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Computer and Information Research Scientists

Summary

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Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlZucw7_qWU.
Quick Facts: Computer and Information Research Scientists
2022 Median Pay $136,620 per year
$65.69 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Master's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2022 36,500
Job Outlook, 2022-32 23% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2022-32 8,300

What Computer and Information Research Scientists Do

Computer and information research scientists design innovative uses for new and existing computing technology.

Work Environment

Most computer and information research scientists work full time.

How to Become a Computer and Information Research Scientist

Computer and information research scientists typically need at least a master’s degree in computer science or a related field. In the federal government, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient for some jobs.

Pay

The median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $136,620 in May 2022.

Job Outlook

Employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 23 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 3,400 openings for computer and information research scientists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for computer and information research scientists.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of computer and information research scientists with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about computer and information research scientists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Computer and Information Research Scientists Do About this section

Computer and information research scientists
Some computer scientists create programs to control robots.

Computer and information research scientists design innovative uses for new and existing technology. They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, science, medicine, and other fields.

Duties

Computer and information research scientists typically do the following:

  • Explore problems in computing and develop theories and models to address those problems
  • Collaborate with scientists and engineers to solve complex computing problems
  • Determine computing needs and system requirements
  • Develop new computing languages, software systems, and other tools to improve how people work with computers
  • Design and conduct experiments to test the operation of software systems, frequently using techniques from data science and machine learning
  • Analyze the results of their experiments
  • Write papers for publication and present research findings at conferences

Computer and information research scientists create and improve computer software and hardware.

To create and improve software, computer and information research scientists work with algorithms: sets of instructions that tell a computer what to do. Some difficult computing tasks require complex algorithms, which these scientists simplify to make computer systems as efficient as possible. These simplified algorithms may lead to advancements in many types of technology, such as machine learning systems and cloud computing.

To improve computer hardware, these scientists design computer architecture. Their work may result in increased efficiencies, such as better networking technology, faster computing speeds, and improved information security.

The following are examples of specialties for computer and information research scientists:

Programming. Some computer and information research scientists study and design new programming languages that are used to write software. New languages make software writing efficient by improving an existing language, such as Java, or by simplifying a specific aspect of programming, such as image processing.

Robotics. These scientists study the development and application of robots. They explore how a machine can interact with the physical world. For example, they may create systems that control the robots or design robots to have features such as information processing or sensory feedback.

Some computer and information research scientists work on multidisciplinary projects with electrical engineers, computer hardware engineers, and other specialists. For example, robotics specialists and engineers who design robots’ hardware may team up to test whether the robots complete tasks as intended.

Work Environment About this section

Computer and information research scientists
Computer and information research scientists improve ways to sort, manage, and display data.

Computer and information research scientists held about 36,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of computer and information research scientists were as follows:

Federal government, excluding postal service 28%
Computer systems design and related services 28
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 17
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private 5
Software publishers 3

Some scientists collaborate with engineers or other specialists or research scientists in different locations and do much of their work online.

Work Schedules

Most computer and information research scientists work full time.

How to Become a Computer and Information Research Scientist About this section

computer and information research scientists image
Some computer scientists specialize in computer languages.

Computer and information research scientists typically need at least a master’s degree in computer science or a related field. In the federal government, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient for some jobs.

Education

Computer and information research scientists typically need a master’s or higher degree in computer science or a related field, such as computer engineering. A master’s degree usually requires 2 to 3 years of study after earning a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field, such as computer science or information systems. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a Ph.D. Others, such as the federal government, may hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology.

Computer and information research scientists who work in a specialized field may need knowledge of that field. For example, those working on biomedical applications may need to have studied biology.

Advancement

Some computer and information research scientists advance to become computer and information systems managers.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Computer and information research scientists must be organized in their thinking to evaluate the results of their research.

Communication skills. Computer and information research scientists must be able to clearly explain their research, including to a nontechnical audience. They write papers for publication and present their research at conferences.

Detail oriented. Computer and information research scientists must pay close attention to their work, such as when testing the systems they design. Small programming errors could affect an entire project.

