Mainframe System Programmer Salary
$21K - $34K
6% of jobs
$34K - $47K
0% of jobs
$47K - $60K
0% of jobs
$60K - $73K
0% of jobs
$73K - $86K
0% of jobs
$86K - $99K
5% of jobs
$109K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$99K - $112K
18% of jobs
The median wage is $123.2K / yr.
$112K - $125K
24% of jobs
$125K - $138K
21% of jobs
$138.2K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$138K - $151K
22% of jobs
$151K - $164K
3% of jobs
$21K
$124K
$163K
$121,006
/year
$58.18
/hour
Mainframe System Programmer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$121,006
Columbus
Ohio
$116,880
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How much does a Mainframe System Programmer make?
As of May 28, 2026, the average annual pay for a Mainframe System Programmer in the United States is $121,006 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $58.18 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,327/week or $10,083/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $163,000 and as low as $21,000, the majority of Mainframe System Programmer salaries currently range between $110,000 (25th percentile) to $140,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $148,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Mainframe System Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 30000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
A Mainframe System Programmer in your area makes on average $116,880 per year, or $4,126 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $121,006. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Mainframe System Programmer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Mainframe System 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 System Programmer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Mainframe System Programmer Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Mainframe System Programmer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Cupertino, CA, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $27,159 (22.4%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $29,102 (24.1%) above the $121,006 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Mainframe System Programmer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Nome, AK, and Santa Cruz, 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 System Programmer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Nome, AK | $150,108 | $72.17 |
Cupertino, CA | $149,291 | $71.77 |
Berkeley, CA | $148,165 | $71.23 |
Sitka, AK | $145,774 | $70.08 |
San Francisco, CA | $142,567 | $68.54 |
Santa Clara, CA | $142,115 | $68.32 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $142,019 | $68.28 |
San Jose, CA | $141,818 | $68.18 |
Daly City, CA | $140,210 | $67.41 |
Santa Cruz, CA | $139,722 | $67.17 |
What are Top 0 Best Paying Related Mainframe System Programmer Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Mainframe System Programmer job category, we found that related job jobs have average salaries similar than Mainframe System Programmer jobs.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
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About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
