Clarify an inventory low-stock alert
Work through the spec, confirm what an ambiguous rule means with a developer, then write the code.
Career profile
Computer Programmer
Computer programmers turn software plans into working code, then hunt for its errors.
You start from specifications describing a program's intended behavior. Debugging may be your favorite part if you love finding exactly why a result is wrong.
A day in the life
Trace a wrong result
Step through the program in a debugger, fix the faulty code, then rerun the test that exposed it.
Adapt to a new record layout
Change how an existing program reads records for the revised layout, then confirm its output still matches expectations.
Document a logic change
Write revision notes and comments in the code so another programmer can see why the logic changed.
Quick facts
Bachelor's degree typical
United States
$100,390 a year
United States · May 2025
7.3% employment decline
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Bachelor's degree typicalSome employers accept other degrees or specific programming experience.
Pay
$100,390 a yearNational median; the hourly equivalent is $48.26.
Outlook
7.3% employment declineAbout 4,400 openings a year are projected despite the decline.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like checking a result against a precise rule.
- You stay curious when your first explanation turns out to be wrong.
- You can explain a technical problem to someone who needs the program to work.
Things to weigh
- Much of the work happens sitting at a computer; the visible result may be a corrected calculation rather than a new screen.
- Deadlines can press while you are still tracing an error. Careful checking remains part of finishing the work.
Where AI may help
Artificial intelligence (AI) coding assistants can suggest code changes and flag possible problems during review.
What people still lead
You still need to check whether a suggestion solves the actual problem and test it. Plausible-looking code can be incorrect or insecure.
What we can’t predict yet
How much work can move from writing code to checking generated changes depends on the language, the program, and how reliably tools handle unfamiliar problems.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median is a midpoint across workers, not a starting salary.
The national spread
In May 2025, median pay was $100,390 a year, or $48.26 an hour. The 10th and 90th percentile annual wages were $57,710 and $160,460. These are wage-distribution markers, not beginner and senior salaries.
Workplace type matters
Annual medians were $111,710 at software publishers and $98,360 in computer systems design and related services. These describe groups of workers, not offers.
A shrinking occupation still has openings
Employment is projected to fall 7.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,400 openings annually on average. Openings are a projection, not currently advertised jobs.
Getting started
Study computer science or a related subject
- What the route involves
- Complete a bachelor's degree with practice writing, testing, and correcting programs.
- What it can lead to
- You meet the typical educational preparation for programmer roles.
Build on relevant programming experience
- What the route involves
- Develop experience in the programming languages an employer uses, potentially alongside a different degree.
- What it can lead to
- Some employers consider this preparation instead of the usual degree background.
- What to check
- Research roles may accept combined education and experience while still requiring professional programming experience and preferring an advanced degree. Check the actual requirements before choosing this route.
A degree is the usual route; alternatives depend on the employer.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Learn how the existing program works. Make a small change, check its output, and leave clear notes for the next person.
Handle a complete change
Take a modest request from the user's explanation through coding and acceptance testing, where the user checks that it meets the need.
Take on complex systems or technical leadership
With experience, you may handle more complicated changes and guide other programmers as a senior programmer analyst or technical lead.
Where you can work
Internal business systems
In a city technology department, you may maintain applications and databases used by staff, produce reports, and teach users how changes work. Keeping existing services usable shapes the work.
- Indoors
- Office
University research teams
In health research, you may write code that cleans and links large datasets. You work with researchers and senior programmers, and may troubleshoot jobs running on shared computing systems.
- Indoors
Client consulting
Experienced programmers supporting colleges may connect administrative systems, move data, and help roll out updates. You coordinate with the client's technical staff and the people who use those systems.
- Indoors
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Write a tiny inventory program with this rule: flag an item when its quantity is below five. Test quantities of four, five, and six, then change the rule to include five. Notice whether you enjoy turning a precise request into code and proving the change works.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Computer Programmers — Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine. 15-1251.00 — Computer Programmers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine. Computer Programmers — Detailed Report. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Wages — Computer Programmers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Projections and Worker Characteristics. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- GitHub. Responsible Use of GitHub Copilot Agentic Features. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- City of Irvine. Applications/Programmer Analyst — Class Specification. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Harvard University. Programmer — National Studies on Air Pollution and Health. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- CampusWorks. Colleague Programmer/Technical Consultants. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Fairfax County. Programmer Analyst II — Class Specification. Accessed 2026-10-03.