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Cobol Programmer Jobs in Madison, WI (NOW HIRING)

Software Engineer I

Madison, WI · Hybrid

$87K/mo

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

A Software Engineer I is a software professional who enjoys solving unique and challenging problems in creative ways. This person thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented environment and ...

Software Development Engineer

Madison, WI · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Software Development Engineer We're looking for exceptionally talented Software Development Engineers who are passionate about solving real-world problems and making a measurable difference. If this ...

Software Development Engineer

Madison, WI · On-site +1

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Software Development Engineer We're looking for exceptionally talented Software Development Engineers who are passionate about solving real-world problems and making a measurable difference. If this ...

Software Engineer I

Madison, WI · Hybrid

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

A Software Engineer I is a software professional who enjoys solving unique and challenging problems in creative ways. This person thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented environment and ...

Software Development Engineer

Madison, WI · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Software Development Engineer We're looking for exceptionally talented Software Development Engineers who are passionate about solving real-world problems and making a measurable difference. If this ...

Software Engineer I

Madison, WI · On-site

$87K - $108K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

A Software Engineer I is a software professional who enjoys solving unique and challenging problems in creative ways. This person thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented environment and ...

Software Engineer - Specialist

Prairie Du Sac, WI · On-site

$75K - $85K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Hybrid Flex 3 days onsite in Prairie du Sac, WI Our client seeks a Software Engineer - Specialist to design, develop, and implement software solutions that support business processes and improve the ...

Hi - My direct client is looking for a Software Engineer. If you're interested, please email me your resume and we can discuss the role further. Madison, WI (Onsite) Consulting - W2 only. Project ...

Software Engineer

Madison, WI · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Full-Stack Engineer (Denari) Location: Madison, WI (Hybrid) Employment Type: Full-time About Denari Denari is building the modern software stack for accounting firms - an intelligent, AI-powered ...

Contribute to sustaining engineering by troubleshooting, participating in root-cause analysis, and resolving issues found in new or existing functionality. Software Design & Architecture (Make the ...

Contribute to sustaining engineering by troubleshooting, participating in root-cause analysis, and resolving issues found in new or existing functionality. Software Design & Architecture (Make the ...

Contribute to sustaining engineering by troubleshooting, participating in root-cause analysis, and resolving issues found in new or existing functionality. Software Design & Architecture (Make the ...

Software Engineer-SEA

Madison, WI · On-site +1

$85K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Software Engineer/Developer III Job Summary: Under the general supervision of the Assistant Director - Student Enterprise Applications, this position will join a team of developers and other IT ...

Software Engineer-SEA

Madison, WI

$85K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Software Engineer/Developer III Job Summary: Under the general supervision of the Assistant Director - Student Enterprise Applications, this position will join a team of developers and other IT ...

Software Engineer lll - ERP

Waterloo, WI · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Trek Bicycle Corporation is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our ERP team, responsible for the development, integration, and production support of our JDE ERP platform and a broad ecosystem ...

Showing results 21-40

Cobol Programmer information

See Madison, WI salary details

$40

$58

$96

How much do cobol programmer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for cobol programmer in Madison, WI is $58.74, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $43.65 and $68.12 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Cobol Programmer vs Mainframe Developer?

AspectCobol ProgrammerMainframe Developer
Required CredentialsTypically a degree in computer science or related field; familiarity with COBOLSimilar credentials; often requires knowledge of COBOL and mainframe systems
Work EnvironmentPrimarily in legacy system maintenance, often in financial or government sectorsWorks on mainframe systems, including hardware and software components
Employer & Industry UsageFinancial institutions, government agencies, insurance companiesBanking, insurance, government, and large enterprises using mainframe systems
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

While both roles involve working with COBOL and mainframe systems, a Cobol Programmer mainly focuses on coding, debugging, and maintaining COBOL applications. A Mainframe Developer has a broader scope, including system integration, hardware, and software management within mainframe environments. Both roles are essential in legacy system operations, often overlapping in skills and industry usage.

What is a Cobol programmer?

COBOL Programmers are software developers who specialize in writing, maintaining, and updating programs using the COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language) programming language. COBOL is widely used in legacy business, finance, and administrative systems, especially on mainframe computers. COBOL Programmers are often responsible for ensuring these critical systems continue to function efficiently, troubleshooting issues, and modernizing code to integrate with newer technologies. Their work is essential in industries like banking, insurance, and government, where COBOL-based applications remain vital.

What are some common challenges faced by Cobol programmers working with legacy systems?

COBOL Programmers often encounter challenges such as limited or outdated documentation, making it difficult to understand and maintain legacy code. Additionally, integrating COBOL applications with modern technologies can require creative problem-solving and specialized middleware. Team collaboration is crucial, as programmers frequently work with business analysts and system architects to translate business processes into code and ensure system reliability. Staying current with evolving regulatory and security requirements is also a key part of this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Cobol programmer?

A Cobol Programmer should have a strong grasp of COBOL programming, mainframe systems, and experience with legacy codebases, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as IBM z/OS, JCL, CICS, and database management systems like DB2 is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for this role. These competencies ensure reliable maintenance and enhancement of critical business applications that many organizations still depend on.

How much do Cobol programmers make?

