Computer and Information Research Scientists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 15-1221 · National · May 2024 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$140,899
$67.74/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated Apr 3, 2025
Source: BLS OEWS · Published Apr 2, 2025
Next refresh: May 15, 2026
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The national median salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists is $140,899 per year ($67.74/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $102,710 and $181,210 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $232,128 per year. There are approximately 38,480 computer and information research scientists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+19.7%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
40K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
25% from new growth75% from people leaving the role
Mixed: openings come from both new growth and people exiting the role.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
11K
$123,340
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
8K
$152,980
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
NAICS 541500
5K
$166,620
Software Publishers
NAICS 513200
2K
$237,990
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
2K
$88,700
Wage range across top 5 industries: $88,700 to $237,990 (168% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$38.78
$80,662
P25
$49.38
$102,710
P50MEDIAN
$67.74
$140,899
P75
$87.12
$181,210
P90
$111.60
$232,128
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · tech sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
2.8%
Quits Rate
1.1%
Information sector openings held flat at 81K in March, but layoffs jumped to 66K (+13K, rate 2.4%) -- the highest layoff rate among major sectors. Quit rates dropped to 1.1%. Tech employers retain maximum leverage; cuts continue in pockets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average computer and information research scientists salary?
The national median salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists is $140,899 per year ($67.74/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $102,710 and $181,210 annually.
How much do top-earning computer and information research scientists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists is $232,128 per year ($111.60/hr). The 75th percentile is $181,210 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for computer and information research scientists?
Entry-level Computer and Information Research Scientists (10th percentile) earn approximately $80,662 per year ($38.78/hr). The 25th percentile is $102,710 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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