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Senior application programmer salary
Average senior application programmer salary
$113,636
Average Salary for Senior Application Programmers
The average salary for a Senior Application Programmer in the United States is approximately $113,636 annually. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works. For instance, programmers in tech hubs like California or New York often command higher salaries due to demand and cost of living.
Salary by State
In states like Washington, the average salary can exceed $120,000, while states with a lower cost of living may offer salaries closer to $100,000. Understanding these regional differences is crucial for job seekers aiming to maximize their earning potential.
Highest Paying Industries
Industries such as finance, healthcare, and tech are known for offering higher compensation for Senior Application Programmers, reflecting the critical role they play in developing and maintaining software applications. As the demand for skilled programmers continues to rise, so do the opportunities for lucrative positions in various sectors.
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Where can a Senior Application Programmer earn more?
Senior application programmer salary estimates from across the web
Average senior application programmer salary by state
The average senior application programmer salary in California, Washington, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior application programmer salary states are Montana, Iowa, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior application programmers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $130,727 | $62.85 |
| 2 | California | $133,582 | $64.22 |
| 3 | Oregon | $118,667 | $57.05 |
| 4 | Virginia | $121,800 | $58.56 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $122,058 | $58.68 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $116,152 | $55.84 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $122,720 | $59.00 |
| 8 | Texas | $112,215 | $53.95 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $109,402 | $52.60 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $122,502 | $58.90 |
| 11 | Utah | $105,634 | $50.79 |
| 12 | Maryland | $113,928 | $54.77 |
| 13 | Colorado | $108,317 | $52.08 |
| 14 | Arizona | $105,905 | $50.92 |
| 15 | Delaware | $103,350 | $49.69 |
| 16 | Michigan | $103,282 | $49.65 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $101,040 | $48.58 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $108,124 | $51.98 |
| 19 | Vermont | $100,275 | $48.21 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $101,407 | $48.75 |
| 21 | Alabama | $102,728 | $49.39 |
| 22 | Florida | $106,795 | $51.34 |
| 23 | New York | $106,723 | $51.31 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $98,259 | $47.24 |
| 25 | Alaska | $102,923 | $49.48 |
| 26 | Nevada | $102,706 | $49.38 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $100,361 | $48.25 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $102,075 | $49.07 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $97,780 | $47.01 |
| 30 | Georgia | $98,365 | $47.29 |
| 31 | Maine | $97,262 | $46.76 |
| 32 | Idaho | $95,669 | $45.99 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $96,835 | $46.56 |
| 34 | Kansas | $94,728 | $45.54 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $98,883 | $47.54 |
| 36 | Illinois | $95,419 | $45.87 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $91,088 | $43.79 |
| 38 | Ohio | $94,119 | $45.25 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $93,208 | $44.81 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $93,667 | $45.03 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $90,802 | $43.65 |
| 42 | Montana | $89,525 | $43.04 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $92,368 | $44.41 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $90,448 | $43.48 |
| 45 | Iowa | $89,230 | $42.90 |
| 46 | Missouri | $92,483 | $44.46 |
| 47 | Indiana | $85,724 | $41.21 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $91,261 | $43.88 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $86,446 | $41.56 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $88,364 | $42.48 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $75,400 | $36.25 |
Highest paying cities for senior application programmers
The highest-paying cities for senior application programmers are San Francisco, CA, Greenwich, CT, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $146,793 | $70.57 |
| 2 | Greenwich, CT | $122,817 | $59.05 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $122,555 | $58.92 |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $122,518 | $58.90 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $114,155 | $54.88 |
| 6 | Grand Prairie, TX | $113,394 | $54.52 |
| 7 | Orlando, FL | $109,865 | $52.82 |
| 8 | Flagstaff, AZ | $107,182 | $51.53 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $107,099 | $51.49 |
| 10 | Wilmington, DE | $103,459 | $49.74 |
| 11 | Ann Arbor, MI | $103,425 | $49.72 |
| 12 | Voorhees, NJ | $100,672 | $48.40 |
| 13 | Alpharetta, GA | $98,667 | $47.44 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $95,666 | $45.99 |
| 15 | Overland Park, KS | $94,649 | $45.50 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $94,240 | $45.31 |
| 17 | Baton Rouge, LA | $91,286 | $43.89 |
| 18 | Bentonville, AR | $90,338 | $43.43 |
Senior application programmer salary details
A senior application programmer's salary ranges from $82,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $156,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior application programmer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $156,000 | $13,000 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| Average | $113,636 | $9,470 | $55 |
| 25th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 10th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
Highest paying senior application programmer jobs
The highest paying types of senior application programmers are lead programmer, senior software engineer, and senior leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programmer Analyst | $71,563 | $5,964 | $34.41 | 248,781 |
| Programmer | $73,007 | $6,084 | $35.10 | 234,565 |
| Software Programmer | $71,612 | $5,968 | $34.43 | 253,235 |
| Computer Programmer | $70,979 | $5,915 | $34.12 | 205,491 |
| Java Programmer | $80,328 | $6,694 | $38.62 | 96,082 |
| Application Consultant | $95,522 | $7,960 | $45.92 | 99,368 |
Top companies hiring senior application programmers now:
Which companies pay senior application programmers the most?
