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Systems programmer salary
Average systems programmer salary
$96,017
Understanding Systems Programmer Salaries
As of October 2025, a Systems Programmer earns an average salary of $96,017 annually. Salaries can vary based on geographic location, industry, and level of experience. For instance, states such as California, New York, and Washington often offer higher pay due to the demand for skilled programmers in tech-centric regions.
Additionally, the industry plays a crucial role in salary determination. Systems Programmers in the finance, healthcare, and tech sectors typically earn more compared to those in education or government roles. Understanding these factors can help prospective professionals navigate their career paths effectively.
To enhance earning potential, consider roles that require specialized skills or certifications, such as software development or systems analysis. By targeting high-demand industries and locations, Systems Programmers can maximize their salaries and career growth.
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Where can a Systems Programmer earn more?
Systems programmer salary estimates from across the web
Average systems programmer salary by state
The highest-paying states for systems programmers are California, Oregon, and Connecticut. The lowest average systems programmer salary states are South Carolina, Kansas, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for systems programmers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $110,784 | $53.26 |
| 2 | Washington | $104,614 | $50.30 |
| 3 | California | $114,770 | $55.18 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $94,282 | $45.33 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $105,967 | $50.95 |
| 6 | Maryland | $100,995 | $48.56 |
| 7 | Vermont | $89,083 | $42.83 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $89,904 | $43.22 |
| 9 | Nevada | $93,527 | $44.96 |
| 10 | Idaho | $87,244 | $41.94 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $95,946 | $46.13 |
| 12 | New York | $99,137 | $47.66 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $90,679 | $43.60 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $99,731 | $47.95 |
| 15 | Maine | $93,140 | $44.78 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $90,835 | $43.67 |
| 17 | Alaska | $93,199 | $44.81 |
| 18 | Texas | $86,903 | $41.78 |
| 19 | Delaware | $88,210 | $42.41 |
| 20 | Virginia | $87,764 | $42.19 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $86,721 | $41.69 |
| 22 | Arizona | $86,917 | $41.79 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $82,912 | $39.86 |
| 24 | Alabama | $80,603 | $38.75 |
| 25 | Ohio | $83,602 | $40.19 |
| 26 | Illinois | $84,790 | $40.76 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $85,678 | $41.19 |
| 28 | Colorado | $87,182 | $41.91 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $79,463 | $38.20 |
| 30 | Iowa | $81,294 | $39.08 |
| 31 | Montana | $75,980 | $36.53 |
| 32 | Indiana | $80,262 | $38.59 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $81,264 | $39.07 |
| 34 | Michigan | $79,321 | $38.14 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $78,327 | $37.66 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $72,862 | $35.03 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $80,202 | $38.56 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $75,613 | $36.35 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $81,783 | $39.32 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $73,711 | $35.44 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $77,083 | $37.06 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $73,762 | $35.46 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $74,793 | $35.96 |
| 44 | Kansas | $70,160 | $33.73 |
| 45 | Utah | $70,091 | $33.70 |
| 46 | Georgia | $71,790 | $34.51 |
| 47 | Florida | $65,800 | $31.63 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $71,573 | $34.41 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $70,773 | $34.03 |
| 50 | Missouri | $69,383 | $33.36 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $61,860 | $29.74 |
Highest paying cities for systems programmers
The highest-paying cities for systems programmers are Novato, CA, Portland, OR, and Bellevue, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $124,792 | $60.00 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $110,815 | $53.28 |
| 3 | Bellevue, WA | $105,807 | $50.87 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $101,302 | $48.70 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $99,780 | $47.97 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $99,486 | $47.83 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $95,969 | $46.14 |
| 8 | Cary, NC | $92,089 | $44.27 |
| 9 | Rochester, MN | $90,316 | $43.42 |
| 10 | Alexandria, VA | $89,529 | $43.04 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $88,549 | $42.57 |
| 12 | Boulder, CO | $87,268 | $41.96 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $87,077 | $41.86 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $86,856 | $41.76 |
| 15 | Jersey City, NJ | $85,742 | $41.22 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $85,167 | $40.95 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $82,691 | $39.76 |
| 18 | Madison, WI | $80,435 | $38.67 |
| 19 | Alpharetta, GA | $72,190 | $34.71 |
| 20 | Charleston, WV | $72,091 | $34.66 |
Systems programmer salary details
A systems programmer's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $138,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a systems programmer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $138,000 | $11,500 | $66 |
| 75th Percentile | $116,000 | $9,667 | $56 |
| Average | $96,017 | $8,001 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying systems programmer jobs
The highest paying types of systems programmers are lead programmer, senior programmer, and developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Java Developer | $88,475 | $7,373 | $42.54 | 147,521 |
| Mainframe Developer | $90,902 | $7,575 | $43.70 | 255,034 |
| Java/J2ee Developer | $90,995 | $7,583 | $43.75 | 237,912 |
| Developer | $100,076 | $8,340 | $48.11 | 262,570 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
Top companies hiring systems programmers now:
Which companies pay systems programmers the most?
