Side-by-side distribution
COBOL
$130,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 20%
- Live roles
- 45
Scala
$150,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 20%
- Live roles
- 40
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
Full Stack Java/Scala/DB2 Engineer - Vice President
Sr. Software Engineer I, Evaluation Services (Scala)
Senior Scala Engineer (Hybrid)
Backend Engineer Scala - Assistant Vice President
Senior Scala/Python Engineer (Hybrid)
Scala Backend Developer
Scala Backend Software Engineer - Vice President
JAVA Backend Developer with Scala 6474427
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 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Rewards Network
|
$150,000 | 2 |
|
iCapital
|
$147,500 | 2 |
| MS Morgan Stanley | $185,000 | 1 |
|
NinjaTrader
|
$150,000 | 1 |
|
GDIT
|
$142,000 | 1 |
|
Accenture
|
$101,920 | 1 |
Scala salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $150,000 | 3 |
COBOL vs Scala: which pays more?
The median for COBOL is $130,000 per year (typically $119,022–$141,400), versus $150,000 for Scala ($144,250–$150,000). That puts Scala about 15% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so COBOL and Scala 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.