National Salary Info » Computer Programmers

Highest Paying Industries for Computer Programmers

The top 100 highest paying industries for computer programmers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $106,540, securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage is the highest paying industry for computer programmers. It is followed by monetary authorities-central bank industry (average annual salary $106,510). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of computer programmers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Computer Programmers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$106,540	$66,960	2,370
2	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$106,510	$76,100	230
3	Support Activities for Mining	$102,420	$55,270	150
4	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$101,280	$63,730	3,490
5	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$100,800	$52,700	30
6	Software Publishers	$99,580	$52,160	21,550
7	Pipeline Transportation	$98,100	$61,520	90
8	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$97,660	$51,160	22,880
9	Other Pipeline Transportation	$95,690	$76,060	50
10	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$94,900	$59,740	2,460
11	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$94,550	$56,790	50
12	Federal government, including USPS	$94,320	$76,110	50
13	Postal Service (federal government)	$94,320	$76,110	50
14	Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing	$93,710	$54,000	60
15	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$92,790	$58,560	60
16	Beverage Manufacturing	$92,160	$58,340	60
17	Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles	$91,470	$53,420	50
18	Offices of Physicians	$91,120	$46,690	380
19	Travel Agencies	$91,010	$56,280	170
20	Other Financial Investment Activities	$90,150	$59,730	1,100
21	Other Personal Services	$89,780	$42,810	430
22	Natural Gas Distribution	$89,530	$44,020	190
23	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$89,440	$55,710	80
24	Information	$88,970	$47,670	35,860
25	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$88,910	$50,650	4,200
26	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$88,740	$53,550	100
27	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$88,700	$53,170	100
28	Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds	$88,630	$51,420	30
29	Utility System Construction	$88,020	$53,600	80
30	Scientific Research and Development Services	$87,990	$50,680	4,570
31	Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing	$87,830	$61,570	90
32	Scheduled Air Transportation	$87,820	$48,040	520
33	Air Transportation	$87,730	$48,220	540
34	Consumer Goods Rental	$87,280	$50,470	n/a
35	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Privately owned	$87,250	$43,110	60
36	Rental and Leasing Services	$86,600	$49,340	200
37	Personal and Laundry Services	$86,440	$42,050	470
38	Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing	$86,390	$61,530	n/a
39	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$86,300	$47,390	160
40	Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$86,290	$51,440	1,230
41	Mining	$86,180	$51,270	400
42	Depository Credit Intermediation	$85,740	$51,540	3,140
43	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$85,730	$51,260	1,370
44	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$85,490	$45,440	1,090
45	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$85,160	$52,380	790
46	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$85,140	$51,650	1,750
47	Temporary Help Services	$84,990	$45,960	7,400
48	Lessors of Real Estate	$84,930	$46,930	90
49	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$84,620	$42,770	580
50	Finance and Insurance	$84,260	$51,530	19,840
51	Rail Transportation	$84,070	$61,890	50
52	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$83,940	$55,200	180
53	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$83,780	$47,100	220
54	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$83,570	$42,010	660
55	Utilities	$83,570	$50,660	890
56	Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers	$83,550	$47,240	80
57	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$83,430	$50,490	6,610
58	Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)	$83,280	$41,550	170
59	Chemical Manufacturing	$83,280	$46,240	1,450
60	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$83,220	$46,770	40
61	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$83,180	$53,440	130
62	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$83,100	$52,070	1,640
63	Water Transportation	$83,030	$50,270	100
64	Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$82,970	$48,770	30
65	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$82,930	$49,190	540
66	Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers	$82,880	$50,210	80
67	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$82,870	$49,050	4,280
68	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$82,570	$52,310	680
69	Support Activities for Air Transportation	$82,380	$53,300	60
70	Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing	$82,290	$50,720	60
71	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$82,230	$46,490	690
72	Employment Services	$82,020	$45,160	10,900
73	Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services	$81,710	$43,540	100
74	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$81,680	$44,580	380
75	Engineering Services	$81,670	$45,870	3,280
76	Educational Support Services - Privately owned	$81,530	$50,530	490
77	Business schools and computer and management training - Privately owned	$81,530	$44,390	150
78	Business Schools and Computer and Management Training	$81,530	$44,390	150
79	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$81,520	$47,720	320
80	Transportation and Warehousing	$81,350	$46,860	1,880
81	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$81,250	$47,030	730
82	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$81,250	$51,670	3,510
83	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$81,140	$45,730	3,160
84	Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing	$80,950	$47,010	230
85	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - State government owned	$80,880	$48,320	780
86	Home Health Care Services	$80,810	$55,190	70
87	Office Administrative Services	$80,690	$46,980	2,000
88	Educational Support Services	$80,580	$49,510	530
89	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$80,550	$46,870	210
90	Oil and Gas Extraction	$80,460	$50,900	210
91	Grocery Stores	$80,450	$23,170	n/a
92	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$80,360	$45,160	2,160
93	Other Information Services	$80,340	$40,470	3,350
94	Food and Beverage Stores	$80,230	$23,430	n/a
95	Other Support Services	$80,180	$49,830	530
96	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$80,070	$44,930	3,880
97	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$80,040	$46,390	60
98	Hospitals - State government owned	$80,030	$47,940	840
99	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$79,830	$43,600	16,230
100	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$79,820	$40,910	40