Interpersonal skills. Computer and information research scientists must work effectively with programmers and managers. They also may be on teams with engineers or other specialists.

Logical thinking. Computer and information research scientists must use sound reasoning when working on algorithms.

Math skills. Computer and information research scientists need a solid grasp of advanced math and other technical subjects critical to computing.

Problem-solving skills. Computer and information research scientists must think creatively to find innovative solutions in their research.

Pay About this section

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Median annual wages, May 2022

Computer and information research scientists

$136,620

Computer occupations

$100,530

Total, all occupations

$46,310

 

The median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $136,620 in May 2022. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $78,190, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $232,010.

In May 2022, the median annual wages for computer and information research scientists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Software publishers $186,280
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 160,310
Computer systems design and related services 142,430
Federal government, excluding postal service 115,400
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private 84,440

Most computer and information research scientists work full time.

Job Outlook About this section

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Percent change in employment, projected 2022-32

Computer and information research scientists

23%

Computer occupations

14%

Total, all occupations

3%

 

Employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 23 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 3,400 openings for computer and information research scientists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

The research and development conducted by computer and information research scientists turn ideas into technology. As demand for new and better technology grows, demand for computer and information research scientists will grow as well.

Rapid growth in data collection by businesses will lead to an increased need for data-mining services. Computer and information research scientists will be needed to write algorithms that help businesses make sense of very large amounts of data.

A growing emphasis on cybersecurity also should lead to new jobs because computer and information research scientists will be needed to find innovative ways to prevent potential cyberattacks. In addition, an increase in demand for software may increase the need for computer and information research scientists who create new programming languages to make software writing more efficient.

Employment projections data for computer and information research scientists, 2022-32
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2022 Projected Employment, 2032 Change, 2022-32 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Computer and information research scientists

15-1221 36,500 44,800 23 8,300 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of computer and information research scientists.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2022 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Computer and information systems managers Computer and Information Systems Managers

Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization.

Bachelor's degree $164,070
Computer hardware engineers Computer Hardware Engineers

Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components.

Bachelor's degree $132,360
Computer programmers Computer Programmers

Computer programmers write, modify, and test code and scripts that allow computer software and applications to function properly.

Bachelor's degree $97,800
Database administrators Database Administrators and Architects

Database administrators and architects create or organize systems to store and secure data.

Bachelor's degree $112,120
data-scientists Data Scientists

Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data.

Bachelor's degree $103,500
Software developers Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers

Software developers design computer applications or programs. Software quality assurance analysts and testers identify problems with applications or programs and report defects.  

Bachelor's degree $124,200
computer network architects image Computer Network Architects

Computer network architects design and implement data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets.

Bachelor's degree $126,900
Computer systems analysts Computer Systems Analysts

Computer systems analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and design ways to improve efficiency.

Bachelor's degree $102,240
Information security analysts Information Security Analysts

Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems.

Bachelor's degree $112,000
Network and computer systems administrators Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Network and computer systems administrators install, configure, and maintain organizations’ computer networks and systems.

Bachelor's degree $90,520
Web developers Web Developers and Digital Designers

Web developers create and maintain websites. Digital designers develop, create, and test website or interface layout, functions, and navigation for usability.

Bachelor's degree $80,730
Top executives Top Executives

Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.

Bachelor's degree $100,090

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about computer and information research scientists, visit

Association for Computing Machinery

Computing Research Association

IEEE Computer Society

For information about opportunities for women pursuing information technology careers, visit

National Center for Women & Information Technology

To find job openings for computer and information research scientists in the federal government, visit 

USAJOBS

CareerOneStop

For a career video on computer and information research scientists, visit

Computer and Information Research Scientists

O*NET

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer and Information Research Scientists,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-and-information-research-scientists.htm (visited January 27, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2023

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2022 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2022, the median annual wage for all workers was $46,310.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2022

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2022, which is the base year of the 2022-32 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2022-32

The projected percent change in employment from 2022 to 2032. The average growth rate for all occupations is 3 percent.

Employment Change, 2022-32

The projected numeric change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2022-32

The projected numeric change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2022 to 2032.

2022 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2022, the median annual wage for all workers was $46,310.