Computer and Information Research Scientists Salary in Washington
SOC 15-1221 · Washington · BLS OEWS May 2025
Median Annual Salary
$202,405
$97.31/hr
44.3% higher than the US national median ($140,296)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Is this a competitive Computer and Information Research Scientists salary in Washington in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS August 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$96K
P25$132K
P50$202K
P75$234K
P90$281K
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Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- tech openings are at 4.3% (JOLTS, August 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.
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Merit budget: Wages in information & tech are rising about 2.9% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.5-3.0% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $202,405 to $234,146 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Computer and Information Research Scientists pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Pay trend
Median pay for this role fell 0.4% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 2.9% wage growth of the Information sector (BLS ECI).
Hiring demand · STABLE
the Information sector is running a 4.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.1% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 2.5% to 4.3% over the past quarter.
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 2.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.
What changed recently
Sep 29, 2026JOLTS August 2026: sector openings jumped to 4.3% (up 45K; July revised down to 2.8%), but hires fell to a 1.6% rate, the lowest of any major private sector. Quits 1.1%. Postings are up; hiring is not.
Sep 1, 2026JOLTS July 2026: sector openings edged up to 3.3%, still the lowest of any major sector. Quits held at 1.0%. Employers keep hiring leverage.
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings rebounded to 3.1% (up 0.6pp) but remain the lowest of any major sector. Employers keep hiring leverage.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS August 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Washington is $202,405 per year ($97.31/hr). This is 44.3% higher than the national median of $140,296.
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.
Wage Percentiles: Washington
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$46.10
$95,888
+16.6%
P25
$63.58
$132,246
+27.7%
P50MEDIAN
$97.31
$202,405
+44.3%
P75
$112.57
$234,146
+24.1%
P90Top earners
$135.12
$281,050
+21.9%
How Washington compares for Computer and Information Research Scientists
Computed from this state's own BLS distribution against national
Pay for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Washington sits above the national range at every level: +16.6% at entry, +44.3% at the median and +21.9% at the top.
An offer at the national median of $140,296 would sit at about the 28th percentile in Washington.
The top of the range earns 2.93 times the bottom here, close to the 2.81 times seen nationally.
Washington employs 2,050 people in this role, 5.5% of the national total.
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Computer and Information Research Scientists
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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 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
11K
$124,870
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
NAICS 541500
6K
$162,760
Wage range across top 5 industries: $124,870 to $162,760 (30% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median computer and information research scientists salary in Washington?
The median (P50) annual salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Washington is approximately $202,405, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 44.3% higher than the national median of $140,296. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 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.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
