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Interestingly, the job market is moving towards STEM jobs. As per the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of STEM jobs in the market has outperformed other professions.
And by STEM, we mean Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These are fields where the advanced study is being polarized compared to agriculture or the humanities.
Within the STEM jobs, computer occupations showed the most growth. As the number of computer programmers in the US grows every year, so does their demand!
Studying at one of the best schools of computer science will result in a high-paying job, exciting and engaging projects, and opportunities most people can dream about.
Additionally, computer programming's popularity is such that even Forbes has named it the second-most popular college degree.
Despite the popularity, many computer programmers still don't know which place in the US is ideal for their profession regarding money and living costs.
Many computer science grads find Silicone Valley expensive, especially housing and services. Though the demand for skilled computer programmers is high, many turn down the opportunity because they cannot afford homes anywhere near their workplace.
Fortunately, many lucrative jobs are waiting for computer programmers in different parts of the country.
Without further ado, here are the ten best-paying cities for computer programmers in the States:
Top 10 Best-Paying Cities For Computer Programmers
Huntsville, AL
The average computer programmer in Huntsville – the Appalachian region of Alabama – earns $108,232 per year as a mean unadjusted salary. This number jumps over to $120,000 per year in terms of purchasing power and living costs.
Furthermore, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, United States Army Aviation and Missile Command, and US Space and Rocket Center are all located in Huntsville, AL.
It comes as no surprise that most aerospace engineering job vacancies come from Huntsville, but you'll be surprised to know the city boasts about 5920 computer programming jobs.
It has a growing, vibrant learning STEM community, thanks to the Cummings Research Park, the fourth-largest engineering and science research park in the world and the second-largest in the United States.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $120,392
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $108,232
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $54,630
- Number of computer science jobs – 5920
- Median house price – $169,500
Columbus, OH
Columbus – Ohio's state capital – has approximately 13,340 computer programming jobs available in various sectors and industries. Employees make about $117,000 annually.
Despite being the capital and the biggest city in Ohio, it maintains a relatively low living cost.
Beyond the wealth of some of the most coveted computer programming jobs and higher salaries, it's also famous for its lively art scene and bustling breweries.
In addition to that, the city is also known for Ohio State Buckeyes, the most prominent local football team!
The Ohio State College and University are one of the largest employers in the state itself. Some other companies include Nationwide Insurance, Limited Brands, and JP-Morgan chase, etc.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $117,552
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $108,500
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $51,260
- Number of computer science jobs – 13,430
- Median house price – $192,000
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
With Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing in its backyard, computer programmers in the Seattle Metropolitan Area of Washington State have many exciting job opportunities.
The region has about 65,760 computer programming vacancies, and the average employee earns a mean unadjusted salary of about $131,167 yearly.
Although living in the Seattle region is a bit expensive, it is still far cheaper than Silicon Valley.
Not surprisingly, Seattle hosts thousands of job vacancies for computer programmers and is known as the IT hub; however, it is also famous for its food, arts, outdoor living, music, and sports activities.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $117,323
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $131,167
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $65,400
- Number of computer science jobs – 65,760
- Median house price – $491,600
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
Located alongside Florida's coasts, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metropolitan area offers computer programmers a lot of sun, sand, and surf!
Average house prices in this part of Florida are slightly above $200,000, while computer programmers make a mean unadjusted annual salary of about $110,280. This number increases to an impressive wage of $115,000 a year due to low average costs.
Though beaches play a significant part in the regions' overall popularity, its growing tech development owes entirely to the wide-open sky.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville is home to the Kennedy Space Center and is an essential part of a particular region known as the "Space Coast."
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $114,995
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $110,280
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $48,940
- Number of computer science jobs – 4400
- Median house price – $213,500
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia is a metropolitan region of North and South Carolina within the city of Charlotte.
It's home to America's central banking center, including the Bank of America headquarters, Ally Financial, and Wells Fargo.
These major financial institutions of the United States have been crucial in bringing 12,800 computer programming job vacancies to the region.
