Computer and Information Research Scientists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for computer and information research scientistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Oregon$215,420
- New York$203,370
- Washington$194,360
- New Mexico$173,530
- Massachusetts$170,470
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $215,420 | $206,220 | $104 | +39.9% | 730 |
| 2 | New York | $203,370 | $181,990 | $98 | +32.1% | 1,950 |
| 3 | Washington | $194,360 | $202,400 | $93 | +26.3% | 2,050 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $173,530 | $165,690 | $83 | +12.7% | 490 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $170,470 | $170,510 | $82 | +10.7% | 1,760 |
| 6 | California | $168,580 | $159,100 | $81 | +9.5% | 8,440 |
| 7 | Virginia | $164,260 | $157,390 | $79 | +6.7% | 3,590 |
| 8 | Arizona | $152,580 | $129,760 | $73 | -0.9% | 360 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $151,040 | $136,160 | $73 | -1.9% | 90 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $148,690 | $144,190 | $71 | -3.4% | 330 |
| 11 | Maryland | $148,630 | $145,310 | $71 | -3.4% | 2,870 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $148,250 | $140,840 | $71 | -3.7% | 1,580 |
| 13 | Colorado | $146,790 | $133,160 | $71 | -4.6% | 400 |
| 14 | Illinois | $142,950 | $136,540 | $69 | -7.1% | 630 |
| 15 | Nevada | $142,800 | $134,310 | $69 | -7.2% | 80 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $137,690 | $135,850 | $66 | -10.6% | 30 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $136,080 | $128,370 | $65 | -11.6% | 600 |
| 18 | Missouri | $134,230 | $127,820 | $65 | -12.8% | 230 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $133,580 | $131,650 | $64 | -13.2% | — |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $131,430 | $130,300 | $63 | -14.6% | 330 |
| 21 | Texas | $130,400 | $121,210 | $63 | -15.3% | 1,960 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $129,070 | $134,350 | $62 | -16.2% | 70 |
| 23 | Florida | $128,620 | $119,810 | $62 | -16.4% | 1,070 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $127,470 | $121,470 | $61 | -17.2% | 500 |
| 25 | Ohio | $126,370 | $135,510 | $61 | -17.9% | 280 |
| 26 | Alabama | $124,970 | $117,870 | $60 | -18.8% | 570 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $122,950 | $126,980 | $59 | -20.1% | 430 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $117,930 | $115,210 | $57 | -23.4% | 140 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $116,810 | $108,830 | $56 | -24.1% | — |
| 30 | Mississippi | $112,880 | $109,050 | $54 | -26.7% | 300 |
| 31 | Utah | $109,430 | $94,700 | $53 | -28.9% | 1,250 |
| 32 | Michigan | $106,130 | $82,590 | $51 | -31.1% | 530 |
| 33 | Georgia | $105,860 | $92,250 | $51 | -31.2% | 810 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $99,480 | $93,100 | $48 | -35.4% | 590 |
| 35 | Indiana | $92,800 | $85,460 | $45 | -39.7% | 720 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 76 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $218,420 | $216,560 | 2,210 |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $211,270 | $203,260 | 1,620 |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $206,220 | $223,160 | 660 |
| 4 | Rochester, NY | $204,340 | $186,800 | 50 |
| 5 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $181,990 | $182,620 | 200 |
| 6 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $171,880 | $173,060 | 70 |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $171,440 | $175,510 | 1,670 |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $170,890 | $194,390 | 2,100 |
| 9 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $170,850 | $164,630 | 60 |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $170,510 | $171,100 | 1,620 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing computer and information research scientistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $222,230 | $235,950 | 1,330 |
| 2 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $222,230 | $235,950 | 1,330 |
| 3 | Sector 51 - Information | $214,370 | $213,150 | 3,940 |
| 4 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | $213,160 | $204,470 | 70 |
| 5 | Publishing Industries | $211,270 | $211,540 | 1,330 |
| 6 | Software Publishers | $211,270 | $212,430 | 1,300 |
| 7 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $207,870 | $209,580 | 30 |
| 8 | Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $206,220 | $212,800 | 220 |
| 9 | Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $206,220 | $212,800 | 220 |
| 10 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $204,510 | $234,270 | 690 |
| 11 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $196,770 | $201,970 | 600 |
| 12 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $196,770 | $201,970 | 600 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do computer and information research scientists make in the U.S.?
The median computer and information research scientists salary in the United States is $140,300 per year (mean $153,930), and about 80% earn between $82,200 and $230,630.
How much do computer and information research scientists make per hour?
Roughly $74 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $153,930 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays computer and information research scientists the most?
Oregon has the highest average pay for computer and information research scientists at $215,420 per year (median $206,220).
What is the job outlook for computer and information research scientists?
Employment is projected to change +19.7% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 3,200 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.