Computer and information research scientists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,200 | $39.52 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $140,300 | $67.45 |
| Mean (average) | $153,930 | $74.00 |
| 90th percentile | $230,630 | $110.88 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Computer and information research scientists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 36 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $117,870 | $63,290 | $174,030 | 570 | 1.13 |
| Arizona | $129,760 | $62,870 | $386,290 | 360 | 0.46 |
| California | $159,100 | $88,920 | $275,320 | 8,440 | 1.94 |
| Colorado | $133,160 | $84,660 | $215,090 | 400 | 0.59 |
| Connecticut | $131,650 | $129,690 | $131,650 | ||
| District of Columbia | $144,190 | $100,010 | $196,640 | 330 | 1.97 |
| Florida | $119,810 | $73,780 | $194,840 | 1,070 | 0.45 |
| Georgia | $92,250 | $73,780 | $153,630 | 810 | 0.69 |
| Hawaii | $134,350 | $90,960 | $165,690 | 70 | 0.46 |
| Idaho | Data unavailable | 70 | 0.35 | ||
| Illinois | $136,540 | $49,190 | $243,360 | 630 | 0.43 |
| Indiana | $85,460 | $65,820 | $134,490 | 720 | 0.94 |
| Louisiana | $115,210 | $80,250 | $161,120 | 140 | 0.3 |
| Maryland | $145,310 | $98,380 | $195,190 | 2,870 | 4.33 |
| Massachusetts | $170,510 | $77,160 | $233,340 | 1,760 | 2.03 |
| Michigan | $82,590 | $66,700 | $159,500 | 530 | 0.5 |
| Minnesota | $135,850 | $83,920 | $174,740 | 30 | 0.05 |
| Mississippi | $109,050 | $69,220 | $161,890 | 300 | 1.07 |
| Missouri | $127,820 | $73,630 | $200,010 | 230 | 0.33 |
| Nevada | $134,310 | $85,940 | $190,400 | 80 | 0.22 |
| New Hampshire | $136,160 | $90,760 | $246,160 | 90 | 0.57 |
| New Jersey | $140,840 | $85,780 | $209,850 | 1,580 | 1.54 |
| New Mexico | $165,690 | $101,210 | $257,950 | 490 | 2.36 |
| New York | $181,990 | $95,260 | $314,130 | 1,950 | 0.84 |
| North Carolina | $128,370 | $82,410 | $182,050 | 600 | 0.5 |
| Ohio | $135,510 | $44,920 | $173,510 | 280 | 0.21 |
| Oklahoma | $93,100 | $71,930 | $136,340 | 590 | 1.44 |
| Oregon | $206,220 | $117,570 | $351,690 | 730 | 1.54 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,300 | $83,330 | $175,480 | 330 | 0.23 |
| Rhode Island | $121,470 | $91,230 | $170,680 | 500 | 4.2 |
| South Carolina | $126,980 | $84,200 | $161,180 | 430 | 0.78 |
| Tennessee | $108,830 | $82,750 | $174,760 | ||
| Texas | $121,210 | $65,480 | $204,250 | 1,960 | 0.58 |
| Utah | $94,700 | $72,990 | $169,890 | 1,250 | 3 |
| Virginia | $157,390 | $96,300 | $230,630 | 3,590 | 3.65 |
| Washington | $202,400 | $95,890 | $281,050 | 2,050 | 2.41 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for computer and information research scientists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for computer and information research scientists
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Computer and Information Sciences, General CIP 11.0101
- Artificial Intelligence CIP 11.0102
- Information Technology CIP 11.0103
- Informatics CIP 11.0104
- Computer and Information Sciences, Other CIP 11.0199
- Information Science/Studies CIP 11.0401
- Computer Science CIP 11.0701
- Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation CIP 11.0804
- Cloud Computing CIP 11.0902
- Bioinformatics CIP 26.1103
- Human Computer Interaction CIP 30.3101
- Data Science, General CIP 30.7001
- Data Science, Other CIP 30.7099
- Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics CIP 40.0512
- Medical Informatics CIP 51.2706
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Design computers and the software that runs them.
- Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
- Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues.
- Participate in multidisciplinary projects in areas such as virtual reality, human-computer interaction, or robotics.
Technology skills
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (in demand)
- Ansible software (in demand)
- Apache Hadoop (in demand)
- Apache Kafka (in demand)
- Apache Spark (in demand)
- Bash (in demand)
- C (in demand)
- C++ (in demand)
- Docker (in demand)
- Git (in demand)
- GitHub (in demand)
- Go (in demand)
- Grafana Labs Grafana Cloud (in demand)
- IBM Terraform (in demand)
- JavaScript (in demand)
- Jenkins CI (in demand)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Programming, Systems Evaluation, Time Management.
Common job titles: Computer Scientist, Computer Specialist, Control System Computer Scientist, Research Scientist, Scientific Programmer Analyst.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do computer and information research scientists make?
The national median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $140,300 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $82,200 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $230,630. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do computer and information research scientists need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is computer and information research scientists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of computer and information research scientists to change +21.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay computer and information research scientists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($206,220), Washington ($202,400), New York ($181,990). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.