Cobol Programming

Cobol Programming Salary

$84K

$110K

$198.5K

$121,161

/year

$58.25

/hour

Cobol Programming Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$121,161

Columbus

Ohio

$117,029

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    How much does a Cobol Programming make?

    As of Aug 15, 2026, the average annual pay for a Cobol Programming in the United States is $121,161 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $58.25 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,330/week or $10,096/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $198,500 and as low as $84,000, the majority of Cobol Programming salaries currently range between $90,000 (25th percentile) to $140,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $186,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Cobol Programming varies greatly (by as much as 50500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Cobol Programming in your area makes on average $117,029 per year, or $4,132 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $121,161. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Cobol Programming salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Cobol Programming jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Cobol Programming on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Cobol Programming Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Cobol Programming job is above the national average. Topping the list is Sitka, AK, , with San Francisco, CA, and Fremont, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Fremont, CA, beats the national average by $21,354 (17.6%), and Sitka, AK, furthers that trend with another $24,799 (20.5%) above the $121,161 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Cobol Programming appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Sitka, AK, and Hayward, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Cobol Programming role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Sitka, AK

    $145,960

    $70.17

    San Francisco, CA

    $142,748

    $68.63

    Fremont, CA

    $142,515

    $68.52

    Santa Clara, CA

    $142,296

    $68.41

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $142,200

    $68.37

    Patterson, OH

    $141,191

    $67.88

    Daly City, CA

    $140,388

    $67.49

    Arlington, VA

    $139,611

    $67.12

    Oakland, CA

    $139,150

    $66.90

    Hayward, CA

    $138,910

    $66.78

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Cobol Programming Jobs in the U.S.

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Cobol Programming job category, we found that Db2 Systems Programmer jobs have average salaries greater than Cobol Programming jobs.

    Significantly, Db2 Systems Programmer jobs pay $21,989 (18.1%) more than the average Cobol Programming salary of $121,161. If you're qualified, finding work as a Db2 Systems Programmer may help you make more money than that of the average Cobol Programming position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Db2 Systems Programmer

    $143,150

    $68.82

    Contract Cobol Programmer

    $121,161

    $58.25

    Cobol Application Developer

    $118,666

    $57.05

    Cobol Engineer

    $118,624

    $57.03

    Cobol Programmer Analyst

    $96,677

    $46.48

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Cobol Programming salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $121,161 per year or $58.25 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.