Computer Specialists
Training and Education
| Fast Facts* | |
|---|---|
| Recommended Degree Level | Bachelor |
| Salary, Typical | $81,140 |
| Salary Range | |
| Number of Jobs, 2012 | 185,730 |
| Annual Job Growth Rate | 2.4% |
| Job Openings per Year (est.) | 5,160 |
People with an associate degree have an easier time finding a job in this career. The percentage of employees with at least a 4 year degree or higher is 68%. Approximately 25% of computer specialists started in college but were able to get a job without a degree. Workers with a high school diploma but no further education represent 7% of the total.
Part-Time Work and Self-Employment
Approximately 6% of employees work part time. 7% of computer specialists have ended up working for themlseves.
Area Job Conditions
Jobs for this occupation are more popular (on a per capita basis) in Carson City (Nevada), Salem (Oregon), and Warner Robins (Georgia), and less popular in Cape Coral (Florida), Gary (Indiana), and Rochester (New York).
Without adjusting for the cost of living, computer specialists get paid the most in Washington (District of Columbia), Atlantic City (New Jersey), and Pascagoula (Mississippi), and the least in Muskegon (Michigan), Provo (Utah), and Lakeland (Florida).
Salaries by City
See typical salaries and ranges for this career below*. Shift click to sort by more than one column -- for example first shift-click on state and then shift-click on salary to find best and worst salaries in each state.
| State | City / Region | Typical Salary | Salary Range | Job Count | % of All Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Anchorage | $87,860 | 310 | 0.18% | |
| AK | Fairbanks | $83,130 | 90 | 0.24% | |
| AL | Birmingham - Hoover | $73,190 | 310 | 0.06% | |
| AL | Huntsville | N/A | 550 | 0.27% | |
| AL | Mobile | N/A | 50 | 0.03% | |
| AL | Montgomery | $82,570 | 630 | 0.40% | |
| AL | Tuscaloosa | $75,680 | N/A | N/A | |
| AR | Fayetteville - Springdale - Rogers | $54,120 | 130 | 0.06% | |
| AR | Little Rock - North Little Rock - Conway | $61,310 | 310 | 0.09% | |
| AR | Pine Bluff | $65,280 | N/A | N/A | |
| AZ | Phoenix - Mesa - Glendale | $60,410 | 1,100 | 0.06% | |
| AZ | Tucson | $67,270 | 210 | 0.06% | |
| CA | Bakersfield - Delano | $83,800 | 470 | 0.17% | |
| CA | Fresno | $73,190 | 200 | 0.06% | |
| CA | Los Angeles - Long Beach - Glendale (Metro Area) | $75,770 | 2,770 | 0.07% | |
| CA | Oakland - Fremont - Hayward (Metro Area) | $89,770 | 1,290 | 0.13% | |
| CA | Oxnard - Thousand Oaks - Ventura | $91,960 | 370 | 0.13% | |
| CA | Riverside - San Bernardino - Ontario | $69,190 | 690 | 0.06% | |
| CA | Sacramento - Arden - Arcade - Roseville | $81,030 | 1,250 | 0.15% | |
| CA | Salinas | $92,320 | 350 | 0.22% | |
| CA | San Diego - Carlsbad - San Marcos | $88,780 | 2,200 | 0.17% | |
| CA | San Francisco - San Mateo - Redwood City (Metro Area) | $95,150 | 2,230 | 0.22% | |
| CA | San Jose - Sunnyvale - Santa Clara | $81,450 | 2,790 | 0.31% | |
| CA | Santa Ana - Anaheim - Irvine (Metro Area) | $75,060 | 1,530 | 0.11% | |
