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Job outlook for senior computer programmers in the United States
Senior computer programmer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior computer programmer job growth rate is -7% from 2018-2028.
About -17,900 new jobs for senior computer programmers are projected over the next decade.
Senior computer programmer salaries have increased 12% for senior computer programmers in the last 5 years.
There are over 22,000 senior computer programmers currently employed in the United States.
There are 20,337 active senior computer programmer job openings in the US.
The average senior computer programmer salary is $84,843.
Are senior computer programmer jobs in demand?
Senior computer programmer job and salary trends over time
Senior computer programmer jobs over time
Senior computer programmer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,000 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 42,912 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 40,916 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 117,709 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 126,302 | 0.04% |
Average senior computer programmer salary over time
Senior computer programmer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,843 | $40.79 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $82,047 | $39.45 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $80,189 | $38.55 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $78,248 | $37.62 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $75,965 | $36.52 | +0.4% |
Senior computer programmer jobs by state
Most common states for senior computer programmers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 90 | 13% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 80 | 11% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 502 | 8% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 51 | 8% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 48 | 8% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 88 | 7% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 404 | 6% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 60 | 6% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 58 | 6% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 54 | 6% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 46 | 6% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 456 | 5% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 213 | 5% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 162 | 5% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 140 | 5% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 102 | 5% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 64 | 5% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 58 | 5% |
| 19 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 272 | 4% |
| 20 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 252 | 4% |
Most common cities for senior computer programmers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Cruces | 1 | 1% | $70,891 |
Senior Computer Programmer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior computer programmer experts
University of Guam
Indiana University Southeast
Weber State University
James Sellmann Ph.D.
Dean, Professor of Philosophy and Micronesian StudiesUniversity of Guam
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Senior Computer Programmer?
James Sellmann Ph.D.: General advice is to keep in mind that you must leverage your skills, especially your soft skills of being able to work with people, to communicate effectively and to be able to solve problems. Be real. Don't try to pretend to be someone else to impress others. Be your authentic self. And show up on time.
What Senior Computer Programmer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
James Sellmann Ph.D.: General advice is to keep in mind that you must leverage your skills, especially your soft skills of being able to work with people, to communicate effectively and to be able to solve problems. Be real. Don't try to pretend to be someone else to impress others. Be your authentic self. And show up on time.
What will help Senior Computer Programmers increase their earning potential?
James Sellmann Ph.D.: Computer skills, especially being able to work effectively with artificial intelligence will be most important. Being able to work with actual intelligence, that is living people, will always be an important skill.
Chris Sexton
Visiting Lecturer of Computer ScienceIndiana University Southeast
Computer Science Department
What skills stand out on Senior Computer Programmer resumes?
Chris Sexton: The biggest thing that stands out to me in a candidate is how much effort in self-improvement is apparent on the resume. A candidate that lists a few jobs and bullet points of skills is acceptable but not impressive. But on the other hand, a candidate that lists a portfolio of projects to show those skills are real and how those skills made them a game-changing employee at their previous jobs is a clear winner.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior Computer Programmers?
Chris Sexton: As with soft skills, technical skills in teamwork matter, a candidate must have the ability to work with revision control, be it git or some similar system. In addition, it is vital that fundamental computing skills such as operating the shell of a Linux machine are good signs that a candidate will be able to adapt to new systems.
What soft skills should all Senior Computer Programmers possess?
Chris Sexton: Teamwork is the obvious soft skill that is vital. It encompasses more than just being willing to work together but also includes strong documentation skills, textual communication skills, and precision in language. For an example of precision, which of the following is a task that can be completed:
"The login system will require strong passwords."
or
"The login system will require passwords of no less than 16 characters including at least two numbers and two non-alpha numeric characters."
It is easy for an engineer to be lax and use informal language that subtly confuses development efforts, but the valuable candidate will have strong technical communication skills.
What skills will help Senior Computer Programmers earn the most?
Chris Sexton: My expectation for high earners is generally that they have relevant experience in real projects using the platforms used in the industry, but also that they know why and how those tools work. A candidate who has finished a computer science degree is going to be a candidate that has taken a class on algorithmic analysis, programming languages, software engineering, and of course, many other courses that reveal why we make the choices that we make with technology. Mistakes and shortsightedness are often the result without that key viewpoint of the "why." Leadership comes from confidence and understanding of fundamentals.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Computer Programmers?
Dr. Kyle Feuz Ph.D.: Any time you have a certification, license or degree it's going to give you a leg up compared to your peers with similar skill sets but no certification. Often the certification or degree will help your resume make it through an initial screening process but then it's up to you to demonstrate that you have the knowledge and skills the certification is supposed to represent. It's also important to know what career you want to pursue. Certifications are usually targeted to a very limited skill set. If that skill set is a critical part of the job description then the certification will be a strong mark in your favor. Some fields even require certification before you will be considered for the position. However, if the skill set is only tangentially related to the job description then there is little benefit in having the certification.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Computer Programmers?
Dr. Kyle Feuz Ph.D.: Change is often a slow process. For years, we have been hearing about the potential benefits of having employees work remotely and many companies had even started moving in that direction prior to the pandemic. However, the pandemic forced rapid change in the workplace environment with remote work becoming a necessity if businesses wanted to stay open. As I talk with different employers I am hearing a consistent message: remote work is here to stay.
This should not be interpreted to mean that every company is suddenly committed to allowing their employees to work remotely on a full-time basis (although some are). Instead, many companies see this as an opportunity to allow increased flexibility with work schedules and remote work. I do not anticipate that these changes will be immediate. Remember, change is often a slow process. I cannot predict the ripple effect such changes will cause in the job market.
With that in mind, we can start to consider the broader effects such policies will have. This has the potential to open the job market up to a wider audience. Previously, a graduate would have to decide if they were willing to relocate before looking at an opening outside of their immediate geographic area. With full-time remote work, those geographic constraints no longer apply. Similarly, individuals with other commitments that may prevent them from working a traditional 9-5 job may find opportunities that would previously have been unavailable to them. This just barely scratches the surface of the enduring impacts the pandemic may cause but one thing is certain, the world will never be the same.
What soft skills should all Senior Computer Programmers possess?
Dr. Kyle Feuz Ph.D.: The top three things I hear from employers when talking about soft-skills are communication, collaboration, and ethics. They need employees who know how to communicate professionally in both written communications and oral communications. They also need employees who can work with others. You may be working internally with colleagues or externally with customers, clients and business partners but there are very few positions where collaborating with others is not a large part of the job. Finally, employers are looking for trustworthy employees. Many technical positions involve working with sensitive data, and no amount of technical controls can compensate for unethical or untrustworthy employees. All three of these soft skills are only going to increase in importance with the rise in remote work. Remote work cannot function successfully without good communication, collaboration and ethical behavior.