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Best states for a senior programmer
Quoted expert
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and computer and mathematical careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to senior programmer jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for senior programmers.Our research found that Oregon is the best state for senior programmers, while California and Oregon are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Oregon has a median salary of $112,944 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for senior programmers.
In order to get you the best states for senior programmers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Oregon is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for senior programmers.
10 best states for senior programmers in 2025
1. Oregon
Total senior programmer jobs: 1,418 Average annual salary: $112,944 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 1.552. Washington
Total senior programmer jobs: 2,667 Average annual salary: $111,798 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 1.653. Delaware
Total senior programmer jobs: 397 Average annual salary: $108,340 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.434. California
Total senior programmer jobs: 9,587 Average annual salary: $115,853 Lowest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 1.485. North Carolina
Total senior programmer jobs: 2,169 Average annual salary: $105,348 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 1.026. Pennsylvania
Total senior programmer jobs: 2,226 Average annual salary: $106,449 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 0.877. Massachusetts
Total senior programmer jobs: 2,525 Average annual salary: $105,338 Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 1.248. Rhode Island
Total senior programmer jobs: 439 Average annual salary: $98,642 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.639. West Virginia
Total senior programmer jobs: 192 Average annual salary: $108,629 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 0.5710. Maryland
Total senior programmer jobs: 1,930 Average annual salary: $106,258 Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
Senior programmer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior programmer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a senior programmer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $112,944 | $81,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,418 |
| 2 | Washington | $111,798 | $80,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,667 |
| 3 | Delaware | $108,340 | $81,000 | 961,939 | 397 |
| 4 | California | $115,853 | $82,000 | 39,536,653 | 9,587 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $105,348 | $78,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,169 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $106,449 | $80,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,226 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $105,338 | $79,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,525 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $98,642 | $74,000 | 1,059,639 | 439 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $108,629 | $81,000 | 1,815,857 | 192 |
| 10 | Maryland | $106,258 | $79,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,930 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $106,839 | $80,000 | 693,972 | 639 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $105,236 | $79,000 | 3,588,184 | 707 |
| 13 | Vermont | $98,443 | $75,000 | 623,657 | 223 |
| 14 | Virginia | $103,223 | $77,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,581 |
| 15 | Nevada | $101,553 | $72,000 | 2,998,039 | 382 |
| 16 | New York | $105,512 | $79,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,780 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $97,730 | $74,000 | 755,393 | 187 |
| 18 | Idaho | $98,798 | $70,000 | 1,716,943 | 349 |
| 19 | Indiana | $96,331 | $72,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,275 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $99,900 | $75,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,090 |
| 21 | Michigan | $97,477 | $73,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,268 |
| 22 | Ohio | $95,166 | $71,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,760 |
| 23 | Texas | $93,563 | $67,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,234 |
| 24 | Georgia | $95,539 | $70,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,023 |
| 25 | Illinois | $94,935 | $71,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,579 |
| 26 | Utah | $89,900 | $63,000 | 3,101,833 | 931 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $94,082 | $70,000 | 5,795,483 | 788 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $92,022 | $69,000 | 1,342,795 | 361 |
| 29 | Iowa | $91,084 | $68,000 | 3,145,711 | 633 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $93,334 | $68,000 | 2,984,100 | 217 |
| 31 | Alabama | $91,386 | $67,000 | 4,874,747 | 709 |
| 32 | Alaska | $94,154 | $73,000 | 739,795 | 155 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $90,772 | $67,000 | 6,715,984 | 762 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $89,011 | $66,000 | 3,004,279 | 450 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $91,070 | $66,000 | 2,088,070 | 325 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $91,556 | $67,000 | 5,024,369 | 504 |
| 37 | Arizona | $88,578 | $64,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,159 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $87,437 | $66,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,369 |
| 39 | Maine | $87,739 | $66,000 | 1,335,907 | 237 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $90,201 | $65,000 | 4,684,333 | 394 |
| 41 | Montana | $82,134 | $59,000 | 1,050,493 | 277 |
| 42 | Colorado | $83,414 | $60,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,314 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $83,688 | $62,000 | 1,920,076 | 439 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $76,993 | $55,000 | 579,315 | 148 |
| 45 | Kansas | $80,444 | $59,000 | 2,913,123 | 557 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $82,679 | $61,000 | 4,454,189 | 507 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $84,062 | $62,000 | 3,930,864 | 305 |
| 48 | Missouri | $82,980 | $61,000 | 6,113,532 | 958 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $77,632 | $57,000 | 869,666 | 186 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $74,593 | $60,000 | 1,427,538 | 151 |
| 51 | Florida | $75,246 | $53,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,702 |
Highest paying states for senior programmers
| Rank | State | Avg. Senior Programmer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $112,944 |
| 2 | Washington | $111,798 |
| 3 | Delaware | $108,340 |
| 4 | California | $115,853 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $105,348 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $106,449 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $105,338 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $98,642 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $108,629 |
| 10 | Maryland | $106,258 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $106,839 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $105,236 |
| 13 | Vermont | $98,443 |
| 14 | Virginia | $103,223 |
| 15 | Nevada | $101,553 |
| 16 | New York | $105,512 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $97,730 |
| 18 | Idaho | $98,798 |
| 19 | Indiana | $96,331 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $99,900 |
| 21 | Michigan | $97,477 |
| 22 | Ohio | $95,166 |
| 23 | Texas | $93,563 |
| 24 | Georgia | $95,539 |
| 25 | Illinois | $94,935 |
| 26 | Utah | $89,900 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $94,082 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $92,022 |
| 29 | Iowa | $91,084 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $93,334 |
| 31 | Alabama | $91,386 |
| 32 | Alaska | $94,154 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $90,772 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $89,011 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $91,070 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $91,556 |
| 37 | Arizona | $88,578 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $87,437 |
| 39 | Maine | $87,739 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $90,201 |
| 41 | Montana | $82,134 |
| 42 | Colorado | $83,414 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $83,688 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $76,993 |
| 45 | Kansas | $80,444 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $82,679 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $84,062 |
| 48 | Missouri | $82,980 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $77,632 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $74,593 |
| 51 | Florida | $75,246 |
Expert opinions on the best states for senior programmers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for senior programmers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
Associate Professor of Engineering, John Brown University
Due to COVID-19, people have more choices on location as more companies allow their employees to work remotely.
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Updated January 8, 2025