| CA | Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Goleta | $66,590 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| CA | Santa Cruz - Watsonville | $54,780 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| CA | Santa Rosa - Petaluma | $92,590 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| CA | Stockton | $88,340 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| CA | Vallejo - Fairfield | $86,090 | 90 | 0.07% | |
| CO | Boulder | $101,160 | 790 | 0.50% | |
| CO | Colorado Springs | $75,670 | 950 | 0.39% | |
| CO | Denver - Aurora - Broomfield | $83,780 | 3,470 | 0.28% | |
| CO | Fort Collins - Loveland | $90,730 | 380 | 0.29% | |
| CO | Grand Junction | $71,220 | 40 | 0.07% | |
| CO | Pueblo | $69,230 | 30 | 0.06% | |
| CT | Bridgeport - Stamford - Norwalk | $90,900 | 190 | 0.05% | |
| CT | Hartford - West Hartford - East Hartford | $85,510 | 810 | 0.15% | |
| CT | New Haven | $83,120 | 220 | 0.08% | |
| CT | Norwich - New London | $82,260 | 90 | 0.07% | |
| DC | Washington - Arlington - Alexandria (Metro Area) | $106,830 | 19,850 | 0.85% | |
| DE | Wilmington (Metro Area) | $74,220 | 240 | 0.08% | |
| FL | Fort Lauderdale - Pompano Beach - Deerfield Beach (Metro Area) | $36,010 | 350 | 0.05% | |
| FL | Gainesville | $75,670 | 60 | 0.05% | |
| FL | Jacksonville | $73,180 | 450 | 0.08% | |
| FL | Lakeland - Winter Haven | $77,540 | N/A | N/A | |
| FL | Miami - Miami Beach - Kendall (Metro Area) | $80,240 | 310 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Orlando - Kissimmee - Sanford | $68,440 | 920 | 0.09% | |
| FL | Palm Bay - Melbourne - Titusville | $69,230 | 300 | 0.15% | |
| FL | Pensacola - Ferry Pass - Brent | $84,540 | 270 | 0.18% | |
| FL | Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater | $78,000 | 1,070 | 0.10% | |
| FL | West Palm Beach - Boca Raton - Boynton Beach (Metro Area) | $71,200 | 100 | 0.02% | |
| GA | Albany | N/A | 120 | 0.19% | |
| GA | Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta | $86,290 | 2,700 | 0.12% | |
| GA | Augusta - Richmond County | $73,390 | 310 | 0.15% | |
| GA | Columbus | $68,810 | 130 | 0.12% | |
| GA | Hinesville - Fort Stewart | $63,290 | 120 | 0.71% | |
| GA | Macon | $89,440 | 100 | 0.10% | |
| GA | Savannah | $64,850 | 120 | 0.08% | |
| GA | Warner Robins | $73,180 | 320 | 0.57% | |
| HI | Honolulu | $84,140 | 1,400 | 0.32% | |
| IA | Ames | $61,310 | 90 | 0.23% | |
| IA | Cedar Rapids | $70,290 | 170 | 0.13% | |
| IA | Davenport - Moline - Rock Island | $75,680 | 220 | 0.12% | |
| IA | Des Moines - West Des Moines | $61,430 | 370 | 0.12% | |
| IA | Iowa City | $61,310 | 60 | 0.07% | |
| IA | Waterloo - Cedar Falls | $52,860 | 60 | 0.07% | |
| ID | Boise City - Nampa | $71,210 | 240 | 0.09% | |
| IL | Bloomington - Normal | $68,000 | 450 | 0.52% | |
| IL | Champaign - Urbana | $77,400 | 190 | 0.20% | |
| IL | Chicago - Joliet - Naperville (Metro Area) | $80,280 | 10,810 | 0.30% | |
| IL | Danville | $63,420 | 30 | 0.13% | |
| IL | Decatur | $71,190 | 40 | 0.07% | |
| IL | Lake County - Kenosha County (Metro Area) | $70,350 | 700 | 0.19% | |
| IL | Rockford | $29,780 | 160 | 0.11% | |
| IL | Springfield | $90,650 | 1,320 | 1.23% | |
| IN | Bloomington | $60,850 | 60 | 0.08% | |
| IN | Columbus | $92,420 | 60 | 0.13% | |
| IN | Evansville | $48,730 | 150 | 0.09% | |
