# Computer and Information Research Scientists

SOC 15-1221. Page: https://educationguide.com/careers/computer-and-information-research-scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

## Pay and outlook
- U.S. median wage $140,300 (middle half $103,570–$188,700; BLS May 2025)
- Ages 25-34: median $101,525; 96% hold a bachelor's or higher (Census ACS 2020-2024)
- Jobs 2025-35: 21.8%; ~2.9k openings a year; typical entry: Master's degree

## Fields of degree of young workers (ages 25-34, bachelor's+)
- Computer Science: 39% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/computer-science)
- Electrical Engineering: 5% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/electrical-engineering)
- Psychology: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/psychology)
- Biology: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/biology)
- Physics: 3% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/physics)
- Computer Engineering: 3% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/computer-engineering)
- Mathematics: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/mathematics)
- Chemical Engineering: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/chemical-engineering)
- Mechanical Engineering: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/mechanical-engineering)
- Mass Media: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/broadcasting-digital-media)

## Median wage by state
- AL: $117,870
- AZ: $129,760
- CA: $159,100
- CO: $133,160
- CT: $131,650
- DC: $144,190
- FL: $119,810
- GA: $92,250
- HI: $134,350
- IL: $136,540
- IN: $85,460
- LA: $115,210
- MA: $170,510
- MD: $145,310
- MI: $82,590
- MN: $135,850
- MO: $127,820
- MS: $109,050
- NC: $128,370
- NH: $136,160
- NJ: $140,840
- NM: $165,690
- NV: $134,310
- NY: $181,990
- OH: $135,510
- OK: $93,100
- OR: $206,220
- PA: $130,300
- RI: $121,470
- SC: $126,980
- TN: $108,830
- TX: $121,210
- UT: $94,700
- VA: $157,390
- WA: $202,400

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#careers

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0). O*NET data: CC BY 4.0, O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA).