What are the main factors that influence a Computer Scientist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Computer Scientist's salary?

A Computer Scientist's salary grows with experience: starting around $104,076 for beginners, reaching about $105,699 at mid-level, and approach $109,708 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Computer Scientist?

Computer Scientist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Computer Scientist roles are District of Columbia $117,030, California $116,586, Massachusetts $115,032. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Computer Scientist roles make?

Salaries for Computer Scientist level roles vary by specialization: Chief Data Scientist: $453,733; AI Research Scientist VI: $220,106; AI Research Scientist V: $199,038; Senior Computer Scientist: $157,851; AI Research Scientist IV: $156,208.

How do different companies affect a Computer Scientist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Computer Scientist roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Computer Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does a Computer Scientist make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Computer Scientist in the United States is $105,699 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $51.

However, a Computer Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $131,400
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $94,013 to $119,152
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $83,373

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Computer Scientist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$119,152	$9,929	$2,291	$57
Average	$105,699	$8,808	$2,033	$51
25th Percentile	$94,013	$7,834	$1,808	$45

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Key Factors That Influence Computer Scientist Salaries

A Computer Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Computer Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Computer Scientist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $104,076
Early Career (1-2 years): $104,563
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $105,699
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $106,998
Expert (over 8 years): $109,708

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Computer Scientist	$104,076
Intermediate Level Computer Scientist	$104,563
Senior Level Computer Scientist	$105,699
Specialist Level Computer Scientist	$106,998
Expert Level Computer Scientist	$109,708

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Computer Scientist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Computer Scientists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $117,030.
California: $116,586.
Massachusetts: $115,032.

District of Columbia $117,030 California $116,586 Massachusetts $115,032 Washington $114,609 New Jersey $114,567 Alaska $114,419 Connecticut $112,961 New York $112,369

Hawaii $110,477 Rhode Island $109,589 Maryland $108,986 Minnesota $108,162 Colorado $107,845 Illinois $107,739 Oregon $107,337 Delaware $107,041

New Hampshire $106,855 Virginia $106,439 Pennsylvania $105,223 Nevada $104,610 North Dakota $104,409 Michigan $104,092 Wisconsin $103,976 Vermont $103,744

Texas $103,099 Maine $103,057 Arizona $102,993 Ohio $102,919 Georgia $101,947 Indiana $101,460 Wyoming $101,365 Utah $101,217

Iowa $101,154 Kansas $100,647 Louisiana $100,499 North Carolina $100,446 Missouri $100,425 Florida $100,012 Montana $99,790 Nebraska $99,579

Kentucky $99,463 South Carolina $99,040 Tennessee $98,776 Idaho $98,670 New Mexico $97,898 Oklahoma $97,729 Alabama $97,106 South Dakota $96,059

Arkansas $95,488 West Virginia $95,182 Mississippi $94,262

Top Paying Cities for Computer Scientists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $133,318
San Francisco: $131,858
Oakland: $129,080