| IN | Fort Wayne | $60,920 | 150 | 0.07% | |
| IN | Gary (Metro Area) | $55,280 | 60 | 0.02% | |
| IN | Indianapolis - Carmel | $76,040 | 1,510 | 0.17% | |
| IN | Lafayette | $62,760 | N/A | N/A | |
| IN | South Bend - Mishawaka | $72,320 | N/A | N/A | |
| IN | Terre Haute | $85,770 | N/A | N/A | |
| KS | Manhattan | $63,290 | 120 | 0.24% | |
| KS | Wichita | $71,110 | 240 | 0.08% | |
| KY | Bowling Green | $71,240 | N/A | N/A | |
| KY | Elizabethtown | $75,680 | 570 | 1.25% | |
| KY | Lexington - Fayette | $72,710 | 180 | 0.07% | |
| KY | Louisville - Jefferson County | $56,290 | 1,050 | 0.18% | |
| LA | Alexandria | $73,400 | 60 | 0.09% | |
| LA | Baton Rouge | $51,810 | 160 | 0.04% | |
| LA | Lafayette | $46,520 | 70 | 0.05% | |
| LA | New Orleans - Metairie - Kenner | $79,870 | 1,050 | 0.20% | |
| LA | Shreveport - Bossier City | $73,070 | 70 | 0.04% | |
| MA | Barnstable Town | $81,580 | 90 | 0.10% | |
| MA | Boston - Cambridge - Quincy (Metro Area) | $91,010 | 2,580 | 0.15% | |
| MA | Brockton - Bridgewater - Easton (Metro Area) | $73,000 | 50 | 0.05% | |
| MA | Framingham (Metro Area) | $82,650 | 220 | 0.14% | |
| MA | Haverhill - North Andover - Amesbury (Metro Area) | $78,180 | 60 | 0.07% | |
| MA | Lawrence - Methuen - Salem (Metro Area) | $75,430 | 30 | 0.05% | |
| MA | Lowell - Billerica - Chelmsford (Metro Area) | $97,800 | 220 | 0.19% | |
| MA | Peabody (Metro Area) | $81,330 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| MA | Springfield | $69,620 | 130 | 0.05% | |
| MA | Worcester | $68,660 | N/A | N/A | |
| MD | Baltimore - Towson | $97,340 | 6,270 | 0.50% | |
| MD | Bethesda - Rockville - Frederick (Metro Area) | $106,450 | 3,150 | 0.56% | |
| MD | Cumberland | $20,980 | 40 | 0.12% | |
| MD | Hagerstown - Martinsburg | $97,930 | 730 | 0.74% | |
| ME | Bangor | $65,290 | 40 | 0.06% | |
| ME | Portland - South Portland - Biddeford | $63,280 | 100 | 0.05% | |
| MI | Ann Arbor | $65,760 | 360 | 0.19% | |
| MI | Battle Creek | $70,230 | N/A | N/A | |
| MI | Detroit - Livonia - Dearborn (Metro Area) | $88,130 | 1,560 | 0.22% | |
| MI | Flint | $55,640 | 140 | 0.11% | |
| MI | Grand Rapids - Wyoming | $61,330 | 630 | 0.16% | |
| MI | Holland - Grand Haven | $55,580 | 60 | 0.05% | |
| MI | Jackson | $55,290 | 60 | 0.12% | |
| MI | Kalamazoo - Portage | $56,860 | 90 | 0.07% | |
| MI | Lansing - East Lansing | $59,180 | 1,430 | 0.73% | |
| MI | Saginaw - Saginaw Township North | $55,830 | 80 | 0.09% | |
| MI | Warren - Troy - Farmington Hills (Metro Area) | $74,370 | 1,480 | 0.14% | |
| MN | Duluth | $61,240 | 140 | 0.11% | |
| MN | Minneapolis - St. Paul - Bloomington | $74,380 | 6,010 | 0.34% | |
| MN | Rochester | $61,790 | 370 | 0.37% | |
| MN | St. Cloud | $57,920 | 120 | 0.12% | |
| MO | Columbia | $69,970 | 70 | 0.08% | |
| MO | Jefferson City | $71,220 | 50 | 0.08% | |
| MO | Kansas City | $84,860 | 1,340 | 0.14% | |
| MO | Springfield | $56,050 | 110 | 0.06% | |
| MO | St. Louis | $80,270 | 1,760 | 0.14% | |
| MS | Gulfport - Biloxi | $73,180 | 250 | 0.24% | |
| MS | Jackson | $73,180 | 140 | 0.06% | |
| MT | Billings | $80,280 | 60 | 0.07% | |
| MT | Great Falls | $61,310 | 50 | 0.14% | |
| MT | Missoula | $42,250 | 60 | 0.10% | |
