How much does a Computer Scientist make?

Updated Sep 15, 2022

Experience

Industry

$116,590 / yrTotal Pay
$94,344 / yrBase Pay
$22,246 / yrAdditional Pay

$116,590

 / yr
$68K$202K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range

The estimated total pay for a Computer Scientist is $116,590 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $94,344 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $22,246 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate does $116,590 look to you?

Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

Top Paying Companies

For a Computer Scientist in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Computer Scientist in United States. Employers include Google, Adobe and Apple.

1
Google
Google
$290,852/yr
2K open jobs
2
Adobe
$266,037/yr
3
Apple
$247,193/yr
7
DONE by NONE
$181,355/yr
9
IBM
$168,077/yr
See pay for all companies for a Computer Scientist in United StatesView data as table

What are total pay estimates for a Computer Scientist at different companies?

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Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
Adobe
4.4
Computer ScientistSee 228 salaries from all locations

$266,037

 / yr

$164,676

 / yr

$131,760

 / yr

$169,448

 / yr

$122,044

 / yr

$118,542

 / yr

$112,447

 / yr

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$112,127

 / yr

$113,110

 / yr

$115,793

 / yr

$120,548

 / yr

$91,973

 / yr

$116,731

 / yr

$107,771

 / yr

$114,486

 / yr

$133,268

 / yr

$146,129

 / yr

$119,945

 / yr

$117,070

 / yr

$126,482

 / yr
Download as data table
Viewing 1 - 20 of 500

Top Paying Industries

For a Computer Scientist in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Computer Scientist in United States are Information Technology with a median total pay of $216,742, Manufacturing with a median total pay of $150,658, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $143,903, Management & Consulting with a median total pay of $131,670, and Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $125,198.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$216,742

    40% Higher than other industries

  • ManufacturingManufacturing$150,658

    13% Higher than other industries

  • Energy, Mining & UtilitiesEnergy, Mining & Utilities$143,903

    9% Higher than other industries

  • Management & ConsultingManagement & Consulting$131,670

    1% Higher than other industries

  • Aerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense$125,198

    4% Lower than other industries

Information Technology

Top paying companies in Information Technology for Computer Scientist are Google, Adobe, and Apple.

GoogleGoogle$290,852/yr
AdobeAdobe$266,037/yr
AppleApple$247,193/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Research & Science?

Research and science jobs offer pay well above the national average. Increased demand for STEM workers is increasing salaries in research and science. Jobs in these fields, however, often require higher education at the graduate level and/or specialized training. While domain-specific expertise gives workers in these fields access to very specialized jobs, there are also many employers who hire STEM workers for their general data and technology skills.

Recent Salaries Shared

For computer scientist

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Computer Scientist (1550)

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$129,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

4-6 years
2 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$82,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

4-6 years
2 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$113,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

4-6 years
2 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$59,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$199,000

/yr

$155K | $44K

Submitted 2 days ago

4-6 years
2 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | <1 year

$72,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

<1 year
2 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$82,800

/yr

$82K | $800

Submitted 3 days ago

4-6 years
3 days ago
Computer Scientist

United States of America

 | 15+ years

$183,500

/yr

Submitted 3 days ago

15+ years
3 days ago

Computer Scientist pay FAQ

The national average salary for a Computer Scientist is $94,344 per year in United States. Filter by location to see a Computer Scientist salaries in your area. Salaries estimates are based on 1696 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Computer Scientist employees.

The highest salary for a Computer Scientist in United States is $160,847 per year.

The lowest salary for a Computer Scientist in United States is $55,337 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Computer Scientist or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Computer Scientist.

Roughly 73% of computer scientists are happy with their income. Additional earnings of around $22,246.06 can significantly boost a computer scientist's salary, and obtaining a Master's degree and additional certifications can also increase your earning potential.

Join thousands of real professionals anonymously talking about salaries in their industry

Various factors can impact your salary as a computer scientist, including your qualifications, experience level, and seniority. Check out typical computer scientist career paths to find out how much you can expect to make as you progress. Most people earn between {{TOTAL_PAY_LOW}} and {{TOTAL_PAY_HIGH}}, rising to between $68,239.53 and $201,556.87 when you add performance-related bonuses, profit sharing and other employee benefits.

Learn more about negotiating salaries from thousands of other real professionals

A master's degree in computer science isn't mandatory, but it can increase how much you can earn as a computer scientist. A postgraduate qualification demonstrates a detailed understanding of in-demand subjects, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and information systems.

Highly-paid computer scientist jobs require advanced technical expertise, so employers often favor candidates with proven credentials. For example, vendor-specific certifications from Microsoft or Cisco can expand your employment opportunities and earning power. Cybersecurity skills are also highly desirable. Therefore, it's worth considering completing a qualification in this area, such as the CompTIA Security + certification.

If you've found a computer scientist job you love, but the compensation package is less than generous, negotiating with the employer can help you secure an appropriate salary for your skills and experience. Highlighting any role-specific skills can be helpful, but giving examples of how your skills have benefited your employers in the past is more persuasive.

So, instead of simply pointing out your advanced cybersecurity knowledge, you could provide statistical evidence of a reduction in security breaches or accuracy percentages for security weakness testing. If you're in a leadership position, highlighting factors such as employee retention rates can also help convince your employer to make you a better offer.