Information Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Computer Programmers
Sixty-seven percent of computer programmers held a college or higher degree in 2004; nearly half held a bachelors degree, and about 1 in 5 held a graduate degree. Employment is expected to grow much more slowly than that for other computer specialists. Prospects likely will be best for college graduates with knowledge of a variety of programming languages and tools; those with less formal education or its equivalent in work experience are apt to face strong competition for programming jobs.
On average, Computer Programmers earn $ 65,510 per year.
Job Opportunities for Technology / Computer / IT Careers are
expected to:
Increase slower than average.
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Bioinformatics
Computer Graphics
Computer Programming Special Applications
Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
Aerospace Engineers
Biomedical Engineers
Computer programmers write, test, and maintain the detailed instructions, called programs, that computers follow to perform their functions. Programmers also conceive, design, and test logical structures for solving problems by computer. With the help of other computer specialists, they figure out which instructions to use to make computers do specific tasks. Many technical innovations in programmingadvanced computing technologies and sophisticated new languages and programming tools, for examplehave redefined the role of a programmer and elevated much of the programming work done today.
Most programmers have a bachelors degree, but a two-year degree or certificate may be adequate for some jobs. Some computer programmers hold a college degree in computer science, mathematics, or information systems, whereas others have taken special courses in computer programming to supplement their degree in a field such as accounting, finance, or another area of business. In 2006, more than 68 percent of computer programmers had a bachelors degree or higher, but as the level of education and training required by employers continues to rise, this proportion is expected to increase.
Computer programmers held about 435,000 jobs in 2006. Programmers are employed in almost every industry, but the largest concentration is in computer systems design and related services. Large numbers of programmers also work for software publishers, financial institutions, insurance carriers, educational institutions, government agencies, and management of companies and enterprises. Many computer programmers work independently as consultants on a temporary or contract basis, some of whom are self-employed. About 17,000 computer programmers were self-employed in 2006.
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers Computer Society
National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies
University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering Department