San Jose, CA $133,318

San Francisco, CA $131,858

Oakland, CA $129,080

New York, NY $121,701

Paramus, NJ $120,221

Queens Village, NY $120,216

Passaic, NJ $120,115

Bergenfield, NJ $120,106

Stamford, CT $119,873

Huntington, NY $119,830

Newark, NJ $119,049

Bridgeport, CT $118,826

Vallejo, CA $118,615

New Brunswick, NJ $118,573

Petaluma, CA $118,510

Middlesex, NJ $118,309

Somerset, NJ $118,235

Santa Cruz, CA $118,097

Boston, MA $117,453

Monterey, CA $117,082

Seattle, WA $116,840

Santa Rosa, CA $116,819

Los Angeles, CA $116,787

Juneau, AK $116,512

Washington, DC $116,396

Orange, CA $116,019

Santa Ana, CA $115,740

Long Beach, CA $115,635

Anaheim, CA $115,614

Anchorage, AK $115,561

Santa Maria, CA $115,244

Everett, WA $115,222

Danbury, CT $114,850

Bremerton, WA $114,705

Tacoma, WA $114,324

New Suffolk, NY $114,322

Sacramento, CA $114,292

Santa Barbara, CA $114,176

Trenton, NJ $114,060

San Diego, CA $114,060

Brockton, MA $113,944

Fairbanks, AK $113,685

Lompoc, CA $113,415

Lowell, MA $113,329

Ventura, CA $113,309

Nashua, NH $113,288

Stockton, CA $113,278

Modesto, CA $112,506

Poughkeepsie, NY $112,273

Olympia, WA $112,073

Kennewick, WA $112,073

New Haven, CT $112,030

Lawrence, MA $111,650

Hartford, CT $111,544

Riverside, CA $111,523

New Bedford, MA $111,417

Richland, WA $111,417

Bakersfield, CA $111,269

San Bernardino, CA $111,227

New Britain, CT $111,216

Atlantic City, NJ $111,216

New London, CT $111,174

Norwich, CT $111,142

Portsmouth, NH $111,121

Boulder, CO $110,897

Portland, OR $110,751

Worcester, MA $110,741

Minneapolis, MN $110,413

Philadelphia, PA $110,265

Honolulu, HI $109,916

Saint Paul, MN $109,866

Vineland, NJ $109,842

Providence, RI $109,536

Chicago, IL $109,229

Bellingham, WA $109,103

Springfield, MA $109,018

Baltimore, MD $108,986

Chico, CA $108,722

Pittsfield, MA $108,437

Manchester, NH $108,236

Spokane, WA $107,771

Denver, CO $107,760

Albany, NY $107,263

Troy, NY $107,221

Nassau, NY $107,108

Schenectady, NY $106,999

Wilmington, DE $106,915

Burlington, VT $106,767

Salem, OR $106,724

Portland, ME $106,397

Yakima, WA $106,291

Rochester, MN $105,963

Reno, NV $105,910

Fresno, CA $105,910

Milwaukee, WI $105,815

Detroit, MI $105,710

Ann Arbor, MI $105,692

Allentown, PA $105,678

Colorado Springs, CO $105,498

Syracuse, NY $105,445

Carson City, NV $105,445

Houston, TX $105,297

Eugene, OR $105,244

Gary, IN $105,118

Springfield, OR $105,033

Bismarck, ND $105,012

Galveston, TX $104,938

Medford, OR $104,779

Fort Collins, CO $104,737

Concord, NH $104,684

Austin, TX $104,653

Mesa, AZ $104,431

Reading, PA $104,420

Phoenix, AZ $104,409

Dallas, TX $104,378

Saint Cloud, MN $104,276

Madison, WI $104,135

Utica, NY $103,849

Rochester, NY $103,680

Des Moines, IA $103,670

Raleigh, NC $103,659

Atlanta, GA $103,500

Battle Creek, MI $103,469

Salt Lake City, UT $103,437

Lancaster, PA $103,278

Harrisburg, PA $103,131

Kansas City, MO $103,025

Champaign, IL $103,004

Kansas City, KS $103,004

Fort Worth, TX $102,993

Columbus, OH $102,975

Boca Raton, FL $102,951

Pittsburgh, PA $102,909

Richmond, VA $102,866

Indianapolis, IN $102,845

Cleveland, OH $102,835

Las Vegas, NV $102,708

Cincinnati, OH $102,708

Petersburg, VA $102,549

Huntsville, AL $102,391

Lansing, MI $102,320

Lebanon, PA $102,306

Pueblo, CO $102,295

Appleton, WI $102,264

Buffalo, NY $102,222

Dayton, OH $102,190

Racine, WI $102,169

Charlotte, NC $102,158

Saint Louis, MO $102,126

York, PA $102,063

Elkhart, IN $102,063

Gastonia, NC $102,043

Billings, MT $102,018

Beaumont, TX $101,989

Lorain, OH $101,968

Benton Harbor, MI $101,947

Toledo, OH $101,926

Binghamton, NY $101,873

Rock Hill, SC $101,862

Rockford, IL $101,809

Springfield, IL $101,767

Elyria, OH $101,756

Fargo, ND $101,756

Flagstaff, AZ $101,682

Fort Lauderdale, FL $101,619

Duluth, MN $101,556

Miami, FL $101,556

Cheyenne, WY $101,482

Grand Forks, ND $101,482

Bangor, ME $101,249

Cedar Rapids, IA $101,133

Durham, NC $101,088

Louisville, KY $101,080

Grand Rapids, MI $101,059

Hialeah, FL $101,048

Casper, WY $100,900

Scranton, PA $100,773

New Orleans, LA $100,742

Virginia Beach, VA $100,731

Akron, OH $100,678

Peoria, IL $100,541

Sarasota, FL $100,520

Nashville, TN $100,446

Omaha, NE $100,446

Green Bay, WI $100,446

Baton Rouge, LA $100,393

Charleston, SC $100,372

Jamestown, NY $100,319

Davenport, IA $100,319

Tucson, AZ $100,266

Saint Petersburg, FL $100,203

Tampa, FL $100,182

Evansville, IN $100,118

Port Arthur, TX $100,118

Bradenton, FL $100,076

Santa Fe, NM $99,886

Orlando, FL $99,695

Clearwater, FL $99,664

Canton, OH $99,442

La Crosse, WI $99,442

Albuquerque, NM $99,378

Newport News, VA $99,368

High Point, NC $99,336

Ogden, UT $99,294

Corpus Christi, TX $99,209

Norfolk, VA $99,146

Laramie, WY $99,146

Rock Island, IL $99,082

Saginaw, MI $99,061

Jacksonville, FL $99,051

Salisbury, NC $99,029

Boise, ID $99,008

