SOC 15-1221 · Computer and mathematical
Computer and Information Research Scientists prevailing wage by area
At Level II this ranges from $183,290 in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA down to $79,248 in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, a spread of $104,042 on the same job.
What this occupation covers
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.
Occupation definition from oes_soc_occs.csv, OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip.
Every area with a surveyed figure
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $143,832 | $183,290 | $222,768 | $262,226 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $141,336 | $178,755 | $216,195 | $253,614 |
| Rochester, NY | $146,474 | $166,546 | $186,597 | $206,669 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $123,302 | $163,072 | $202,862 | $242,632 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,515 | $150,738 | $193,960 | $237,182 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $85,925 | $140,379 | $194,854 | $249,309 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $110,926 | $138,258 | $165,610 | $192,941 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $100,422 | $137,779 | $175,136 | $212,493 |
| Richmond, VA | $107,952 | $134,222 | $160,514 | $186,784 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $102,107 | $134,014 | $165,901 | $197,808 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $111,322 | $133,307 | $155,293 | $177,278 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $118,810 | $131,206 | $143,582 | $155,979 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $95,597 | $129,334 | $163,072 | $196,810 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $93,870 | $126,630 | $159,390 | $192,150 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $109,782 | $124,405 | $139,027 | $153,650 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $101,608 | $119,683 | $137,758 | $155,834 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $101,317 | $119,621 | $137,925 | $156,229 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $92,040 | $118,144 | $144,248 | $170,352 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $85,072 | $118,123 | $151,174 | $184,226 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $79,914 | $111,987 | $144,082 | $176,155 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $79,206 | $110,032 | $140,878 | $171,704 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $75,608 | $109,387 | $143,146 | $176,925 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $88,858 | $107,952 | $127,026 | $146,120 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $83,762 | $107,806 | $131,872 | $155,917 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $82,451 | $107,744 | $133,058 | $158,350 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $85,010 | $106,850 | $128,690 | $150,530 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $94,453 | $102,606 | $110,781 | $118,934 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,659 | $100,818 | $118,997 | $137,155 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $75,733 | $99,923 | $124,134 | $148,325 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $65,187 | $95,264 | $125,320 | $155,397 |
| Cleveland, OH | $62,504 | $91,125 | $119,766 | $148,387 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $70,179 | $88,962 | $107,744 | $126,526 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $64,771 | $79,248 | $93,725 | $108,202 |
33 areas, all surveyed for that metropolitan area rather than imputed from a broader geography. 3 of them carry a full breakdown page, selected by filing volume; the rest show their figures here. ALC_Export.csv, wage year 2026-27.
How employers filed for this occupation
Across 506 certified H-1B filings in FY2025 Q1 to Q4 that recorded a level, the plurality landed on Level II. The median wage actually offered was $180,000 a year, from 576 filings.
| Level | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 89 | 17.6% |
| Level II | 192 | 37.9% |
| Level III | 137 | 27.1% |
| Level IV | 88 | 17.4% |
LCA disclosure data, FY2025 Q1 to Q4. Certified H-1B filings only.
Work out a specific determination
The level depends on the requirements in the job description rather than the title. Run the worksheet for Computer and Information Research Scientists with a specific area, experience requirement and education level.