In this article, we will cover 16 highest-paying programming languages in USA. We will also assess the global numbers and growth trajectory of careers in programming while also looking at some emerging trends. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, head straight to 5 Highest-Paying Programming Languages in USA.
The global population of software developers has been steadily growing and reached 26.8 million active developers at the end of 2021. Experts predict that this number will continue to rise and reach 45 million by 2030 which indicates a growing demand for IT professionals worldwide. Moreover, there has been a positive shift in the number of female developers, with women accounting for around 20% of software development professionals.
In terms of programming languages, JavaScript remains the most widely used language with approximately 16.5 million engineers globally. Python follows closely with 11.3 million engineers, primarily utilized in data science and machine learning. Java, with over 9 million developers, has gained renewed popularity in the Android app ecosystem. Other popular languages include PHP, C#, and C++.
When it comes to education, larger companies generally have higher expectations for formal education when targeting developer or programming jobs, and hence, often require a Bachelor’s degree or higher. However, smaller companies often provide opportunities for self-taught experts without formal degrees.
We observe, how in recent years, and specifically due to the pandemic, so many individuals have not only utilized platforms like Udemy Inc (NASDAQ:UDMY) to learn programming but also secured jobs in both remote and on-site positions. Hence, developers from newer generations are increasingly utilizing alternative sources of learning, such as YouTube videos and coding boot camps, while older generations, particularly baby boomers, prefer learning from books and on-the-job training. If you are interested in reading you can also have a look at our article on Remote Jobs
Pandemic Impact: Remote Work Challenges for Developers
The COVID-19 pandemic also led to a surge in demand for customized solutions and remote work that largely affected the software development industry. Many companies, which included 80% of IT firms worldwide, have transitioned to remote work. This shift has brought challenges such as increased working hours and the need to manage remote teams effectively.
However, the growing population of developers in regions like Asia and Latin America is unlikely to affect developers in countries like Poland. Polish developers are highly skilled and renowned for their expertise in various programming languages and technologies.
They offer a favorable price-to-quality ratio and are known for their persistence in finding solutions. As long as they continue to deliver quality products, organizations are unlikely to outsource projects to developers in other countries, even if it may be more cost-effective. Developers in countries like India and China primarily cater to their vast domestic markets, reducing the competition for projects from European countries like Poland.
Is AI a Threat to Programming Languages?
As the software development industry evolves, the emergence of chatbots powered by artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, has raised questions about their impact on programming languages. These AI-powered chatbots are equipped with natural language processing capabilities and have also demonstrated the ability to generate human-like text, including computer code in various programming languages.
According to Tech Crunch, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s AI-powered chatbot, Bard, expanded its coding capabilities to cover more than 20 programming languages. It can now code in languages such as C++, Go, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python. Furthermore, Bard also has the ability to translate code from one language to another. The AI can also generate functions for Alphabhet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Sheets and properly cite any open-source code it uses.
While some programmers may feel concerned about the potential threat to their jobs, the current consensus is that AI-powered chatbots and natural language processing technologies are not likely to make coders and software engineers redundant in the immediate future. ChatGPT’s capabilities are limited to generating relatively simple programs and lack the creativity, ingenuity, and problem-solving skills that human programmers possess. That said, you can check out our article on Jobs That Will Disappear in the Future Due to AI.
Instead of replacing programmers, AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT are being seen as valuable tools. They can assist programmers in generating code frameworks, providing input on data structures and user interface features. They can also aid in automating routine coding tasks and debugging existing code.
For now, human programmers possess a wide range of skills, including critical thinking, strategic planning, and creative problem-solving, that are difficult for AI to replicate. By leveraging AI as a tool for augmentation rather than replacement, programmers can enhance their productivity and focus on higher-level tasks that require human intelligence and expertise. Owing to the high level of expertise and mental sharpness required, DevOps engineering is one of the highest paying programming jobs.
Utilize the Power of Digital Learning to Learn Programming Today
We have picked 3 best courses to learn programming for you on Udemy Inc (NASDAQ:UDMY) so that you can boost your coding skills and become a programmer.
- Java Programming Masterclass is one of the best seller programming courses to learn Java on Udemy Inc (NASDAQ:UDMY) with more than 788,870 students worldwide.
- The Complete Python Bootcamp From Zero to Hero in Python is even more popular on Udemy Inc (NASDAQ:UDMY) as it is a full-fledged learning package to teach you python which is considered to be the most wanted programming language in the world. It has more than 1 million students worldwide.
- Beginning C++ Programming – From Beginner to Beyond has more than 260,000 students and is also one of the best sellers on the platforms for teaching the modern C++ from basic functions to its most advanced ones like inheritance and polymorphic functions.
