Computer Scientists

Median Salary: $101,600

Many computer scientists across the U.S. share a number of important professional characteristics. For example, independence, adaptability/flexibility, and dependability can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when blended with career training. Around 26,130 individuals were employed as computer scientists nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to develop these attributes and receive good training, particularly if you're ready to progress in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for computer scientists in the U.S. was $101,600 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $48.80. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about computer scientists, including wages and job density for metro areas all over the U.S..

Computer scientists should be skilled in:

  • Information Ordering
  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Speech Clarity
  • Originality

Different individuals go into different careers; computer scientists are typically:

  • Investigative
  • Conventional
  • Artistic

Working as a computer scientist requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Education and Training
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Administration and Management
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Clerical

Related Occupations

« Return to Career Information

Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals employed as computer scientists). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of computer scientists in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Huntsville 520 $101,000 $48.60 $115,200 $55.40 1163%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 150 $116,100 $55.80 $134,900 $64.90 -58.5%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Los Angeles (Area) 710 $122,900 $59.10 $144,600 $69.50 -49%
Oakland 100 $98,100 $47.20 $166,400+ $80.00+ -52%
Oxnard 190 $110,500 $53.10 $126,500 $60.80 222.5%
Sacramento 40 $125,800 $60.50 $146,800 $70.60 -77%
San Diego 760 $106,000 $50.90 $113,300 $54.50 196%
San Francisco (Area) 900 $106,900 $51.40 $166,400+ $80.00+ 127%
San Francisco (City) 800 $115,600 $55.60 $135,700 $65.20 306.5%
San Jose 1,490 $133,600 $64.20 $153,200 $73.70 737%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boulder 130 $96,600 $46.40 $125,300 $60.20 312.5%
Colorado Springs 80 $111,500 $53.60 $129,100 $62.10 54.5%
Denver 140 $91,800 $44.20 $108,600 $52.20 -44.5%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Hartford 80 $96,900 $46.60 $139,400 $67.00 -32.5%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 3,750 $106,400 $51.20 $132,700 $63.80 558%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fort Walton Beach 110 $81,100 $39.00 $95,400 $45.90 592%
Miami (Area) 140 $88,200 $42.40 $101,300 $48.70 -56%
Orlando 140 $79,900 $38.40 $96,100 $46.20 -29%
Palm Bay NA $80,700 $38.80 $99,900 $48.00 NA
Tampa NA $104,900 $50.40 $120,600 $58.00 NA
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 450 $108,700 $52.30 $149,000 $71.70 -2%
Warner Robins 120 NA NA NA NA 926%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 50 $91,800 $44.10 $119,300 $57.30 -40%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) NA $91,600 $44.00 $109,600 $52.70 NA
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Indianapolis 70 $90,200 $43.40 $118,900 $57.20 -57%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 190 $79,600 $38.30 $85,300 $41.00 166%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 350 $95,000 $45.70 $121,700 $58.50 38.5%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) NA $116,600 $56.10 $140,800 $67.70 NA
Worcester 140 $98,100 $47.20 $112,600 $54.10 197%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Detroit (Area) 90 $93,500 $45.00 $113,300 $54.50 -56%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 210 $104,200 $50.10 $128,800 $61.90 -40%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Gulfport 150 $74,400 $35.80 $89,200 $42.90 636.5%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City NA $66,400 $31.90 $77,300 $37.20 NA
St. Louis 50 $79,000 $38.00 $96,400 $46.40 -81.5%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Omaha 40 $82,500 $39.70 $100,100 $48.10 -59%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Trenton NA $93,600 $45.00 $132,600 $63.80 NA
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 60 $84,600 $40.70 $103,700 $49.90 -20.5%
Las Cruces 60 $71,900 $34.60 $84,000 $40.40 369%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 160 $84,300 $40.50 $115,900 $55.70 83.5%
New York (Area) 1,250 $95,200 $45.80 $118,300 $56.90 20%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Durham 190 $82,700 $39.80 $121,100 $58.20 244%
Raleigh 120 $94,300 $45.30 $105,000 $50.50 17.5%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron NA $85,900 $41.30 $108,700 $52.30 NA
Cincinnati 140 $109,700 $52.70 $118,500 $57.00 -27%
Cleveland 220 $103,500 $49.80 $121,600 $58.50 11.5%
Columbus 190 $95,700 $46.00 $114,700 $55.10 5.5%
Dayton 140 $95,700 $46.00 $112,700 $54.20 85.5%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 90 $85,000 $40.90 $94,300 $45.30 -20%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eugene NA $118,700 $57.10 $128,700 $61.90 NA
Portland 70 $99,800 $48.00 $116,900 $56.20 -66%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Harrisburg 50 $97,000 $46.60 $112,500 $54.10 -25%
Philadelphia (Area) 500 $88,200 $42.40 $106,000 $51.00 20.5%
Pittsburgh 540 $67,300 $32.40 $85,600 $41.20 141%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 340 $104,000 $50.00 $113,400 $54.50 208%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 160 $80,600 $38.80 $95,900 $46.10 176.5%
Columbia NA $121,800 $58.50 $130,800 $62.90 NA
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Knoxville 130 $84,400 $40.60 $100,400 $48.30 105%
Memphis 30 $94,600 $45.50 $115,600 $55.60 -74.5%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin 510 $123,100 $59.20 $147,200 $70.80 229.5%
Dallas (Area) NA $104,000 $50.00 $124,200 $59.70 NA
Houston 290 $108,400 $52.10 $132,700 $63.80 -44%
San Antonio 340 $88,400 $42.50 $103,600 $49.80 100.5%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden 120 $80,200 $38.60 $90,500 $43.50 217%
Provo NA $145,400 $69.90 $166,400+ $80.00+ NA
Salt Lake City 90 $64,900 $31.20 $91,200 $43.90 -26%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Blacksburg 140 $73,500 $35.30 $92,400 $44.40 999.5%
Richmond 140 $75,900 $36.50 $90,100 $43.30 19.5%
Virginia Beach 350 $82,300 $39.60 $99,500 $47.80 137.5%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Seattle (Area) 1,270 $109,100 $52.50 $136,700 $65.70 353.5%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Milwaukee 60 NA NA NA NA -61%