Technology
What you can do with Computer Science
Study how software and computing systems are designed, built, and made efficient.
- Careers
- 20
- Early career
- $87,000
- Mid-career
- $120,000
- Growing fast
- 14 of 20
How these numbers work: A major does not have its own salary. Early and mid-career pay is what people who hold this degree earn at the start of their careers and midway through them. Career pay comes from the 20 careers a Computer Science degree commonly leads to, and counts everyone in those jobs, including people who have been doing them for thirty years. The two answer different questions, which is why they do not match.
14 of 20 careers this degree leads to are projected to grow faster than average from 2024 to 2034. Of those, DevOps Engineer has the most openings, about 115,200 a year.
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20 careers this degree leads to
Product Manager
$166,790Define product strategy and roadmap, prioritize features based on customer needs, and coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver software products.
- Middle half of workers
- $123,020 to $216,410
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 34,300
Work-life55Remote78Satisfaction76- Product Strategy
- User Research
- Data Analysis
- Stakeholder Management
Computer Hardware Engineer
$161,740Design the physical machinery of computing: processors, boards, memory systems, and the devices they power.
- Middle half of workers
- $126,090 to $202,990
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 4,700
Work-life50Remote67- Digital Design
- Circuit Analysis
- Hardware Testing
- Critical Thinking
Computer and Information Research Scientist
$140,300Invent the next generation of computing: research new algorithms, architectures, and approaches that push the field forward.
- Middle half of workers
- $103,570 to $188,700
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 3,200
Work-life52Remote54- Algorithm Design
- Research Methods
- Machine Learning
- Critical Thinking
Database Architect
$139,500Design the enterprise data platforms and warehouses that let organizations trust and use their data at scale.
- Middle half of workers
- $109,370 to $169,290
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 4,000
Work-life60Remote54- Data Modeling
- SQL
- Data Warehousing
- Cloud Data Platforms
DevOps Engineer
$135,980Bridge software development and IT operations by designing CI/CD pipelines, automating infrastructure, and improving deployment velocity.
- Middle half of workers
- $105,210 to $171,980
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 115,200
Work-life65Remote88Satisfaction78- CI/CD Pipelines
- Containerization
- Infrastructure as Code
- Scripting
Software Developer
$135,980Design, develop, and test software applications and systems.
- Middle half of workers
- $105,210 to $171,980
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 115,200
Work-life72Remote88Satisfaction78- Programming
- Software Development
- Problem Solving
- Systems Analysis
Computer Network Architect
$134,050Design the data networks organizations run on, from office LANs to cloud and wide-area backbones.
- Middle half of workers
- $104,620 to $168,200
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 11,200
Work-life53Remote54- Network Design
- Routing and Switching
- Cloud Networking
- Security
Cybersecurity Analyst
$129,180Plan and implement security measures to protect computer networks and systems.
- Middle half of workers
- $97,810 to $163,500
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 16,000
Work-life65Remote82Satisfaction75- Network Security
- Incident Response
- Vulnerability Assessment
- Cryptography
Data Scientist
$120,230Develop and implement methods to analyze large datasets to identify patterns and inform decisions.
- Middle half of workers
- $85,660 to $158,880
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 23,400
Work-life75Remote85Satisfaction80- Statistical Analysis
- Machine Learning
- Python
- Data Visualization
IT Project Manager
$116,580Plan, execute, and close technology projects on time and within budget while coordinating technical teams and stakeholders.
- Middle half of workers
- $79,370 to $157,500
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 31,300
Work-life58Remote72Satisfaction71- Project Planning
- Risk Management
- Agile/Scrum
- Budgeting
Site Reliability Engineer
$116,580Ensure the reliability, availability, and performance of large-scale production systems through software engineering and infrastructure automation.
- Middle half of workers
- $79,370 to $157,500
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 31,300
Work-life60Remote90Satisfaction77- Linux Systems
- Cloud Infrastructure
- Automation
- Monitoring and Observability
Computer Systems Analyst
$105,850Study how an organization's software, hardware, and processes fit together, then design the improvements that make them work better.
- Middle half of workers
- $82,860 to $134,110
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 34,200
Work-life63Remote55- Systems Analysis
- Requirements Gathering
- SQL
- Critical Thinking
Database Administrator
$104,620Administer, test, and implement database systems, ensuring data integrity, security, and performance.
- Middle half of workers
- $79,610 to $135,460
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 3,800
Work-life72Remote82Satisfaction70- SQL
- Database Design
- Performance Tuning
- Backup and Recovery
Video Game Designer
$104,000Design the mechanics, worlds, and stories that make games worth playing.
- Middle half of workers
- $73,290 to $158,820
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 9,100
Work-life45Remote66- Game Mechanics Design
- Level Design
- Narrative Design
- Prototyping
Computer Programmer
$100,390Write, modify, and test the code that makes applications run, turning specifications into working software.
- Middle half of workers
- $75,850 to $130,680
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 5,500
Work-life61Remote61- Programming
- Debugging
- Testing
- Reading Comprehension
Network Administrator
$99,130Install, configure, and maintain local and wide area networks, intranets, and other communication systems.
- Middle half of workers
- $78,010 to $126,640
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 14,300
Work-life62Remote55Satisfaction67- Network Configuration
- Firewalls and VPNs
- Troubleshooting
- TCP/IP
Web Developer
$92,650Design, create, and maintain websites and web applications using front-end and back-end technologies.
- Middle half of workers
- $64,230 to $126,230
- Growth
- Much faster than average
- Openings a year
- 5,400
Work-life74Remote90Satisfaction75- HTML/CSS
- JavaScript
- Responsive Design
- Web Frameworks
Technical Writer
$90,390Write technical content such as equipment manuals, appendices, operating instructions, and software documentation.
- Middle half of workers
- $70,880 to $115,510
- Growth
- Slower than average
- Openings a year
- 4,500
Work-life78Remote90Satisfaction70- Technical Writing
- Documentation Tools
- Information Architecture
- Editing
Network Support Specialist
$76,220Keep networks healthy: test, troubleshoot, and tune LANs, WANs, and cloud connections.
- Middle half of workers
- $58,240 to $98,750
- Growth
- Slower than average
- Openings a year
- 9,600
Work-life60Remote33- Network Troubleshooting
- Routing and Switching
- Monitoring Tools
- Documentation
IT Support Specialist
$61,860Be the person who gets people unstuck: troubleshoot hardware, software, and access problems for users across an organization.
- Middle half of workers
- $49,000 to $79,040
- Growth
- Declining
- Openings a year
- 40,800
Work-life65Remote37- Troubleshooting
- Customer Service
- Operating Systems
- Active Listening
Related majors
Set on Computer Science?
Save it as your major and PlanexAI will shape your dashboard, career matches, and study plan around it.
Where these pay figures come from
Early and mid-career pay is the median annual wage of full-time workers who hold a bachelor's degree in that major, ages 22 to 27 and ages 35 to 45, from 2024 data. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (IPUMS). Published as Outcomes by Major by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.