Computer and Information Research Scientists
Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) earn a median $140,300 a year ($67.45 an hour) in the United States, with 37,200 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What computer and information research scientists do
Computer and information research scientists investigate fundamental questions in computer and information science and invent new ways to use computing. The work can involve theory, such as new approaches to algorithms and computation, or the design of new hardware and software. Scientists analyze problems to develop solutions in hardware and software, apply theoretical knowledge to create or adapt technology, and design computers and the software that runs them. Some take part in multidisciplinary projects in areas such as virtual reality, human-computer interaction, or robotics. They also assign and schedule tasks to meet work priorities and meet with managers and vendors to win cooperation. Titles include applied scientist, AI engineer, and computational scientist. The occupation differs from software developers, who build applications for users, from computer programmers, who write code, and from computer and information systems managers, who direct technology departments. Postsecondary computer science teachers are classified in education. They also evaluate project plans and proposals for feasibility and formulate mathematical models of problems for computers to solve.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: AI Engineer (Artificial Intelligence Engineer), Applied Scientist, Artificial Intelligence Specialist (AI Specialist), Computational Linguist, Computational Scientist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $39.52 | $49.79 | $67.45 | $90.72 | $110.88 | $74.00 | 37,200 |
| Annual | $82,200 | $103,570 | $140,300 | $188,700 | $230,630 | $153,930 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where computer and information research scientists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $56.52 | $81.36 | $99.15 | $133.73 | $169.08 | $103.57 | 730 | 0.37 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $117,570 | $169,240 | $206,220 | $278,150 | $351,690 | $215,420 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $46.10 | $63.58 | $97.31 | $112.57 | $135.12 | $93.44 | 2,050 | 0.58 | 2.41 |
| Annual | $95,890 | $132,240 | $202,400 | $234,150 | $281,050 | $194,360 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $45.80 | $64.11 | $87.50 | $134.96 | $151.03 | $97.78 | 1,950 | 0.20 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $95,260 | $133,350 | $181,990 | $280,710 | $314,130 | $203,370 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $37.10 | $57.67 | $81.97 | $102.94 | $112.18 | $81.96 | 1,760 | 0.49 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $77,160 | $119,950 | $170,510 | $214,110 | $233,340 | $170,470 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $48.66 | $64.64 | $79.66 | $99.90 | $124.01 | $83.43 | 490 | 0.57 | 2.36 |
| Annual | $101,210 | $134,460 | $165,690 | $207,780 | $257,950 | $173,530 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $42.75 | $53.93 | $76.49 | $102.71 | $132.36 | $81.05 | 8,440 | 0.46 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $88,920 | $112,170 | $159,100 | $213,630 | $275,320 | $168,580 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $46.30 | $59.99 | $75.67 | $99.75 | $110.88 | $78.97 | 3,590 | 0.87 | 3.65 |
| Annual | $96,300 | $124,780 | $157,390 | $207,480 | $230,630 | $164,260 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $47.30 | $56.87 | $69.86 | $84.48 | $93.84 | $71.46 | 2,870 | 1.04 | 4.33 |
| Annual | $98,380 | $118,290 | $145,310 | $175,720 | $195,190 | $148,630 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $46.10 | $63.58 | $97.31 | $112.57 | $135.12 | $93.44 | 2,050 | 0.58 | 2.41 |
| Annual | $95,890 | $132,240 | $202,400 | $234,150 | $281,050 | $194,360 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $31.48 | $40.87 | $58.27 | $78.25 | $98.20 | $62.69 | 1,960 | 0.14 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $65,480 | $85,010 | $121,210 | $162,760 | $204,250 | $130,400 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $64.07 | $82.69 | $105.01 | $129.89 | $149.13 | $104.12 | 2,210 | 1.95 | 8.14 |
| Annual | $133,270 | $171,990 | $218,420 | $270,170 | $310,190 | $216,560 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $49.75 | $73.62 | $101.57 | $122.86 | $137.69 | $97.72 | 1,620 | 0.78 | 3.24 |
| Annual | $103,480 | $153,130 | $211,270 | $255,550 | $286,400 | $203,260 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $62.99 | $81.45 | $99.15 | $148.72 | $169.08 | $107.29 | 660 | 0.55 | 2.29 |
| Annual | $131,020 | $169,410 | $206,220 | $309,340 | $351,690 | $223,160 | ||||
| Rochester, NY | Hourly | $65.15 | $79.49 | $98.24 | $102.48 | $103.15 | $89.81 | 50 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $135,520 | $165,330 | $204,340 | $213,160 | $214,550 | $186,800 | ||||
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | Hourly | $58.77 | $79.83 | $87.49 | $88.76 | $134.96 | $87.80 | 200 | 0.45 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $122,250 | $166,040 | $181,990 | $184,620 | $280,710 | $182,620 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $49.73 | $62.37 | $77.45 | $96.72 | $107.60 | $79.75 | 3,420 | 1.09 | 4.56 |
| Annual | $103,440 | $129,730 | $161,090 | $201,170 | $223,800 | $165,880 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $64.07 | $82.69 | $105.01 | $129.89 | $149.13 | $104.12 | 2,210 | 1.95 | 8.14 |
| Annual | $133,270 | $171,990 | $218,420 | $270,170 | $310,190 | $216,560 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $45.46 | $62.50 | $82.16 | $121.48 | $151.03 | $93.46 | 2,100 | 0.22 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $94,550 | $129,990 | $170,890 | $252,670 | $314,130 | $194,390 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $39.53 | $46.24 | $58.43 | $75.23 | $93.84 | $63.51 | 1,680 | 1.09 | 4.56 |
