SOC 15-1251 · Computer and mathematical
Computer Programmers prevailing wage by area
At Level II this ranges from $124,405 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA down to $66,581 in Memphis, TN-MS-AR, a spread of $57,824 on the same job.
What this occupation covers
Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.
Occupation definition from oes_soc_occs.csv, OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip.
Every area with a surveyed figure
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98,280 | $124,405 | $150,509 | $176,634 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $89,690 | $109,782 | $129,896 | $149,989 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,846 | $106,080 | $129,293 | $152,526 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $82,430 | $105,539 | $128,648 | $151,757 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78,936 | $103,230 | $127,546 | $151,840 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $76,565 | $101,670 | $126,776 | $151,882 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $85,280 | $98,550 | $111,821 | $125,091 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $76,086 | $96,928 | $117,749 | $138,590 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $75,421 | $93,974 | $112,528 | $131,082 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $78,478 | $93,746 | $108,992 | $124,259 |
| Richmond, VA | $73,237 | $92,498 | $111,758 | $131,019 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $73,195 | $91,915 | $110,614 | $129,334 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $75,941 | $91,853 | $107,744 | $123,656 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $74,901 | $91,270 | $107,640 | $124,010 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $72,987 | $90,584 | $108,181 | $125,778 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $74,360 | $90,314 | $106,246 | $122,200 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $73,902 | $89,523 | $105,165 | $120,786 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $71,843 | $89,003 | $106,163 | $123,323 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,181 | $88,504 | $107,827 | $127,150 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $65,998 | $87,443 | $108,888 | $130,333 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $69,306 | $86,611 | $103,917 | $121,222 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $67,517 | $86,133 | $104,728 | $123,344 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $65,125 | $86,070 | $107,037 | $127,982 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $65,478 | $86,070 | $106,642 | $127,234 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $63,045 | $83,096 | $103,126 | $123,178 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $63,482 | $81,370 | $99,237 | $117,125 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $53,872 | $79,290 | $104,728 | $130,146 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,941 | $78,686 | $94,411 | $110,157 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,110 | $75,629 | $90,147 | $104,666 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $56,472 | $75,546 | $94,619 | $113,693 |
| Rochester, NY | $60,923 | $75,504 | $90,106 | $104,686 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $55,370 | $74,360 | $93,330 | $112,320 |
| Cleveland, OH | $55,286 | $74,298 | $93,330 | $112,341 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $57,678 | $74,027 | $90,355 | $106,704 |
| Columbus, OH | $56,742 | $72,405 | $88,067 | $103,730 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $50,149 | $66,581 | $83,013 | $99,445 |
36 areas, all surveyed for that metropolitan area rather than imputed from a broader geography. 3 of them carry a full breakdown page, selected by filing volume; the rest show their figures here. ALC_Export.csv, wage year 2026-27.
How employers filed for this occupation
Across 2,990 certified H-1B filings in FY2025 Q1 to Q4 that recorded a level, the plurality landed on Level II. The median wage actually offered was $94,848 a year, from 3,003 filings.
| Level | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 290 | 9.7% |
| Level II | 2,071 | 69.3% |
| Level III | 406 | 13.6% |
| Level IV | 223 | 7.5% |
LCA disclosure data, FY2025 Q1 to Q4. Certified H-1B filings only.
Work out a specific determination
The level depends on the requirements in the job description rather than the title. Run the worksheet for Computer Programmers with a specific area, experience requirement and education level.