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Our Methodology
To list and rank the highest-paying programming languages in USA, we relied on the base average salaries of developers of the respective language in the US. We acquired data for average salaries primarily from Payscale.com but also crossed checked from sources like Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com for further accuracy and precision. In case of ties between two languages with similar average salaries, we ranked the one with greater consensus online on sources like Indeed.com higher. The list is in ascending order.
Here is a list of 16 Highest-Paying Programming Languages in USA
16. C++
Average Salary of Programmer: $72,973
C++ is a powerful and versatile programming language developed by Danish computer scientist Bjarne Stroustrup. It originated as an extension of the C programming language in 1985 but has evolved greatly since then. Modern C++ includes object-oriented, generic, and functional programming features. It also provides capabilities for efficient memory manipulation at a low level. It is one of the highest-paying programming languages in USA and also one of the most user-friendly languages for developing games.
Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google has developed a new programming language called Carbon, which they believe could potentially replace C++. Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) sees Carbon as an experimental successor to C++ that will offer improved features and ease of use.
15. R
Average Salary of Programmer: $75,368
R, an open-source programming language, is widely used for statistical computing and graphics. It is supported by the R Core Team and the R Foundation for Statistical Computing. The language was developed by statisticians Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman and has gained popularity among data miners, data scientists, bioinformaticians, and statisticians for tasks such as data analysis and the creation of statistical software.
For data analysts, which is considered to be one of the most boring jobs that pay $100,000 or more, and data scientists, R is generally always a preferred choice for data analysis owing to its robust graphical capabilities.
14. SQL
Average Salary of Programmer: $80,367
SQL is a domain-specific language used for managing data in relational database systems. It is designed for structured data and is widely used for data management and processing tasks.
13. JavaScript
Average Salary of Programmer: $91,000
JavaScript is a widely-used, interpreted programming language that enables interactive and dynamic functionality on websites. It runs in web browsers and is essential for web development. Javascript is one of the most commonly used programming languages globally. It is also one of the Easiest Programming Languages for Kids.
12. TypeScript
Average Salary of Programmer: $100,000
TypeScript, developed by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), has experienced exceptional growth over the past five years and became one of the primary alternatives to JavaScript. It has gained popularity among large-scale JavaScript developers due to its project scalability, collaboration, and code maintainability. TypeScript’s usage increased from 12 percent in 2017 to 34 percent in 2022, making it the fastest-growing language of 2022.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Research has also developed an innovative extension of TypeScript called DeviceScript. This technology caters to small-scale Internet of Things (IoT) devices with limited resources. It allows developers to write code in TypeScript and compile it into custom bytecode optimized for deployment on resource-constrained environments.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) recently announced a much faster, smaller, and simpler version of the Typescript, the Typescript 5.0 with enhanced performance.
11. Perl
Average Salary of Programmer: $103,000
Perl is popular owing to its versatility and powerful text-processing capabilities. It performs exceptionally well in tasks like file manipulation, regular expressions, and system administration. Perl’s concise syntax and extensive libraries make it an efficient choice for scripting, web development, and automation. It is one of the highest-paying programming languages in USA.
10. Java
Average Salary of Programmer: $104,779
Java is a widely used, class-based, and object-oriented programming language known for its platform independence. It allows programmers to write code once and run it anywhere. Java applications are compiled to bytecode and can be executed on any Java virtual machine. It has a syntax similar to C and C++, with added dynamic capabilities, and is popular for client-server web applications.
9. Ruby
Average Salary of Programmer: $105,000
Ruby is a high-level, interpreted, and general-purpose programming language that emphasizes productivity and simplicity. Developed in the 1990s, it supports multiple programming paradigms and treats everything as an object. With dynamic typing and garbage collection, Ruby draws inspiration from languages like Perl, Smalltalk, and Java. It is one of the best programming languages.
8. Kotlin
Average Salary of Programmer: $107,000
Kotlin is a statically typed, cross-platform programming language that interoperates with Java. It offers concise syntax through type inference and targets JVM, JavaScript, and native code via LLVM. Developed by JetBrains, Kotlin benefits from the Kotlin Foundation’s trademark protection while being widely used and supported.
7. Python
Average Salary of Programmer: $113,248
Python is the most popular programming language. It is a high-level, general-purpose language known for its readability and versatility. It supports various programming paradigms and has a comprehensive standard library. Guido van Rossum developed Python in the late 1980s as a successor to ABC, and it has since evolved through multiple releases that include the latest transition of 2020 to Python 3. It sits at the top when it comes to top programming languages for AI and Natural Language Processing.
6. Clojure
Average Salary of Programmer: $114,000
Clojure is a dynamic and functional dialect of the Lisp programming language that runs on the Java platform. It utilizes S-expressions for syntax, treats code as data and supports a Lisp macro system. Clojure promotes immutability and immutable data structures, facilitating the development of robust and concurrent programs.
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Disclosure: None. 16 Highest-Paying Programming Languages in USA is originally published on Insider Monkey.
