As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Programming Engineer in Columbia, SC is $131,256, equivalent to $63 per hour, $2,524 weekly, or $10,938 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Programming Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Programming Engineer in Columbia, SC vary widely, spanning from $111,181 to $152,527. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($120,748) and 75th percentile ($142,390), while top earners (90th percentile) make $152,527 per year. This $21,642 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Software Development, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Columbia Programming Engineer often earn 1.4% lower than national averages. However, Columbia currently ranks 669 statewide for Programming Engineer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Programming Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $111,181 Columbia, SC April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $120,748 Columbia, SC April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $131,256 Columbia, SC April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $142,390 Columbia, SC April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $152,527 Columbia, SC April 01, 2026
25% $120,748 10% $111,181 90% $152,527 75% $142,390 $131,256 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Programming Engineer ?

Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build, and test machines, systems, structures and materials to fulfill objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost. The word engineer (Latin ingeniator) is derived from the Latin words ingeniare ("to create, generate, contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of an engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Programming Engineer in Columbia, SC

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Programming Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
120748
142390
131256

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
131799
161684
146015
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Programming Engineer in Columbia, SC. The base salary for Programming Engineer ranges from $120,748 to $142,390 with the average base salary of $131,256. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $131,799 to $161,684 with the average total cash compensation of $146,015.

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120748
142390

 

About Columbia, South Carolina    One of Columbia's more prominent geographical features is its fall line, the boundary between the upland Piedmont region and the Atlantic Coastal Plai....More

Columbia, South Carolina  area prices were up 1.5% from a year ago

Programming Engineer Salary in popular cities: CharlestonNorth CharlestonMount Pleasant

Skills associated with Programming Engineer: Design, Machining

Jobs with a similar salary range to Programming Engineer : Computer Vision Researcher, Software Administrator, Software Developers