Computer Scientist
What Does a Professional in this Career Do?
A Computer Scientist conducts research and studies complex problems in computing. Develops computer algorithms that provide the foundation for advances in technology. May study computer hardware architecture, robotics or software, and collaborate with electrical engineers and other computer professionals.
Job Outlook
There were 23 Computer Scientist job postings in North Carolina in the past year and 2445 in the United States.
In combination with other careers in the Computer Scientist industry, which includes the Computer Scientist career, the following graph shows the number of people employed for each year since 2016:
Salary
Many new Computer Scientist jobs have salaries estimated to be in the following ranges, based on the requirements and responsibilities listed in job postings from the past year.
National
The average estimated salary in the United States for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $117,592.
State
The average estimated salary in North Carolina for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $117,592.
Percentiles represent the percentage that is lower than the value. For example, 25% of estimated salaries for Computer Scientist postings in the United States in the past year were lower than $94,781.
Education and Experience
Posted Computer Scientist jobs typically require the following level of education. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list education requirements.
| Education Level | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | 0% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 61.92% |
| Master's Degree | 40% |
| Doctoral Degree | 26.58% |
| Other | 6.09% |
Posted Computer Scientist jobs typically require the following number of years of experience. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.
| Years of Experience | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | 40.59% |
| 3 to 5 years | 21.82% |
| 6 to 8 years | 14.63% |
| 9+ years | 22.97% |
Skills
Below are listings of the most common general and specialized skills Computer Scientist positions expect applicants to have as well as the most common skills that distinguish individuals from their peers. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is also listed.
Baseline Skills
A skill that is required across a broad range of occupations, including this one.
- Mathematics (49.33%)
- Research (42.78%)
- Management (28.67%)
- Communication (27.69%)
- Leadership (19.75%)
- Innovation (15.54%)
- Operations (15.46%)
- Writing (15.42%)
- Information Technology (13.78%)
- Planning (10.84%)
Defining Skills
A core skill for this occupation, it occurs frequently in job postings.
- Algorithms (23.26%)
- Software Development (31.77%)
- C++ (Programming Language) (30.4%)
- Computer Science (80.01%)
- Computer Engineering (24.55%)
- Python (Programming Language) (37.88%)
- Integral Calculus (20.42%)
- Software Engineering (24.59%)
Necessary Skills
A skill that is requested frequently in this occupation but isn’t specific to it.
- Advanced Mathematics (5.03%)
- Workflow Management (4.08%)
- Git (Version Control System) (7.82%)
- Computer Architecture (7.44%)
- Agile Methodology (8.51%)
- C (Programming Language) (14.66%)
- Artificial Intelligence (21.97%)
- Data Analysis (10.71%)
- Systems Engineering (15.48%)
- JavaScript (Programming Language) (7.78%)
- Java (Programming Language) (16.42%)
- Automation (8.86%)
- Amazon Web Services (7.14%)
- C# (Programming Language) (8.9%)
- Test Automation (5.5%)
- Cloud Computing (3.61%)
- Version Control (5.63%)
- Unix (5.5%)
- Unit Testing (5.29%)
- Chemistry (7.05%)
- Electrical Engineering (18.01%)
- Software Development Life Cycle (3.14%)
- Calculus (8.64%)
- Data Structures (10.1%)
- R (Programming Language) (8.38%)
- Cryptography (5.42%)
- DevOps (3.87%)
- Information Systems (17.93%)
- Debugging (12.94%)
- Linux (13.24%)
- Cyber Security (18.14%)
- Electronics (6.88%)
- MATLAB (10.1%)
- Operating Systems (12.38%)
- Prototyping (8.94%)
- Object-Oriented Design (3.65%)
- Physics (19.13%)
- Machine Learning (19.09%)
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) (7.7%)
- SQL (Programming Language) (8.77%)
- Project Management (10.71%)
- System Software (8.04%)
- Scripting (7.65%)
- Software Design (7.35%)
- Statistics (25.11%)
- Software Systems (9.07%)
- Systems Design (14.23%)
- Docker (Software) (9.16%)
- Systems Architecture (9.8%)
- Vulnerability (0.26%)
- Data Science (11.56%)
- Technical Leadership (7.61%)
- Programming Languages (15.52%)
Distinguishing Skills
A skill that may distinguish a subset of the occupation.
- Algorithm Analysis (6.88%)
- Database Theory (5.07%)
- Compiler Theories (5.2%)
- Discrete Mathematics (7.14%)
- Programming Language Theory (5.16%)
Salary Boosting Skills
A professional who wishes to excel in this career path may consider developing the following highly valued skills. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is listed.
- Algorithms (38.48%)
- C++ (Programming Language) (50.28%)
- Python (Programming Language) (62.66%)
- Software Engineering (40.68%)
Alternative Job Titles
Sometimes employers post jobs with Computer Scientist skills but a different job title. Some common alternative job titles include:
- Cryptologist
- Scientist
- Research Computer Scientist
- Computer Engineer
- Applied Scientist
- Interdisciplinary Scientist
- Principal Scientist
- Engineer/Scientist
- Quantum Cryptographer
Similar Occupations
If you are interested in exploring occupations with similar skills, you may want to research the following job titles. Note that we only list occupations that have at least one corresponding NC State Online and Distance Education program.
Common Employers
Here are the employers that have posted the most Computer Scientist jobs in the past year along with how many they have posted.
United States
- Southwest Research Institute (124)
- United States Department of the Treasury (108)
- United States Department of Defense (97)
- Amazon (72)
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (64)
- Sandia Corporation (49)
- United States Navy (40)
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (35)
- MITRE Corporation (32)
- United States Government (31)
North Carolina
- Southwest Research Institute (4)
- Milvets Systems Technology (3)
- United States Department of the Treasury (3)
- Actalent (1)
- Fortrea Inc. (1)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1)
- Washington State University (1)
- Joint Activities (1)
- SAIC (1)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (1)
NC State Programs Relevant to this Career
If you are interested in preparing for a career in this field, the following NC State Online and Distance Education programs offer a great place to start!
All wages, job posting statistics, employment trend projections, and information about skill desirability on this page represents historical data and does not guarantee future conditions. Data is provided by and downloaded regularly from Lightcast. For more information about how Lightcast gathers data and what it represents, see Lightcast Data: Basic Overview on Lightcast's Knowledge Base website.