Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$49,460
- 25th Percentile — Junior$66,600
- 50th Percentile — Median$96,980
- 75th Percentile — Senior$131,320
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$170,200
The top 10% of Computer Science Professors earn $170,200 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $49,460, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $161,851 | +55.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $137,834 | +32.0% |
| California | $137,170 | +31.4% |
| Massachusetts | $128,720 | +23.3% |
| Utah | $123,530 | +18.3% |
| Virginia | $120,790 | +15.7% |
| Oregon | $118,010 | +13.0% |
| Connecticut | $117,700 | +12.7% |
| Delaware | $114,750 | +9.9% |
| Michigan | $113,580 | +8.8% |
| Maine | $110,290 | +5.6% |
| District of Columbia | $110,080 | +5.4% |
| Nevada | $107,460 | +2.9% |
| Nebraska | $106,280 | +1.8% |
| Vermont | $105,820 | +1.3% |
| New York | $105,620 | +1.1% |
| Wisconsin | $105,230 | +0.8% |
| Maryland | $104,840 | +0.4% |
| Indiana | $104,750 | +0.3% |
| Rhode Island | $103,950 | -0.5% |
| Illinois | $103,710 | -0.7% |
| Missouri | $101,950 | -2.4% |
| Texas | $101,440 | -2.9% |
| Georgia | $101,320 | -3.0% |
| Tennessee | $100,820 | -3.4% |
| Washington | $100,450 | -3.8% |
| New Hampshire | $99,940 | -4.3% |
| Arizona | $99,400 | -4.8% |
| Alabama | $99,120 | -5.1% |
| Iowa | $98,860 | -5.3% |
| Louisiana | $97,360 | -6.8% |
| Idaho (est.) | $97,111 | -7.0% |
| New Mexico | $96,820 | -7.3% |
| North Dakota | $96,590 | -7.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $96,210 | -7.9% |
| Minnesota | $95,420 | -8.6% |
| Ohio | $94,990 | -9.0% |
| New Jersey | $94,680 | -9.3% |
| South Carolina | $93,910 | -10.1% |
| Kentucky | $93,320 | -10.6% |
| Colorado | $89,810 | -14.0% |
| North Carolina | $89,040 | -14.7% |
| Kansas | $85,760 | -17.9% |
| Montana | $85,660 | -18.0% |
| West Virginia | $83,480 | -20.1% |
| Mississippi | $82,400 | -21.1% |
| Oklahoma | $80,880 | -22.5% |
| South Dakota | $78,350 | -25.0% |
| Florida | $76,960 | -26.3% |
| Wyoming | $67,980 | -34.9% |
| Arkansas | $58,290 | -44.2% |
What Factors Affect Computer Science Professors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Computer Science Professors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $137,170, while Arkansas pays $58,290 — a gap of $78,880 per year.
The middle half of Computer Science Professors earn between $66,600 and $131,320 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $49,460, while the top 10% earn more than $170,200.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Elementary School Teachers $72,650/yr United States 30.4% vs this role
- Secondary School Teachers $76,320/yr United States 26.9% vs this role
- Middle School Teachers $72,030/yr United States 31.0% vs this role
- Kindergarten Teachers $69,370/yr United States 33.6% vs this role
- Preschool Teachers $43,030/yr United States 58.8% vs this role
- Special Education Teachers $79,750/yr United States 23.6% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 2.9% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Computer Science Professors?
The average salary for Computer Science Professors in the United States is $104,420 per year, with a median of $96,980.
What is the starting salary for Computer Science Professors?
Entry-level Computer Science Professors typically earn between $49,460 and $66,600 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Computer Science Professors the most?
California pays Computer Science Professors the most at $137,170 per year on average, followed by Massachusetts ($128,720) and Utah ($123,530).
How much do Computer Science Professors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $104,420, Computer Science Professors earn approximately $50.2 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Computer Science Professors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 35,480 Computer Science Professors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $104,420 and a median of $96,980 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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