The average computer programmer in Charlotte's makes an unadjusted annual salary of about $107,046; however, low average living costs boost up this number to $114,000 in terms of purchasing power.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $114,122
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $107,046
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $51,000
- Number of computer science jobs – 12,800
- Median house price – $208,500
Colorado Springs, CO
Located in the heart of the mighty Rocky Mountains – better known as "the Rockies" – Colorado Springs is famous for its picturesque landscapes.
Apart from that, the city is also a hub for computer programmers as there are many job vacancies available in various fields of computer science.
Some of the key employers in this part of Colorado include Oracle, Cherwell Software, and LockHeed Martin.
Colorado also has a lot to offer when you're not working. Visit its local breweries and Pikes Peak for a fun day out!
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $112,118
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $111,670
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $51,430
- Number of computer science jobs – 5780
- Median house price – $296,500
Dayton, OH
Below average living costs make Dayton – the sixth-largest city in Ohio – one of the most lucrative cities in the United States for computer programmers.
You can earn a handsome salary of $111,000 and beyond per year in this region of Ohio. Additionally, the Air Force Research Laboratory is also located in Dayton, OH, and is the region's biggest employer.
Some other big employers of Dayton, OH, include Miami University, Premier Health, and Anna Engine Plant.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $111,616
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $99,338
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $501,00
- Number of computer science jobs – 4240
- Median house price – $124,100
St. Louis, MO-IL
The St. Louis metropolitan area is one of Missouri's major cities and is home to 11,840 computer programming vacancies.
Though the average unadjusted salary for a computer programmer is lower than the national average, the reasonable prices in St. Louis significantly raise living-cost-adjusted wages to $111,234 and beyond.
It's one of the few cities across the US that concentrated efforts towards bringing high-tech companies and workers to the region. And to achieve the aim, employers are willing to pay lucrative salaries.
The city and its leaders continually focus on helping new and existing startups thrive by offering research grants, seed funding, and professional mentorship.
Apart from the new startups, computer programmers will also find well-established companies in St. Louis that offer lucrative annual salary packages to computer science employees. These companies include Boeing, Anheuser-Busch, and more.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $111,234
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $101,668
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $50,250
- Number of computer science jobs – 11,840
- Median house price – $166,500
San-Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Computer programmers in the San-Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metropolitan area of California easily surpass their peers in average unadjusted annual salary.
Some of the best computer programmers from this city earn more than $142,101 a year compared to the $109,913 of most other cities across the US.
However, computer programmers in this region of California pay increasingly more than others for goods, services, and housing. This automatically decreases their adjusted salaries to $111,017.
Hayward, CA not only attracts tech people from within the US but across the world. This multiculturalism increases competition for places and makes requirements tougher every year.
Plus, it is home to multiple internet companies, such as Twitter, Salesforce, Uber, and Airbnb.
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $111,017
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $142,101
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $72,400
- Number of computer science jobs – 59,550
- Median house price – $946,700
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area is the cultural and economic hub of Texas. It has approximately 46,130 computer programming vacancies for graduates of computer science universities.
The region is known for its traditional lifestyle; however, lately, it has also molded itself as one of America's lively cosmopolitan regions with several music venues, bars, and theaters to draw young and seasoned professionals alike.
In terms of working, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, has much to offer to computer programmers. A few of the most prominent employers include AT&T, Texas Instruments, LockHeed Martin, and Bank of America.
So, if you have a computer science degree and would love to explore your chances of getting hired with a significant pay scale, consider Dallas-Fort Worth, TX!
Summary:
- Mean computer programmer salary (adjusted) – $ 110,891
- Mean computer programmer salary (unadjusted) – $111,113
- Mean salary throughout all professions (unadjusted) – $52,590
- Number of computer science jobs – 46,130
- Median house price – $243,900
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To get ahead of the competition and carve your place in Huntsville or Columbus, it's best to improve-upon your programming and computer basics. And there's no better platform for that than Superprof!
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