Computer and Information Research Scientists vs Computer Network Support Specialists

Side-by-side salary and career comparison using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Computer and Information Research Scientists

$140,910

median annual salary

Computer Network Support Specialists

$73,340

median annual salary

Computer and Information Research Scientists earns $67,570 more per year (92% higher)

Salary & Career Comparison

Metric Computer and Information Research Scientists Computer Network Support Specialists
Median Salary $140,910 $73,340
Median Hourly $67.74/hr $35.26/hr
Mean Salary $152,310 $79,610
10th Percentile $80,670 $46,010
90th Percentile $232,120 $124,470
Total Employment 38,480 146,450
Job Growth (2023–2033) +19.7% +1.8%
Annual Openings 3.2 9.6
Education Master's degree Associate's degree
Work Experience None None

Salary by State

States where both occupations have reported wage data, sorted by salary difference.

State Computer and Information Research Scientists Computer Network Support Specialists Difference
Washington $221,990 $94,250 +$127,740
West Virginia $170,750 $51,670 +$119,080
New York $197,390 $78,410 +$118,980
New Mexico $178,120 $64,280 +$113,840
Oregon $180,010 $70,320 +$109,690
Idaho $161,130 $66,910 +$94,220
Wisconsin $166,690 $75,450 +$91,240
Massachusetts $166,910 $86,290 +$80,620
California $156,290 $79,520 +$76,770
Virginia $153,340 $79,370 +$73,970
Ohio $135,640 $63,370 +$72,270
Illinois $135,120 $64,800 +$70,320
District of Columbia $153,630 $86,730 +$66,900
Arizona $128,520 $65,340 +$63,180
Mississippi $108,560 $50,600 +$57,960
New Jersey $146,290 $88,440 +$57,850
Louisiana $111,880 $56,470 +$55,410
Pennsylvania $128,960 $73,750 +$55,210
Minnesota $131,770 $77,110 +$54,660
South Carolina $120,970 $66,560 +$54,410

Showing top 20 of 39 states.

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Common Questions

Which pays more, Computer and Information Research Scientists or Computer Network Support Specialists?
Computer and Information Research Scientists pays more, with a median annual salary of $140,910 compared to $73,340 — a difference of $67,570 per year.
Which has better job outlook?
Computer and Information Research Scientists has faster projected growth at 19.7% from 2023 to 2033, compared to 1.8% for Computer Network Support Specialists.
Where does this data come from?
All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. Job outlook data comes from the BLS Employment Projections program covering 2023-2033.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024.