Inventing the future of computing at universities and national labs, and teaching the next generation how technology works.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Computer & Information Research Scientist: Invents new computing methods, algorithms, and systems at universities, government labs, and tech companies. Typical pay $140k.
High-Performance Computing Scientist: Uses and optimizes supercomputers to simulate climate, nuclear physics, new materials, and more. Typical pay $140k.
Human-Computer Interaction Researcher: Researches new ways people can interact with computers, from touch to voice to brain signals. Typical pay $135k.
Computational Linguist: Combines linguistics and computing to help computers understand and generate human language. Typical pay $125k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Computer Science Professor: Teaches computer science at a college or university and often leads a research lab. Typical pay $100k.
Research Software Engineer: Writes and maintains the software that scientists use to run experiments and analyze data. Typical pay $100k.
Computer Science Curriculum Developer: Designs the lessons, projects, and courses used to teach coding at schools and online platforms. Typical pay $78k.
Data Librarian: Helps researchers organize, store, and share their data so it can be reused. Typical pay $70k.
Digital Archivist: Saves digital history like old websites, video games, emails, and floppy disks before they're lost. Typical pay $62k.
HPC Systems Engineer: Runs supercomputers at universities and national labs so scientists can simulate climate, stars and molecules. Typical pay $105k.
Scientific Visualization Specialist: Turns supercomputer simulations of storms, galaxies and molecules into images and movies that scientists and the public can understand. Typical pay $100k.
Cyber Range Engineer: Builds fake but realistic computer networks where soldiers, students and company teams practice fighting hackers without harming real systems. Typical pay $105k.
Digital Literacy Instructor: Teaches adults and seniors basic computer, internet, and online safety skills at libraries and community centers. Typical pay $45k.
Makerspace Coordinator: Runs a workshop full of 3D printers, laser cutters, and electronics where people build their own projects. Typical pay $50k.
Robotics & STEM Instructor: Teaches kids to build and program robots in after-school programs, camps and clubs. Typical pay $40k.
Vintage Computer Restoration Specialist: Brings old mainframes, arcade boards and early PCs back to life for museums, collectors and businesses that still depend on them. Typical pay $50k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.