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Other Computer Programming

Types of Degrees Other Computer Programming Majors Are Earning

Those studying Other Computer Programming can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	2
Associate’s Degree	18
Bachelor’s Degree	23
Master’s Degree	186

What Other Computer Programming Majors Need to Know

Studies in Other Computer Programming emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Other Computer Programming graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Other Computer Programming emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Other Computer Programming program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Programming — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Other Computer Programming careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Other Computer Programming graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	5.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.6 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Computer Programming professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Oracle Solaris	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Visual Basic.NET	Object or component oriented development software	—
Xerces2 Java Parser	Development environment software	—
Perforce Helix software	Configuration management software	—
ICON programming language	Development environment software	—
SAP Crystal Reports	Data base reporting software	—
Microsoft Visual FoxPro	Object oriented data base management software	—
McAfee	Transaction security and virus protection software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript	Development environment software	—
Computer On-line Real-time Applications Language CORAL 66	Development environment software	—
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS	Data base reporting software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Computer Programming graduates include:

• Computer Language Coder
• COBOL Programmer (Common Business Oriented Language Programmer)
• Computer Game Programmer
• E-Commerce Programmer (Electronic Commerce Programmer)
• Computer Programmer
• Engineer
• Application Programmer Analyst
• Malware Analyst
• Automation Programmer
• Web Programmer
• White Hat Hacker
• Engineering Programmer
• Database Programmer
• Beta Tester
• Video Game Programmer

What Can You Do With a Other Computer Programming Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Other Computer Programming commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Computer Programmers	11.7%	$109,892	$85,812–$133,972

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Other Computer Programming graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	88.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	9.0%
Some college courses	2.5%
Master’s degree	0.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Computer Programming?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 69.4% of Other Computer Programming degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	70	30.6%
Men	159	69.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Other Computer Programming graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	107	46.7%
Asian	11	4.8%
Hispanic or Latino	35	15.3%
Black or African American	21	9.2%
Two or More Races	6	2.6%
Race Unknown	12	5.2%
International Students	37	16.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Computer Programming Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Other Computer Programming graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,537
4 years	$60,237
5 years	$68,349

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $68,349 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Other Computer Programming Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Other Computer Programming. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	1
Bachelor’s	1	2
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Other Computer Programming Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Other Computer Programming graduates earn a median of $60,237 four years after completion — roughly 59% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Computer Science	79,857
Computer Programming	15,336
Computer Programming/Programmer, General	11,341
Computer Graphics	3,312
Computer Programming, Specific Applications	2,813
Cloud Computing	1,229
Computer Game Programming	492
Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification	420
Computer Programming, Specific Platforms	41

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.