Programmer Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Programmer Manager make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Programmer Manager in the United States is $148,288 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $71.

However, a Programmer Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $182,204
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $135,201 to $166,041
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $123,286
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View as table View as graph 25% $135,201 10% $123,286 90% $182,204 75% $166,041 $148,288 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Programmer Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $166,041 $13,837 $3,193 $80
Average $148,288 $12,357 $2,852 $71
25th Percentile $135,201 $11,267 $2,600 $65
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Key Factors That Influence Programmer Manager Salaries

A Programmer Manager'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 Programmer Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Programmer Manager'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): $142,154
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $142,734
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $143,699
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $145,051
  • Expert (over 8 years): $146,983
Levels Salary
Entry Level Programmer Manager$142,154
Intermediate Level Programmer Manager$142,734
Senior Level Programmer Manager$143,699
Specialist Level Programmer Manager$145,051
Expert Level Programmer Manager$146,983
$142,154 0 yr
$142,734 < 2 yrs
$143,699 2-4 yrs
$145,051 5-8 yrs
$146,983 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Programmer Manager Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Programmer Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $164,184.
  • California: $163,562.
  • Massachusetts: $161,382.

Top Paying Cities for Programmer Managers

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: $187,036
  • San Francisco: $185,197
  • Oakland: $181,089

What Skills Can Increase a Programmer Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.53% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Scrum (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.01% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.53%
Scrum 1.25%
Continuous Improvement 1.01%
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 Programmer Manager's salary.
  • Software Development: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Scrum: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Product Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Software Development
$160,151
8%
Scrum
$158,668
7%
Product Development
$158,668
7%
Computer Science
$157,185
6%
Change Management
$155,702
5%
Supply Chain
$155,702
5%
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How Education impacts a Programmer Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Programmer Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Programmer Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $143,102 and $154,962).

Programmer Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Programmer Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 4.0%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 37.5%
Masters 51.7%
Doctorate 3.1%
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Programmer Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Programmer Manager'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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Programmer Manager

Salaries for a Programmer Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $123,945 in 2023 to around $122,429 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Programmer Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Programmer Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$123,945
2024
$123,533
2025
$122,429
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $123,945
2024 $123,533
2025 $122,429
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Programmer Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Programmer Manager

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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