Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

15-1111 Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
25,160 3.3 % $49.59 $103,160 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $27.31 $37.50 $48.59 $59.39 $72.91
Annual Wage (2) $56,800 $77,990 $101,080 $123,530 $151,660


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,380 0.31 $49.09 $102,110
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 5,780 0.39 $48.64 $101,170
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,170 0.50 $52.98 $110,200
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,530 0.09 $40.11 $83,420
Software Publishers 1,710 0.65 $56.87 $118,300

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers 1,710 0.65 $56.87 $118,300
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,170 0.50 $52.98 $110,200
Other Information Services 610 0.41 $59.85 $124,490
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 5,780 0.39 $48.64 $101,170
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,380 0.31 $49.09 $102,110

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Information Services 610 0.41 $59.85 $124,490
Wired Telecommunications Carriers (8) (8) $59.11 $122,960
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 260 0.11 $57.06 $118,690
Software Publishers 1,710 0.65 $56.87 $118,300
Management of Companies and Enterprises 170 0.01 $54.55 $113,470


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,590 0.40 2.03 $55.99 $116,460
Maryland 2,890 1.16 5.93 $50.66 $105,380
Virginia 2,600 0.73 3.74 $52.58 $109,360
Texas 1,680 0.16 0.83 $39.89 $82,980
Massachusetts 1,340 0.42 2.16 $55.10 $114,610




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 2,890 1.16 5.93 $50.66 $105,380
Rhode Island 370 0.82 4.16 $51.61 $107,350
Virginia 2,600 0.73 3.74 $52.58 $109,360
District of Columbia 360 0.56 2.83 $54.24 $112,810
Massachusetts 1,340 0.42 2.16 $55.10 $114,610




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vermont (8) (8) (8) $59.43 $123,620
California 5,590 0.40 2.03 $55.99 $116,460
New Hampshire 50 0.08 0.40 $55.87 $116,210
Massachusetts 1,340 0.42 2.16 $55.10 $114,610
District of Columbia 360 0.56 2.83 $54.24 $112,810





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 2,250 0.97 4.97 $56.03 $116,550
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,660 1.89 9.66 $65.12 $135,440
Baltimore-Towson, MD 1,280 1.03 5.24 $47.68 $99,180
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,190 0.71 3.62 $55.51 $115,460
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division 1,000 1.80 9.18 $50.96 $105,990
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 960 0.78 3.97 $44.66 $92,890
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 850 0.89 4.53 $55.73 $115,930
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 510 0.37 1.89 $54.72 $113,820
Pittsburgh, PA 500 0.45 2.28 $33.48 $69,640
Huntsville, AL 490 2.43 12.37 $50.87 $105,800




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Huntsville, AL 490 2.43 12.37 $50.87 $105,800
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,660 1.89 9.66 $65.12 $135,440
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division 1,000 1.80 9.18 $50.96 $105,990
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 210 1.55 7.92 $52.51 $109,230
Baltimore-Towson, MD 1,280 1.03 5.24 $47.68 $99,180
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 270 1.03 5.27 $47.32 $98,420
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 2,250 0.97 4.97 $56.03 $116,550
Utica-Rome, NY 120 0.94 4.78 $43.91 $91,330
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 850 0.89 4.53 $55.73 $115,930
Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC 230 0.79 4.03 $39.61 $82,400




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA (8) (8) (8) $76.01 $158,090
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 220 0.23 1.16 $68.90 $143,310
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,660 1.89 9.66 $65.12 $135,440
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division (8) (8) (8) $60.14 $125,090
Burlington-South Burlington, VT (8) (8) (8) $58.85 $122,400
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 480 0.13 0.64 $57.49 $119,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 2,250 0.97 4.97 $56.03 $116,550
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 850 0.89 4.53 $55.73 $115,930
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,190 0.71 3.62 $55.51 $115,460
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division (8) (8) (8) $54.74 $113,860

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 600 12.71 64.79 $50.36 $104,740
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 220 5.26 26.83 $51.47 $107,060

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 600 12.71 64.79 $50.36 $104,740
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 220 5.26 26.83 $51.47 $107,060

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 220 5.26 26.83 $51.47 $107,060
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 600 12.71 64.79 $50.36 $104,740


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012