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Hourly Wage for Mainframe Programmer Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Mainframe Programmer?

As of January 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Mainframe Programmer in the United States is $40, which translates to an annual salary of about $82,920.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $46 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36 to $43 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $33 per hour
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $36 10% $33 90% $46 75% $43 $40 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Mainframe Programmer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $89,605 $7,467 $1,723 $43
Average $82,920 $6,910 $1,595 $40
25th Percentile $74,914 $6,243 $1,441 $36
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Key Factors That Influence Mainframe Programmer Salaries

A Mainframe Programmer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Mainframe Programmer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Mainframe Programmer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $80,291
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $80,530
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $83,419
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $86,213
  • Expert (over 8 years): $86,412
Levels Salary
Entry Level Mainframe Programmer$80,291
Intermediate Level Mainframe Programmer$80,530
Senior Level Mainframe Programmer$83,419
Specialist Level Mainframe Programmer$86,213
Expert Level Mainframe Programmer$86,412
$80,291 0 yr
$80,530 < 2 yrs
$83,419 2-4 yrs
$86,213 5-8 yrs
$86,412 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Mainframe Programmers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $104,587
  • San Francisco: $103,559
  • Oakland: $101,262

What Skills Can Increase a Mainframe Programmer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Commitment (Mentioned in 28.74% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
  • Computer Science (Mentioned in 2.72% Job Postings): Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 1.19% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Commitment 28.74%
Computer Science 2.72%
Software Development 1.19%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Mainframe Programmer's salary.
  • Network Design: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Process Management: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Network Design
 $98,675
19%
Process Management
 $92,870
12%
Project Management
 $89,554
8%
SMTP
 $88,724
7%
Commitment
 $88,724
7%
Leadership
 $88,724
7%
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How Education impacts a Mainframe Programmer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Mainframe Programmers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Mainframe Programmer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $76,470 and $82,246).

Mainframe Programmer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Mainframe Programmer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 16.1%
High School 16.1%
Associates 16.1%
Bachelors 51.6%
Masters 16.1%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Mainframe Programmer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Mainframe Programmer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$74,914
Average $82,920/year
$89,605
$6,243
Average $6,910/month
$7,467
$1,441
Average $1,595/week
$1,723
$36
Average $40/hour
$43
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $89,605 $7,467 $1,723 $43
Average $82,920 $6,910 $1,595 $40
25th Percentile $74,914 $6,243 $1,441 $36

Salaries of jobs related to Mainframe Programmer

Salary Trends for Mainframe Programmer

Salaries for a Mainframe Programmer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $102,587 in 2023 to around $102,443 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Mainframe Programmer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Mainframe Programmer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$102,587
2024
$103,560
2025
$102,443
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $102,587
2024 $103,560
2025 $102,443
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Mainframe Programmer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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FAQ about Mainframe Programmer

1. What are the responsibilities of Mainframe Programmer?

Reviews, analyzes, and modifies programming systems including encoding, testing, debugging and installing for a large-scale mainframe computer system. Maintains and develops online and batch application programs. Develops and implements a disaster recovery plan. Works with project members to develop specifications, diagrams and flowcharts. May require a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a project leader or manager. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. Gaining exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Typically requires 2 -4 years of related experience.

2. What are the skills of Mainframe Programmer

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Commitment: An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.

2.)

Computer Science: Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.

3.)

Software Development: Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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