Senior application programmer salaries at Citi and Cantor Fitzgerald are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior application programmer salary at companies like Sunrun and Merrill Lynch are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citi | $145,971 | $70.18 |
| 2 | Cantor Fitzgerald | $139,839 | $67.23 |
| 3 | Sunrun | $136,246 | $65.50 |
| 4 | Merrill Lynch | $133,575 | $64.22 |
| 5 | Pacific Gas and Electric | $131,798 | $63.36 |
| 6 | Motion Recruitment | $128,937 | $61.99 |
| 7 | Broadcom | $126,923 | $61.02 |
| 8 | Axelon Services | $125,057 | $60.12 |
| 9 | Tektree Systems | $124,098 | $59.66 |
| 10 | Ibg Holdings LLC | $123,003 | $59.14 |
| 11 | GEO Semiconductor | $122,762 | $59.02 |
| 12 | 8x8 | $122,645 | $58.96 |
| 13 | Open Systems Technologies | $119,958 | $57.67 |
| 14 | DCKAP | $119,729 | $57.56 |
| 15 | TSR Consulting Services | $118,245 | $56.85 |
| 16 | Queens Library | $117,980 | $56.72 |
| 17 | NANA | $115,635 | $55.59 |
| 18 | Maxim Integrated | $114,905 | $55.24 |
| 19 | Bank of America | $114,875 | $55.23 |
| 20 | University of California-Berkeley | $114,055 | $54.83 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Application Programmer salary by industry
The average senior application programmer salary varies across industries:
- The average senior application programmer salary in the finance industry is $127,717, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior application programmer salary in the finance industry is $111,112.
- Senior application programmers in the technology industry earn an average salary of $93,062, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior application programmers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $127,717 | $61.40 |
| 2 | Insurance | $111,112 | $53.42 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $104,274 | $50.13 |
| 4 | Technology | $93,062 | $44.74 |
High paying senior application programmer jobs
Senior application programmer salary trends
The average senior application programmer salary has risen by $21,079 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior application programmer earned $92,557 annually, but today, they earn $113,636 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for senior application programmers over the last decade.
Compare senior application programmer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior application programmer salary over time
Compare senior application programmer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior application programmer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $114,000 | $54.63 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $110,000 | $52.83 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $107,000 | $51.64 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $105,000 | $50.39 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $102,000 | $48.92 | +0.4% |
Recently added senior application programmer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presbyterian Healthcare Services | Senior Application Programmer | Albuquerque, NM | 06/22/2025 | $118,792 |
| Professional Search of The Carolinas | C#, Java, .NET Core Application Programmer-Senior-CTH-Initially Contract-On Site-Rale | Raleigh, NC | 06/10/2025 | $70,000 |
| Presbyterian Healthcare Services | Senior Application Programmer (Remote Eligible) | Albuquerque, NM | 05/10/2025 | $115,328 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer Syscom | Santa Fe, NM | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer Syscom | Oklahoma City, OK | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer GIS | Albany, NY | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer Syscom | Jackson, MS | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer Syscom | Helena, MT | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer Syscom | Washington, DC | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
| Cayuse Holdings | Senior Application Programmer Syscom | Urban Honolulu, HI | 03/29/2025 | $122,304 |
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