Overview of this occupation
Software and Applications Programmers design, develop, test, maintain and document program code in accordance with user requirements, and system and technical specifications.
What they do:
- Analyse design requirements for computer or electronics systems
- Assess risks to networks, systems, or data, and specify recovery routines and contingency procedures
- Collaborate with others to resolve information technology issues
- Communicate with others to arrange, coordinate, or conduct activities
- Develop software applications
- Evaluate utility of software or hardware technologies
- Implement security measures for computer or information systems
- Manage information technology projects or system activities
- Recommend changes to improve computer or information systems
- Write computer programming code
What technology tools they use:
- Application and load testing software
- Application server software
- Business process management and automation systems
- Cloud computing infrastructure services
- Computer-aided software engineering tools
- Configuration management software
- Content workflow software
- Database management software
- Document management and code versioning software
- Enterprise application integration software
- Flow chart and diagram software
- Project management software
- Software development and programming languages
- Virtual reality technologies
- Virtualised IT environments and terminal services
What their interests are:
- Business, Management And Sales – they enjoy meeting people, leading and talking with others.
- Practical – they enjoy working with equipment, operating machinery and fixing things.
- Scientific – they enjoy investigating, experimenting, discovering new ideas and analysing data.
Source: Australian Skills Classification, job and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. Used under Creative Commons BY 4.0 licence and Jobs and Skills Australia, ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Quick facts
Software and Applications Programmers
All employees nationwide 1
The number of people employed in an occupations as their main job across all Australian states.
Projected growth 2
The projected increase in employment in Australia from May 2023 to May 2028.
Working in NSW 3
The distribution of people employed in an occupation in NSW.
Median weekly earnings before tax 4
Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed.
Median age of all workers 5
This shows the median age of all workers in this occupation.
Part-time workers 6
Those who usually work less than 35 hours per week.
See footnotes for source details and additional information.
Skills and knowledge
What are they good at?
This table lists skills and knowledge categories according to how relevant they are for this occupation.
High expertise | Intermediate |
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Source: Australian Skills Classification, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. Used under Creative Commons BY 4.0 licence.
Education and qualifications
Software and Applications Programmers – Skill level 1
Occupation at Skill Level 1 have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor's degree of higher qualification .
At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification
Source: Conceptual basis of ANZSCO, ABS Survey, Release Nov 2021.
Qualifications in this workforce
This table shows the distribution of employment by highest qualification completed (in any field of study).7
Year 12 and below
Certificate III or IV
Diploma or Advanced Diploma
Bachelor`s degree
Post-graduate
Source: ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on place of usual residence.
Use this as a guide for understanding what qualifications are the most common in this field. For personalised support on your education journey, talk to a Careers NSW specialist.
Talk to one of our specialists
At any career stage you can talk with a specialist from Careers NSW about your goals and how you can achieve them.