Computer and Information Research Scientists
SOC Code: 15-1221 Job Zone 5: Extensive Preparation Needed
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.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Computer and Information Research Scientists. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | $120,640 | $169,374 | $218,130 | $266,864 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $118,934 | $166,733 | $214,552 | $262,350 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $141,814 | $178,006 | $214,178 | $250,370 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $141,274 | $177,507 | $213,762 | $249,995 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $139,610 | $176,342 | $213,054 | $249,787 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $139,194 | $175,926 | $212,680 | $249,413 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $129,917 | $169,582 | $209,248 | $248,914 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $129,938 | $169,437 | $208,957 | $248,456 |
| Albany, OR | $135,429 | $173,035 | $210,642 | $248,248 |
| Bend, OR | $135,429 | $173,035 | $210,642 | $248,248 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 1,696 | $180,099 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | 648 | $200,897 |
| Google LLC | 497 | $207,179 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. | 395 | $196,671 |
| AMAZON DEVELOPMENT CENTER U.S., INC. | 222 | $174,436 |
| NVIDIA Corporation | 205 | $200,004 |
| AMAZON WEB SERVICES, INC. | 178 | $176,206 |
| Intel Corporation | 127 | $149,719 |
| ADOBE INC. | 125 | $201,920 |
| Microsoft Corporation | 123 | $184,731 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 506 | $163,966 |
| 2023 | 1,204 | $165,861 |
| 2024 | 2,567 | $313,322 |
| 2025 | 3,888 | $186,341 |
| 2026 | 577 | $193,057 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 | |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 | |
| Active Listening | 3.8 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Programming | 3.6 | |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 | |
| Active Learning | 3.5 | |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Computers and Electronics | 4.6 |
| Mathematics | 4.1 |
| Engineering and Technology | 4.0 |
| English Language | 3.9 |
| Administration and Management | 3.3 |
| Design | 3.3 |
| Telecommunications | 3.1 |
| Physics | 2.8 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 36.2% |
| Post-first professional | 28.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 19.9% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 8.3% |
| Other | 4.5% |
| First professional degree (MD, JD) | 2.6% |
Typical Tasks
- Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues.
- Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to determine computing needs and system requirements.
- Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
- Develop and interpret organizational goals, policies, and procedures.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Amazon DynamoDB Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 Amazon Redshift Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation Amazon Web Services AWS software Ansible software Apache Airflow Apache Cassandra Apache Hadoop Apache Hive Apache Kafka Apache Spark Apache Subversion SVN Bash C
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