Cobol programmers' salaries vary based on experience, location, and industry, but they typically earn between $70,000 and $120,000 annually. Senior or specialized programmers with certifications and extensive experience can earn higher salaries, especially in industries like finance and government that rely heavily on legacy systems.

How to become a Cobol programmer?

COBOL is a programming language used to write code for software programs. It stands for Common Business-Oriented Language and is most commonly used in business and financial applications. You do not need a degree to become a COBOL programmer, but many employers prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, management information systems, or a related field. Focus your coursework in programming languages, code development, and software development. Other COBOL programmers learn the coding language on their own through online courses or programs at vocational schools or community colleges. Obtain an internship or part-time job that enables you to learn COBOL and other programming languages. Since many administrative offices and business organizations use COBOL programming, you may want to take some administrative courses to gain an inside perspective on the industry.

What are popular job titles related to Cobol Programmer jobs in Madison, WI?

For Cobol Programmer jobs in Madison, WI, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Cobol Programmer jobs in Madison, WI look for?

The top searched job categories for Cobol Programmer jobs in Madison, WI are:

What cities near Madison, WI are hiring for Cobol Programmer jobs?

Cities near Madison, WI with the most Cobol Programmer job openings:

Infographic showing various Cobol Programmer job openings in Madison, WI as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 77% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 7% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $122,171 per year, or $58.7 per hour.

Software Engineer I

UW Credit Union

Madison, WI • Hybrid

$87K/mo

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 17 days ago


Job description

UW Credit Union is committed to delivering world-class digital experiences. Information Technology is a team of passionate software development professionals who deliver a diverse portfolio of technical solutions, including high-performance web applications, APIs and backend processes, that enable members to easily manage their financial lives. A Software Engineer I is a software professional who enjoys solving unique and challenging problems in creative ways. This person thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented environment and has an enthusiasm for learning. This position builds and maintains high quality software utilizing a variety of technologies. Responsibilities include the analysis, design, coding, testing and review of software solutions. This position will work in an Agile environment and participate in team activities supporting our iterative development process.


Software Engineering

  • Analyze, design and build software solutions that provide a world class experience to our membership and the organization.
  • Create estimates of work effort, identify dependencies and evaluate potential risks and mitigations.
  • Code software solutions that satisfy identified requirements.
  • Adhere to current engineering best practices and procedures.
  • Leverage leading secure coding practices.
  • Write unit and integration tests to exercise code changes.
  • Design databases according to guidelines that meet performance and audit needs.
  • Integrate vendor software systems into our own solutions.
  • Document and prepare code changes for peer review with appropriate details and testing instructions according to guidelines.
  • Conduct peer reviews according to our code review guidelines.
  • Deploy code changes to development and production environments.

Operational Excellence

  • Take ownership, ensuring tasks are completed in a timely manner and meet quality standards.
  • Appropriately prioritize efforts between development work and production issues Advance systems reliability, scalability and maintainability to ensure long term success of our solutions.
  • Develop appropriate tests to ensure correctness and ongoing quality in alignment with best practices Provide maintenance, diagnosis, triage and troubleshooting of production issues, both proactively and in response to support requests.
  • Practice in off hours software releases and scheduled maintenance.

Team and Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Collaborate effectively with Internet Services and other technology team members to deliver software solutions, field support requests, make application updates and manage release schedules.
  • Partner with business units to provide software solutions to solve complex problems and achieve business goals.
  • Communicate with technology teams, other business units and vendors in a timely and courteous manner.
  • Appropriately size engineering efforts to meet organizational goals.
  • Communicate to team and affected business units for planned and unplanned disruptions.
  • Provide support for vendor system communication and upgrades.
  • Document software solutions and processes to aid team understanding.
  • Communicate project status, estimates and risks to Internet Services Leadership.
  • Actively participate in and contribute to iterative development processes.

Continuous Learning

  • Pursue professional and technical skill development. Maintain working knowledge of software engineering trends.
  • Maintain awareness of emerging technology trends.

Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field is required.
  • 2 – 3 years of Software Engineering experience is required.

Skills

  • Familiarity with software development tools and technologies.
  • Fluency in one or more major object-oriented programming languages (.NET, C# are required).
  • Fluency in one or more scripting languages.
  • Fluency in one or more query languages.
  • Fluency in version control systems.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills.
  • The ability to be on-call.

Join one of Wisconsin’s premier financial institutions, a National Top Workplace and multi-year recipient of Madison Magazine’s Best Places to Work, Wisconsin State Journal’s Top Workplaces, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Top Workplaces to receive:

  • 21.5 days of annual time off (accrued per pay period)
  • 2 weeks paid caregiver leave
  • 2.5 weeks paid new child parental leave
  • 2 days paid volunteer time
  • Hybrid work environment: minimum 3 days a week on-site
  • 10 paid holidays (including your birthday!)
  • 401k company match of up to 5%, plus approximately 4% discretionary match
  • 457 deferred-compensation plan
  • Variable bonus reward
  • Competitive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans, including domestic partner eligibility
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • And more!

All employees must possess valid work authorization to work for UWCU on the date of hire.  UWCU does not provide immigration sponsorship or support for employment authorization to include, but not limited to, sponsorship or support for H-1B, F-1 OPT, TN, or other visa category.