers
The highest-paying cities for mainframe programmers are Olympia, WA, Oakland, CA, and Newark, DE.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympia, WA | $109,150 | $52.48 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $104,495 | $50.24 |
| 3 | Newark, DE | $99,774 | $47.97 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $98,904 | $47.55 |
| 5 | Alpharetta, GA | $94,316 | $45.34 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $93,280 | $44.85 |
| 7 | Columbia, SC | $89,699 | $43.12 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $89,355 | $42.96 |
| 9 | McLean, VA | $88,265 | $42.44 |
| 10 | Jersey City, NJ | $87,893 | $42.26 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $86,943 | $41.80 |
| 12 | Vernon Hills, IL | $85,568 | $41.14 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $84,746 | $40.74 |
| 14 | Richardson, TX | $84,510 | $40.63 |
| 15 | Birmingham, AL | $84,196 | $40.48 |
| 16 | New Orleans, LA | $81,945 | $39.40 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $81,348 | $39.11 |
| 18 | Dearborn, MI | $80,821 | $38.86 |
| 19 | Maryland Heights, MO | $77,267 | $37.15 |
| 20 | Little Rock, AR | $75,360 | $36.23 |
Mainframe programmer salary details
A mainframe programmer's salary ranges from $64,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $117,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a mainframe programmer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $117,000 | $9,750 | $56 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,000 | $8,417 | $49 |
| Average | $87,036 | $7,253 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
Highest paying mainframe programmer jobs
The highest paying types of mainframe programmers are lead programmer, senior programmer, and programmer/analyst lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sap/Abap Developer | $104,432 | $8,703 | $50.21 | 92,478 |
| Program Development Internship | $33,686 | $2,807 | $16.19 | 150,632 |
| Program Developer | $74,749 | $6,229 | $35.94 | 128,488 |
| Programmer Analyst | $71,563 | $5,964 | $34.41 | 248,781 |
| Information Technology Programmer | $89,063 | $7,422 | $42.82 | 283,349 |
| Computer Programmer | $70,979 | $5,915 | $34.12 | 205,491 |
Top companies hiring mainframe programmers now:
Which companies pay mainframe programmers the most?
Mainframe programmer salaries at Randstad North America, Inc. and DXC Technology are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mainframe programmer salary at companies like Broadcom and Genesis10 are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $95,098 | $45.72 |
| 2 | DXC Technology | $94,358 | $45.36 |
| 3 | Broadcom | $91,398 | $43.94 |
| 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 |
| 12 | Bank of America | $87,706 | $42.17 |
| 13 | DISYS | $85,123 | $40.92 |
| 14 | Parker Hannifin | $84,738 | $40.74 |
| 15 | Dataquest | $84,005 | $40.39 |
| 16 | VLS Systems | $83,504 | $40.15 |
| 17 | Conduent | $83,431 | $40.11 |
| 18 | CDI | $83,098 | $39.95 |
| 19 | Boden | $77,857 | $37.43 |
| 20 | Pyramid Technology Solutions | $76,489 | $36.77 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Mainframe Programmer salary by industry
The average mainframe programmer salary varies across industries:
- The average mainframe programmer salary in the finance industry is $89,759, the highest of any industry.
- The average mainframe programmer salary in the finance industry is $88,582.
- Mainframe programmers in the health care industry earn an average salary of $79,892, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for mainframe programmers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $89,759 | $43.15 |
| 2 | Media | $88,582 | $42.59 |
| 3 | Automotive | $88,257 | $42.43 |
| 4 | Professional | $83,086 | $39.95 |
| 5 | Technology | $81,873 | $39.36 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $81,549 | $39.21 |
| 7 | Health Care | $79,892 | $38.41 |
High paying mainframe programmer jobs
Mainframe programmer salary trends
The average mainframe programmer salary has risen by $16,144 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mainframe programmer earned $70,892 annually, but today, they earn $87,036 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for mainframe programmers over the last decade.
Compare mainframe programmer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average mainframe programmer salary over time
Compare mainframe programmer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Mainframe programmer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $87,000 | $41.84 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $84,200 | $40.47 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $82,300 | $39.55 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $80,300 | $38.59 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $77,900 | $37.47 | +0.4% |
Recently added mainframe programmer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kellymitchell Group | Mainframe Programmer | Brookfield, WI | 05/29/2025 | $75,132 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Bismarck, ND | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Pierre, SD | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Boise, ID | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Charleston, WV | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Atlanta, GA | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Little Rock, AR | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Columbia, SC | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Richmond, VA | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
| Govcio | Mainframe Programmer | Jackson, MS | 04/22/2025 | $82,000 |
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