AI Career Radar

Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

AI exposure41 / 100Moderate exposure

Based on O*NET work context for this occupation. This score does not predict individual job losses.

What drives the score

Automation and repetition raise exposure; freedom to set tasks lowers it. Each measure uses a 0–100 scale.

Degree of automation32
Freedom to set tasks60
Repeating the same tasks54
$100,390Median annual wage, U.S.BLS OEWS
-7.3%Jobs, 2025 to 2035 (decline)BLS Employment Projections
60Skill durability (moderate)Transferability, out of 100

How well your skills transfer

Each skill is scored on how well it transfers into occupations that are growing and less exposed. The ones high on both importance and transfer are worth deepening.

Highest transferability first

Both scores out of 100

Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Active Listening
63
69
Critical Thinking
63
69
Judgment and Decision Making
63
56
Speaking
63
53
Monitoring
63
50
Complex Problem Solving
62
69
Active Learning
62
53
Coordination
62
50
Reading Comprehension
61
60
Time Management
61
53
Show 25 more skills
Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Writing
60
56
Social Perceptiveness
60
53
Instructing
58
38
Learning Strategies
58
35
Systems Analysis
57
60
Systems Evaluation
56
53
Service Orientation
56
31
Persuasion
54
41
Mathematics
53
53
Science
52
44
Negotiation
52
28
Management of Personnel Resources
50
41
Operations Analysis
49
53
Installation
48
6
Quality Control Analysis
47
63
Technology Design
47
44
Troubleshooting
47
31
Management of Financial Resources
47
25
Management of Material Resources
47
25
Equipment Selection
47
0
Equipment Maintenance
47
0
Operations Monitoring
46
31
Repairing
46
0
Programming
45
94
Operation and Control
43
3

Compare how well you can use each skill in growing, low-exposure occupations with its importance in your current role. How we score skills.

Jobs you could move to

Compare related occupations by skill overlap, retraining effort, pay and projected growth. Choose a priority to adjust the ranking. Licensing requirements may limit some routes.

86/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$120,230
10-yr growth
+34.6%
Skill gap
12%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Speaking, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Learning Strategies

85/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$120,230
10-yr growth
+34.6%
Skill gap
13%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Speaking, Monitoring, Writing, Active Learning

82/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$140,300
10-yr growth
+21.8%
Skill gap
16%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Judgment and Decision Making, Learning Strategies, Systems Evaluation, Instructing

80/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$129,180
10-yr growth
+21%
Skill gap
13%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Operations Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Monitoring

80/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$139,500
10-yr growth
+9.4%
Skill gap
8%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, Critical Thinking

80/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$135,880
10-yr growth
+21.1%
Skill gap
18%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Speaking

A second source of income, before you need it

This page can tell you where Computer Programmers could go and what the move costs. The other route is not a move at all: something small of your own, running alongside the job, started while there is no pressure on it.

Where to learn the missing half: Google Career Certificates for systems analysis · active learning, LinkedIn Learning for writing · speaking, edX for mathematics · reading and PlanetNoCode for complex problem solving. Some of those are affiliate links. It never changes what we list.

Snapshot: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025-2035. Scoring v2.1.0-onet-31.0. Method on the how it works page.