Programming Salary Trends: By Language, Role, Experience, & Industry

Programming Salaries - Based on Language

The programming languages that you know is one of the most important indicators of how much salary you can earn. Here are the top programming languages which pay the highest salaries.

1. Scala

Average annual salary - $76,000

2. Go

Average annual salary - $72,691

3. Objective C

Average annual salary - $66,697

4. Swift

Average annual salary - $65,171

5. Pascal

Average annual salary - $62,773

6. R

Average annual salary - $61,629

7. Python

Average annual salary - $56,670

8. JavaScript

Average annual salary - $55,690

9. C++

Average annual salary - $55,363

10. Kotlin

Average annual salary - $54,000

Programming Salaries - Based on Role

1. Mobile App Developer

Mobile app developers are responsible for coding, testing, debugging, monitoring and documenting mobile applications. The average annual salary for mobile app developers is $123,444. 

Here are some of the most sought after skills for mobile app developers:

• Objective C (for iOS) or Java (for Android)
• Graphic design
• User Interface design
• Experience working with REST web services

2. Applications Architect

An applications architect is responsible for planning the technical implementation of a software project. There is a high demand for this profession due to the increasing complexity of building critical applications for businesses. The annual average salary for applications architects is $115,230. 

Here are some of the prerequisites that every applications architect needs to have:

• A deep knowledge of programming theory and extensive hands-on experience
• Experience across a wide range of programming domains
• Ability to coordinate with nontechnical people in the organization

3. ERP Technical Developer

Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP projects are some of the largest, most expensive and time-consuming projects that occur in an organization. ERP technical developers are responsible for implementing these ERP projects for businesses. The average annual salary of an ERP technical developer is $119,196.

Here are some of the most sought after skills for mobile app developers:

• An deep knowledge of common programming languages like Java or C#, as well other specialized development languages and tools relevant to the ERP system 
• Fluency in SQL
• Ability to work with databases 
• Experience with a major ERP system and enterprise integration technologies 

4. Business Systems Analyst

Business systems analysts are responsible for assessing the automated systems of an organization and solving complex business problems. The demand for this profession is rapidly increasing due to upcoming tech trends like the consumerization of IT and an increasing reliance on data. The average annual salary for business systems analysts is $76,446.

Here are some roles and responsibilities of business systems analysts:

• Define the scope and objectives for business automated systems
• Make hardware and software recommendations to meet business needs
• Determine needs by working with business managers and end users
• Provide IT support for compliance activities

5. Cloud Computing Analysts

Cloud computing analysts are responsible for overseeing cloud-related infrastructure and ensuring the integrity of cloud-migrated data and files. They are also in charge of training other staff in the organization about cloud-related data and troubleshooting technical issues. The average annual salary for cloud computing analysts is $87,031.

Here are some of the most sought after skills for cloud computing analysts:

• Virtualization experience
• LINUX/UNIX administration skills
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) skills

Programming Salaries - Based on Experience

Average annual salary for junior developers with less than 1 year of experience - $69,790

Average annual salary for senior experienced developers - $133,710

Programming Salaries - Based on Country

The average annual salary varies from country to country. As of 2020, the US has the highest average annual programming salary of $107,385 with $4,000 as cash bonus per year. Here is a list of the next ten countries with the highest annual programming salaries.

1. Average annual programming salary in Switzerland - $88,773
2. Average annual programming salary in Denmark - $66,878
3. Average annual programming salary in Norway - $60,934
4. Average annual programming salary in UK - $59,072
5. Average annual programming salary in Germany - $54,705
6. Average annual programming salary in Netherlands - $51,268
7. Average annual programming salary in Australia - $47,417
8. Average annual programming salary in Sweden - $45,222
9. Average annual programming salary in Finland - $44,323
10. Average annual programming salary in France - $40,558

Learn top skills demanded in the industry, including Angular, Spring Boot, Hibernate, Servlets, and JSPs, as well as MVC, web services, and SOA to build highly web scalable apps with the Full Stack Java Developer Masters Program.

Programming Salaries - Based on Industry

1. Healthcare

With the increase in the number of patients using mobile and wearable devices to stay on regular dosage schedules, monitor vital health information, etc., programming jobs in the healthcare industry are experiencing explosive growth. Programming in the healthcare industry can fall under two categories - research and software engineering. The average annual programming salary in the healthcare industry - $75,090

2. Agriculture/Agritech

In order to meet the growing demand for greater crop yields and more automated processes,  farmers are starting to invest in agritech software development. As such, there is an increase in the demand of software developers who can offer a variety of agritech development services. The average annual programming salary in the agriculture industry is $86,222.

3. Finance

Financial institutions need software developers to ensure that their systems are scalable and responsive under high loads. Since the business dynamics at financial institutions are very high, there is a huge demand for software developers who can work under pressure. The average annual programming salary in the finance industry is $98,000.

Here’s What You Can Do Next

The demand for professionals with programming skills has been on the rise for quite some time now and has shown no signs of stopping. Receiving adequate training and getting a certification in the programming languages that you know can give you a leg up in the competition. Simplilearn has a number of certification courses for Python, C, Scala, and lots more for you to choose from. Get started with one of these courses today to accelerate your career as a programmer.