Systems programmer salaries at Apple and Infinera are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average systems programmer salary at companies like Proofpoint and Bio-Rad Laboratories are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $133,740 | $64.30 |
| 2 | Infinera | $121,725 | $58.52 |
| 3 | Proofpoint | $119,780 | $57.59 |
| 4 | Bio-Rad Laboratories | $119,537 | $57.47 |
| 5 | Autodesk | $118,563 | $57.00 |
| 6 | Macy's | $118,490 | $56.97 |
| 7 | Citrix | $118,388 | $56.92 |
| 8 | Citi | $117,579 | $56.53 |
| 9 | Baker Hughes | $116,909 | $56.21 |
| 10 | McAfee | $116,892 | $56.20 |
| 11 | Precision Valve & Automation | $116,206 | $55.87 |
| 12 | Adobe | $116,140 | $55.84 |
| 13 | Travelport | $114,655 | $55.12 |
| 14 | SAS Institute | $114,577 | $55.09 |
| 15 | Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria | $114,367 | $54.98 |
| 16 | Exelixis | $112,965 | $54.31 |
| 17 | KLA | $112,552 | $54.11 |
| 18 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $111,569 | $53.64 |
| 19 | Charles Schwab | $110,646 | $53.20 |
| 20 | M&T Bank | $109,746 | $52.76 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Systems Programmer salary by industry
The average systems programmer salary varies across industries:
- The average systems programmer salary in the finance industry is $101,004, the highest of any industry.
- The average systems programmer salary in the finance industry is $99,469.
- Systems programmers in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $91,831, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for systems programmers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $101,004 | $48.56 |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $99,469 | $47.82 |
| 3 | Technology | $99,293 | $47.74 |
| 4 | Health Care | $93,338 | $44.87 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $91,831 | $44.15 |
High paying systems programmer jobs
Systems programmer salary trends
The average systems programmer salary has risen by $17,811 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average systems programmer earned $78,206 annually, but today, they earn $96,017 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for systems programmers over the last decade.
Compare systems programmer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average systems programmer salary over time
Compare systems programmer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Systems programmer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $96,000 | $46.16 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $92,900 | $44.64 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $90,800 | $43.63 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $88,600 | $42.57 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $86,000 | $41.33 | +0.4% |
Recently added systems programmer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockstar Games | Animation Systems Programmer | Carlsbad, CA | 06/29/2025 | $101,400 |
| Meow Wolf | Show Systems Programmer (Project-Based Role) | Santa Fe, NM | 06/28/2025 | $84,872 |
| Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company | DB2 Systems Programmer | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $146,090 |
| Latitude | Control Systems Programmer | Shavertown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $90,000 |
| Travelers Indemnity Co | Senior IMS Systems Programmer | Atlanta, GA | 06/26/2025 | $106,300 |
| The Travelers Companies | Senior IMS Systems Programmer | Atlanta, GA | 06/25/2025 | $106,300 |
| Rockstar Games | Animation Systems Programmer | New York, NY | 06/22/2025 | $101,400 |
| Leidos Holdings Inc. | Allscripts Clinical Systems Programmer | Bethesda, MD | 06/21/2025 | $85,150 |
| State of Florida | DOS-Systems Programmer III | Tallahassee, FL | 06/21/2025 | $50,000 |
| CDC Foundation | Systems Programmer | Nunez, GA | 06/09/2025 | $105,000 |
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