Computer and Information Research Scientists
Information TechnologyO*NET 15-1221.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $140,296
- Projected change
- +20%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 42.27K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
36.2% of the workforce
Growing to 50.73K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What computer and information research scientists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Design computers and the software that runs them.
- Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
- Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues.
- Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to determine computing needs and system requirements.
- Participate in multidisciplinary projects in areas such as virtual reality, human-computer interaction, or robotics.
- Develop and interpret organizational goals, policies, and procedures.
- Develop performance standards, and evaluate work in light of established standards.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $82,202
- 25th percentile
- $103,563
- 50th percentile
- $140,296
- 75th percentile
- $188,698
- 90th percentile
- $230,630
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $140,296 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+20%much faster than average
202542,265 jobs
2035 projected50,732 jobs
8,467 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 36.2%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 32.9%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 22.5%
- Some college
- 8.4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Machine Learning Engineers11,471 postings
- 02Artificial Intelligence Engineers5,845 postings
- 03Site Reliability Engineers5,439 postings
- 04Data Scientists4,155 postings
- 05Artificial Intelligence Architects1,836 postings
- 06Machine Learning Data Scientists1,161 postings
- 07Data Engineers991 postings
- 08Principal Engineers950 postings
- 09Software Engineers915 postings
- 10Machine Learning Software Engineers752 postings
- 11Forward Deployed Engineers751 postings
- 12Infrastructure Engineers616 postings
- 13Principal Data Scientists614 postings
- 14Engineers571 postings
- 15Distinguished Engineers562 postings
- 16Directors of AI Engineering528 postings
- 17Machine Learning Scientists493 postings
- 18Machine Learning Operations Engineers486 postings
- 19Lead Site Reliability Engineers473 postings
- 20Lead Machine Learning Engineers432 postings
Top employers
- 01Apple2,535 postings
- 02Capital One2,040 postings
- 03Google1,740 postings
- 04General Motors1,553 postings
- 05Amazon1,321 postings
- 06Accenture969 postings
- 07JPMorgan Chase761 postings
- 08Insight Global508 postings
- 09Lumen Technologies507 postings
- 10Cisco440 postings
- 11Meta438 postings
- 12Akamai Technologies413 postings
- 13Ford401 postings
- 14Coinbase Global400 postings
- 15Teradata Operations399 postings
- 16Deloitte395 postings
- 17CVS Health389 postings
- 18Cognizant Technology Solutions385 postings
- 19GE Aerospace372 postings
- 20Datavant365 postings
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