👨💻 How much does a programmer make?
U.S. programmers earn about $100,390 a year at the midpoint; the lowest-paid 10% earn under $57,710, while the top 10% earn over $160,460.
Pay varies with experience and employer; a self-reported Japanese top-10% figure is far above the national full-time average.
US Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| 10th-percentile pay cutoff | $57,710 | BLS 10th percentile, May 2025 |
| Typical programmer (median) | $100,390 | BLS median, May 2025 |
| 90th-percentile pay cutoff; top 10% earn more | $160,460 | BLS 90th percentile, May 2025 |
Programmer salary in Japan: about $39K a year
Per month and per day
| Who | Per month | Per day (÷365) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th-percentile pay cutoff | $4,809 | $158 |
| Typical programmer (median) | $8,366 | $275 |
| 90th-percentile pay cutoff; top 10% earn more | $13,372 | $440 |
Where does the money come from?
How do you become a programmer?
In the United States, a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related subject is the usual route, but a registered IT apprenticeship is another path. Practice writing, testing, and fixing code in school or an apprenticeship, and seek internships. BLS lists no general license; some employers require product-specific certificates.
- Learn programming languages in school.
- Earn a related bachelor's degree or enter an IT apprenticeship.
- Practice writing, testing, and fixing code.
- Seek an internship, then apply for programmer jobs.
Qualifications and exams
A related bachelor's degree is typical, though some employers accept other degrees or language-specific experience. BLS lists no general license or exam; some companies require product certificates.
A day as a programmer
In the United States, a programmer checks a feature with developers or teammates, then writes code and runs tests. If something fails, they find and fix the error, test again, and record what changed.
Common questions
Does programmer pay vary by industry?
Yes. In the United States, the 2025 typical pay was $111,710 a year for programmers in software publishing and $98,360 in computer systems design and related services. Source
Do some programmers work for themselves?
Yes. The BLS lists self-employed workers as 15% of U.S. computer-programmer jobs in 2025, so some programmers work for themselves. Source
Do programmers always get bonuses?
Not always. BLS wage figures include incentive pay such as commissions and production bonuses, but do not say that every programmer receives a bonus. Source
What jobs can programmers move into?
Some programmers with experience move into software developer or management roles. Those are different jobs, and a move is not automatic. Source
This section summarizes public sources. We only show numbers that have a source.
Close jobs in official statistics
In Japan
Japan Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Software creators with no experience | $24,000 | MHLW-linked 2024 wage survey; no experience |
| Typical full-time software creators | $38,533 | 2025 MHLW wage survey estimate |
| Top 10% in reported software-engineer pay | $111,333 | OpenSalary self-reported 90th percentile |
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Related questions
Jobs in the same group
Data table and sources
- www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/313
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/itiran/roudou/chingin/kouzou/z2025/index.html
- www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?cycle=0&layout=datalist&page=1&stat_infid=000
- www.tokyodev.com/articles/software-developer-salaries-in-japan
- opensalary.jp/en/explore-salaries?role=software-engineer
- www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/print/computer-programmers.h
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1251.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm
- www.irs.gov/faqs/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income/1099-misc-independent-