How much does a computer scientist make?
Answer: A typical computer scientist in the United States makes $140,300 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 37,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Computer scientist pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $82,200 | $140,300 | $230,630 | about 37,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $206,220 | about 730 |
| Washington | $202,400 | about 2,000 |
| New York | $181,990 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $170,510 | about 2,000 |
| California | $159,100 | about 8,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience and in-demand specialties such as machine learning, as well as the employer or industry and location. Most jobs are full-time, and professional certificates are rarely requested for these research roles.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a computer scientist do?
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.
What's a typical day like?
They explore a computing problem, design algorithms, and run experiments on software to see what works. Then they analyze the results, talk with scientists or engineers, and write papers or present what they learned.
How to get this job
In the U.S., finish high school, earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, then usually complete a master’s; the master’s often takes 2–3 more years. Some federal jobs may accept a bachelor’s degree.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like figuring things out and keeping things organized.
Did you know?
Some computer scientists create programs that control robots.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Sources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-and-information-res
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1221.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/May/oes151221.htm
- cacm.acm.org/research/the-role-of-professional-certifications-in-computer-occupa
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY