Mainframe Programmer
Mainframe Programmer Salary
$80.5K - $86K
5% of jobs
$86K - $91.5K
5% of jobs
$91.5K - $97K
11% of jobs
$98.6K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$97K - $102.5K
15% of jobs
$102.5K - $108K
12% of jobs
The median wage is $109.7K / yr.
$108K - $113.5K
7% of jobs
$113.5K - $119K
10% of jobs
$119K - $124.5K
6% of jobs
$128.6K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$124.5K - $130K
6% of jobs
$130K - $135.5K
19% of jobs
$135.5K - $141K
5% of jobs
$80.5K
$110K
$139.5K
$112,558
/year
$54.11
/hour
Mainframe Programmer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$112,558
Columbus
Ohio
$108,719
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How much does a Mainframe Programmer make?
As of Jun 10, 2026, the average annual pay for a Mainframe Programmer in the United States is $112,558 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $54.11 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,164/week or $9,379/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $139,500 and as low as $80,500, the majority of Mainframe Programmer salaries currently range between $98,000 (25th percentile) to $131,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $134,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Mainframe Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 33500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
A Mainframe Programmer in your area makes on average $108,719 per year, or $3,839 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $112,558. Ohio ranks number 42 out of 50 states nationwide for Mainframe Programmer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Mainframe Programmer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Mainframe Programmer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Mainframe Programmer Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Mainframe Programmer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Berkeley, CA, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $23,038 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $27,069 (24.0%) above the $112,558 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Mainframe Programmer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 6% between Nome, AK, and Daly City, 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 Mainframe Programmer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Nome, AK | $139,627 | $67.13 |
Berkeley, CA | $137,820 | $66.26 |
Sitka, AK | $135,596 | $65.19 |
Bolinas, CA | $135,331 | $65.06 |
San Francisco, CA | $132,613 | $63.76 |
Santa Clara, CA | $132,192 | $63.55 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $132,104 | $63.51 |
Livermore, CA | $132,029 | $63.48 |
San Jose, CA | $131,801 | $63.37 |
Daly City, CA | $130,420 | $62.70 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Mainframe Programmer Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Mainframe Programmer job category, we found that Jcl jobs have average salaries greater than Mainframe Programmer jobs.
Significantly, Jcl jobs pay $2,683 (2.4%) more than the average Mainframe Programmer salary of $112,558. If you're qualified, finding work as a Jcl may help you make more money than that of the average Mainframe Programmer position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Jcl | $115,241 | $55.40 |
Senior Cobol Programmer | $108,736 | $52.28 |
Cics Systems Programmer | $103,470 | $49.75 |
Apf | $72,126 | $34.68 |
Iceman | $36,260 | $17.43 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