Moline, IL $98,955

Fort Myers, FL $98,924

Memphis, TN $98,903

Tulsa, OK $98,850

Waterloo, IA $98,786

Spartanburg, SC $98,681

Lincoln, NE $98,628

Fort Wayne, IN $98,607

Provo, UT $98,596

Cedar Falls, IA $98,469

San Antonio, TX $98,427

Greensboro, NC $98,385

South Bend, IN $98,374

Savannah, GA $98,258

Muskegon, MI $98,216

Birmingham, AL $98,205

Winston Salem, NC $98,153

Lake Charles, LA $97,898

Anderson, IN $97,877

Lexington, KY $97,846

Augusta, GA $97,814

Greenville, SC $97,814

Lima, OH $97,729

Wichita, KS $97,719

Tuscaloosa, AL $97,719

Columbia, SC $97,624

Springfield, OH $97,602

Asheville, NC $97,433

Bloomington, IN $97,359

Knoxville, TN $96,979

Shreveport, LA $96,968

Wilmington, NC $96,831

Roanoke, VA $96,831

Topeka, KS $96,641

Frankfort, KY $96,629

Oklahoma City, OK $96,556

Chillicothe, OH $96,514

Longview, TX $96,503

Melbourne, FL $96,493

Sioux Falls, SD $96,323

Mobile, AL $96,313

Terre Haute, IN $96,271

Altoona, PA $96,207

Amarillo, TX $96,133

Killeen, TX $96,102

Fayetteville, AR $96,017

Chattanooga, TN $95,985

Sioux City, IA $95,890

Idaho Falls, ID $95,869

Lynchburg, VA $95,784

Gainesville, FL $95,647

Portsmouth, OH $95,594

Little Rock, AR $95,573

Lafayette, LA $95,531

Youngstown, OH $95,531

Daytona Beach, FL $95,467

Clarksville, TN $95,457

Pensacola, FL $95,446

Temple, TX $95,439

Hopkinsville, KY $95,129

Erie, PA $95,108

Florence, SC $95,066

Charleston, WV $94,897

Great Falls, MT $94,844

Macon, GA $94,696

Tallahassee, FL $94,685

Fayetteville, NC $94,664

Waco, TX $94,643

Helena, MT $94,569

Pine Bluff, AR $94,529

Vincennes, IN $94,400

Lubbock, TX $94,357

Alamogordo, NM $94,294

Twin Falls, ID $94,199

Rapid City, SD $94,167

Jackson, MS $93,977

Huntington, WV $93,970

Greenville, MS $93,966

Parkersburg, WV $93,859

Montgomery, AL $93,840

Wichita Falls, TX $93,734

Springfield, MO $93,734

Biloxi, MS $93,681

Monroe, LA $93,575

Johnstown, PA $93,501

Sumter, SC $93,459

Columbus, GA $93,448

Pascagoula, MS $93,248

Abilene, TX $93,248

Kingsport, TN $92,973

Albany, GA $92,973

Gulfport, MS $92,941

Alexandria, LA $92,592

Fort Smith, AR $92,328

El Paso, TX $92,043

Las Cruces, NM $91,567

Harlingen, TX $91,299

Pocatello, ID $91,282

Florence, AL $91,144

Brownsville, TX $91,123

Mcallen, TX $90,901

Dothan, AL $90,753

Columbus, MS $90,125

Altus, OK $89,633

Lawton, OK $89,432

Pierre, SD $89,051

What Skills Can Increase a Computer Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 8.96% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.19% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Photoshop (Mentioned in 1.28% Job Postings): Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is used to demonstrate knowledge of image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	8.96%
Microsoft Office	2.19%
Photoshop	1.28%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Computer Scientist's salary.

Storytelling: Can increase your salary by up to 29%.
Publishing: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Storytelling	$136,352	29%
Publishing	$126,839	20%
Innovation	$123,668	17%
Merchandising	$123,668	17%
Influencing	$120,497	14%
Partnering	$119,440	13%

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How Education impacts a Computer Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Computer Scientists enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Computer Scientist with a Associate's Degree is between $114,288 and $126,041).

Computer Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Computer Scientist

No Diploma 7.4%

High School 7.4%

Associates 12.0%

Bachelors 63.0%

Masters 17.6%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	7.4%
High School	7.4%
Associates	12.0%
Bachelors	63.0%
Masters	17.6%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Computer Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Computer Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on June 01, 2026

$94,013

Average $105,699/year

$119,152

$7,834

Average $8,808/month

$9,929

$1,808

Average $2,033/week

$2,291

$45

Average $51/hour

$57

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$119,152	$9,929	$2,291	$57
Average	$105,699	$8,808	$2,033	$51
25th Percentile	$94,013	$7,834	$1,808	$45

Salaries of jobs related to Computer Scientist

Salary Trends for Computer Scientist

Salaries for a Computer Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $117,489 in 2023 to around $118,128 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Computer Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Computer Scientist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$117,489

2024

$119,267

2025

$118,128

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$117,489
2024	$119,267
2025	$118,128
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Computer Scientist

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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