Computer and Information Research Scientist Salary
Computer and Information Research Scientists earn a median $140,300 a year nationally. Computer and Mathematical Occupations
U.S. median
$140,300
$67.45 per hour
Range
$82,200 – $230,630
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
37,200
across the U.S.
Computer and Information Research Scientist take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$107,161
per year · effective tax rate 23.6%
$8,930Monthly
$4,465Twice a month
$4,122Every 2 weeks
$51.52Hourly
- Federal income tax$22,406
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,699
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,034
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$107,161
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $82,200 | $39.52 | $66,658 |
| 25th percentile | $103,570 | $49.79 | $81,691 |
| Median (50th) | $140,300 | $67.45 | $107,161 |
| 75th percentile | $188,700 | $90.72 | $140,503 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $230,630 | $110.88 | $170,466 |
Best cities for computer and information research scientists (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $211,270 | $157,227 | $141,477 | 1,620 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $218,420 | $143,527 | $129,979 | 2,210 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $206,220 | $135,393 | $128,431 | 660 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $170,510 | $119,504 | $110,380 | 1,620 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $156,750 | $111,134 | $106,361 | 1,070 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $170,890 | $119,027 | $105,743 | 2,100 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $161,090 | $110,647 | $101,619 | 3,420 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $171,440 | $114,502 | $99,039 | 1,670 |
| 9 | Virginia Beach, VA | $132,870 | $95,257 | $97,259 | 460 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $135,630 | $97,400 | $94,020 | 490 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $155,960 | $105,562 | $92,953 | 940 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $123,390 | $91,344 | $89,753 | 510 |
| 13 | Bakersfield, CA | $116,650 | $82,758 | $82,031 | 490 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $93,100 | $70,682 | $78,181 | 560 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $121,530 | $85,674 | $76,572 | 1,680 |
| 16 | Ogden, UT | $96,740 | $73,499 | $73,244 | 810 |
| 17 | Warner Robins, GA | $89,500 | $67,771 | $72,259 | 650 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $218,420
- Seattle, WA — $211,270
- Portland, OR — $206,220
- San Francisco, CA — $171,440
- New York, NY — $170,890
- Boston, MA — $170,510
- Washington, DC — $161,090
- Baltimore, MD — $156,750
- Los Angeles, CA — $155,960
- Chicago, IL — $135,630
- Virginia Beach, VA — $132,870
- Providence, RI — $123,390
- San Diego, CA — $121,530
- Bakersfield, CA — $116,650
- Ogden, UT — $96,740
Computer and Information Research Scientist salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $206,220 | $135,393 | $117,570 – $239,200+ | 730 |
| Washington | $202,400 | $150,695 | $95,890 – $239,200+ | 2,050 |
| New York | $181,990 | $125,959 | $95,260 – $239,200+ | 1,950 |
| Massachusetts | $170,510 | $119,504 | $77,160 – $233,340 | 1,760 |
| New Mexico | $165,690 | $117,727 | $101,210 – $239,200+ | 490 |
| California | $159,100 | $107,376 | $88,920 – $239,200+ | 8,440 |
| Virginia | $157,390 | $110,606 | $96,300 – $230,630 | 3,590 |
| Maryland | $145,310 | $103,915 | $98,380 – $195,190 | 2,870 |
| District of Columbia | $144,190 | $100,532 | $100,010 – $196,640 | 330 |
| New Jersey | $140,840 | $100,749 | $85,780 – $209,850 | 1,580 |
| Illinois | $136,540 | $97,977 | $49,190 – $239,200+ | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $136,160 | $104,331 | $90,760 – $239,200+ | 90 |
| Minnesota | $135,850 | $96,288 | $83,920 – $174,740 | 30 |
| Ohio | $135,510 | $100,943 | $44,920 – $173,510 | 280 |
| Hawaii | $134,350 | $94,402 | $90,960 – $165,690 | 70 |
| Nevada | $134,310 | $103,067 | $85,940 – $190,400 | 80 |
| Colorado | $133,160 | $97,130 | $84,660 – $215,090 | 400 |
| Connecticut | $131,650 | $95,500 | $129,690 – $131,650 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $130,300 | $96,326 | $83,330 – $175,480 | 330 |
| Arizona | $129,760 | $96,922 | $62,870 – $239,200+ | 360 |
| North Carolina | $128,370 | $94,394 | $82,410 – $182,050 | 600 |
| Missouri | $127,820 | $93,561 | $73,630 – $200,010 | 230 |
| South Carolina | $126,980 | $91,595 | $84,200 – $161,180 | 430 |
| Rhode Island | $121,470 | $90,116 | $91,230 – $170,680 | 500 |
| Texas | $121,210 | $94,101 | $65,480 – $204,250 | 1,960 |
| Florida | $119,810 | $93,116 | $73,780 – $194,840 | 1,070 |
| Alabama | $117,870 | $86,123 | $63,290 – $174,030 | 570 |
| Louisiana | $115,210 | $86,810 | $80,250 – $161,120 | 140 |
| Mississippi | $109,050 | $81,917 | $69,220 – $161,890 | 300 |
| Tennessee | $108,830 | $85,392 | $82,750 – $174,760 | — |
| Utah | $94,700 | $72,156 | $72,990 – $169,890 | 1,250 |
| Oklahoma | $93,100 | $70,682 | $71,930 – $136,340 | 590 |
| Georgia | $92,250 | $69,563 | $73,780 – $153,630 | 810 |
| Indiana | $85,460 | $66,460 | $65,820 – $134,490 | 720 |
| Michigan | $82,590 | $63,673 | $66,700 – $159,500 | 530 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a computer and information research scientist make?
The national median salary for computer and information research scientists is $140,300 a year ($67.45 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,200 and the top 10% earn over $230,630. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays computer and information research scientists the most?
Oregon has the highest median pay at $206,220. After taxes and local prices, Seattle, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many computer and information research scientists are there in the U.S.?
About 37,200 people work as computer and information research scientists nationwide.