| Annual | $82,220 | $96,180 | $121,530 | $156,480 | $195,190 | $132,100 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $46.37 | $52.25 | $82.43 | $105.59 | $135.11 | $84.38 | 1,670 | 0.70 | 2.94 |
| Annual | $96,440 | $108,670 | $171,440 | $219,630 | $281,020 | $175,510 | ||||
Top industries employing computer and information research scientists
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) employ 29.7% of computer and information research scientists nationally (11,030 jobs) at a median $124,870 a year ($60.04 an hour), followed by Computer Systems Design and Related Services (17.4%) and Scientific Research and Development Services (15.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 11,030 | 29.7% | $124,870 | $60.04 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 6,480 | 17.4% | $162,760 | $78.25 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 5,660 | 15.2% | $142,740 | $68.62 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 2,780 | 7.5% | $85,460 | $41.09 |
| Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services NAICS 519200 | 1,330 | 3.6% | $222,230 | $106.84 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (37,200). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $131,490 for computer and information research scientists in May 2021 and $140,300 in May 2025, with employment of 30,840 and 37,200.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $131,490 | $63.22 | 30,840 |
| May 2022 | $136,620 | $65.69 | 33,780 |
| May 2023 | $145,080 | $69.75 | 35,210 |
| May 2024 | $140,910 | $67.74 | 38,480 |
| May 2025 | $140,300 | $67.45 | 37,200 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
36 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon profile | $99.15 | $206,220 | $117,570 | $351,690 | 730 | 0.37 | 1.54 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $97.31 | $202,400 | $95,890 | $281,050 | 2,050 | 0.58 | 2.41 |
| 3 | New York profile | $87.50 | $181,990 | $95,260 | $314,130 | 1,950 | 0.20 | 0.84 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $81.97 | $170,510 | $77,160 | $233,340 | 1,760 | 0.49 | 2.03 |
| 5 | New Mexico profile | $79.66 | $165,690 | $101,210 | $257,950 | 490 | 0.57 | 2.36 |
| 6 | California profile | $76.49 | $159,100 | $88,920 | $275,320 | 8,440 | 0.46 | 1.94 |
| 7 | Virginia profile | $75.67 | $157,390 | $96,300 | $230,630 | 3,590 | 0.87 | 3.65 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $69.86 | $145,310 | $98,380 | $195,190 | 2,870 | 1.04 | 4.33 |
| 9 | District of Columbia profile | $69.32 | $144,190 | $100,010 | $196,640 | 330 | 0.47 | 1.97 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $67.71 | $140,840 | $85,780 | $209,850 | 1,580 | 0.37 | 1.54 |
| 11 | Illinois profile | $65.64 | $136,540 | $49,190 | $243,360 | 630 | 0.10 | 0.43 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | $65.46 | $136,160 | $90,760 | $246,160 | 90 | 0.14 | 0.57 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $65.31 | $135,850 | $83,920 | $174,740 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| 14 | Ohio profile | $65.15 | $135,510 | $44,920 | $173,510 | 280 | 0.05 | 0.21 |
| 15 | Hawaii profile | $64.59 | $134,350 | $90,960 | $165,690 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $64.57 | $134,310 | $85,940 | $190,400 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.22 |
| 17 | Colorado profile | $64.02 | $133,160 | $84,660 | $215,090 | 400 | 0.14 | 0.59 |
| 18 | Connecticut profile | $63.29 | $131,650 | $129,690 | $131,650 | ** | ** | ** |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $62.65 | $130,300 | $83,330 | $175,480 | 330 | 0.06 | 0.23 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $62.39 | $129,760 | $62,870 | $386,290 | 360 | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| 21 | North Carolina profile | $61.72 | $128,370 | $82,410 | $182,050 | 600 | 0.12 | 0.50 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | $61.45 | $127,820 | $73,630 | $200,010 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.33 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | $61.05 | $126,980 | $84,200 | $161,180 | 430 | 0.19 | 0.78 |
| 24 | Rhode Island profile | $58.40 | $121,470 | $91,230 | $170,680 | 500 | 1.01 | 4.20 |
| 25 | Texas profile | $58.27 | $121,210 | $65,480 | $204,250 | 1,960 | 0.14 | 0.58 |
| 26 | Florida profile | $57.60 | $119,810 | $73,780 | $194,840 | 1,070 | 0.11 | 0.45 |
| 27 | Alabama profile | $56.67 | $117,870 | $63,290 | $174,030 | 570 | 0.27 | 1.13 |
| 28 | Louisiana profile | $55.39 | $115,210 | $80,250 | $161,120 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.30 |
| 29 | Mississippi profile | $52.43 | $109,050 | $69,220 | $161,890 | 300 | 0.26 | 1.07 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $52.32 | $108,830 | $82,750 | $174,760 | ** | ** | ** |
| 31 | Utah profile | $45.53 | $94,700 | $72,990 | $169,890 | 1,250 | 0.72 | 3.00 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $44.76 | $93,100 | $71,930 | $136,340 | 590 | 0.35 | 1.44 |
| 33 | Georgia profile | $44.35 | $92,250 | $73,780 | $153,630 | 810 | 0.17 | 0.69 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $41.09 | $85,460 | $65,820 | $134,490 | 720 | 0.23 | 0.94 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $39.71 | $82,590 | $66,700 | $159,500 | 530 | 0.12 | 0.50 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.08 | 0.35 |
Part of Computer and Mathematical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 15-1221 Computer and Information Research Scientists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 15-1221, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 15-1221.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.