Side-by-side distribution
COBOL
$130,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 20%
- Live roles
- 45
Kotlin
$190,900
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 11.5%
- Live roles
- 61
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Mainframe Developer – IMS Database & zOS
Mainframe Developer
Application Technical Specialist (Unix Administrator / DCR or COBOL Programmer)
Sr. Developer, Mainframe (COBOL, z/OS, CICS, JCL) Omaha or KC
Senior Mainframe Developer
Software Developer Lead-OpenShift & Mainframe
Mainframe Developer - Cards & Rewards
Mainframe Developer
Senior Mainframe Developer
Highest-paying jobs
Software Engineer 2 - Python/Kotlin/Java/Terraform/Elasticsearch/Opensearch/AWS
Software Engineer 1 - Python/Kotlin/Java/Terraform/Elasticsearch/Opensearch/AWS
Senior Mobile Engineer, Kotlin and Cross-Platform
Lead Product Software Engineer (Kotlin)
Senior Frontend Engineer (Kotlin / Android UX)
Software Engineer II (Mobile Developer - Android/Kotlin) - Mobile App Growth
Back-end Software Engineer (Kotlin)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
CAI
|
$142,480 | 2 |
| US USAA | $166,055 | 1 |
|
Bank of America
|
$141,400 | 1 |
|
Regions
|
$140,690 | 1 |
|
AG Consulting Partners, Inc.
|
$130,000 | 1 |
|
FNBO
|
$119,022 | 1 |
|
PNC
|
$115,000 | 1 |
| TF Thermo Fisher Scientific | $99,750 | 1 |
COBOL vs Kotlin: which pays more?
The median for COBOL is $130,000 per year (typically $119,022–$141,400), versus $190,900 for Kotlin ($162,500–$199,500). That puts Kotlin about 47% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so COBOL and Kotlin are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.