| NC | Asheville | $89,440 | 100 | 0.06% | |
| NC | Charlotte - Gastonia - Rock Hill | $82,740 | 450 | 0.05% | |
| NC | Durham - Chapel Hill | $92,770 | 670 | 0.24% | |
| NC | Greensboro - High Point | $77,130 | 90 | 0.03% | |
| NC | Raleigh - Cary | $67,530 | 830 | 0.16% | |
| NC | Wilmington | $68,100 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| NC | Winston - Salem | $43,940 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| ND | Bismarck | $64,840 | 120 | 0.19% | |
| ND | Fargo | $63,270 | 110 | 0.09% | |
| ND | Grand Forks | $52,740 | 40 | 0.07% | |
| NE | Lincoln | N/A | 100 | 0.06% | |
| NE | Omaha - Council Bluffs | $75,670 | 570 | 0.13% | |
| NH | Manchester | $87,760 | 150 | 0.15% | |
| NH | Nashua (Metro Area) | $77,650 | 280 | 0.22% | |
| NH | Portsmouth | $82,740 | 180 | 0.32% | |
| NH | Rochester - Dover | $69,020 | 80 | 0.15% | |
| NJ | Atlantic City - Hammonton | $101,850 | 590 | 0.43% | |
| NJ | Camden (Metro Area) | $66,880 | 870 | 0.18% | |
| NJ | Edison - New Brunswick (Metro Area) | $76,250 | 2,440 | 0.25% | |
| NJ | Newark - Union (Metro Area) | $75,500 | 1,790 | 0.19% | |
| NJ | Trenton - Ewing | $70,110 | 630 | 0.29% | |
| NM | Albuquerque | N/A | 540 | 0.15% | |
| NM | Las Cruces | $75,680 | 70 | 0.11% | |
| NM | Santa Fe | $73,180 | 70 | 0.12% | |
| NV | Carson City | $64,750 | 360 | 1.38% | |
| NV | Las Vegas - Paradise | $63,290 | 1,290 | 0.16% | |
| NV | Reno - Sparks | $57,640 | 480 | 0.25% | |
| NY | Albany - Schenectady - Troy | $78,740 | 380 | 0.09% | |
| NY | Buffalo - Niagara Falls | $70,360 | 440 | 0.08% | |
| NY | Nassau - Suffolk (Metro Area) | $78,450 | 330 | 0.03% | |
| NY | New York - White Plains - Wayne (Metro Area) | $75,430 | 4,840 | 0.09% | |
| NY | Rochester | $78,890 | 180 | 0.04% | |
| NY | Syracuse | $69,220 | 130 | 0.04% | |
| NY | Utica - Rome | $71,100 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| OH | Akron | $74,290 | N/A | N/A | |
| OH | Canton - Massillon | $65,930 | 30 | 0.02% | |
| OH | Cincinnati - Middletown | $81,980 | 1,420 | 0.14% | |
| OH | Cleveland - Elyria - Mentor | $80,270 | 1,820 | 0.18% | |
| OH | Columbus | $84,720 | 1,790 | 0.20% | |
| OH | Dayton | $79,070 | 1,100 | 0.30% | |
| OH | Mansfield | $71,130 | 50 | 0.11% | |
| OH | Springfield | $76,410 | N/A | N/A | |
| OH | Toledo | $72,600 | 160 | 0.05% | |
| OH | Youngstown - Warren - Boardman | $62,050 | 70 | 0.03% | |
| OK | Oklahoma City | N/A | 850 | 0.15% | |
| OK | Tulsa | $73,080 | 140 | 0.03% | |
| OR | Bend | $63,660 | 120 | 0.20% | |
| OR | Corvallis | $59,070 | 110 | 0.34% | |
| OR | Eugene - Springfield | $53,540 | 390 | 0.28% | |
| OR | Medford | $53,850 | 170 | 0.23% | |
| OR | Portland - Vancouver - Hillsboro | $78,120 | 3,150 | 0.31% | |
| OR | Salem | $71,730 | 740 | 0.52% | |
| PA | Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton | $92,680 | 550 | 0.16% | |
| PA | Altoona | $67,250 | 30 | 0.06% | |
| PA | Harrisburg - Carlisle | $77,990 | 1,480 | 0.48% | |
| PA | Lancaster | $64,820 | N/A | N/A | |
| PA | Lebanon | $65,290 | 90 | 0.18% | |
| PA | Philadelphia (Metro Area) | $85,650 | 1,570 | 0.09% | |
| PA | Pittsburgh | $70,220 | 860 | 0.08% | |
| PA | Scranton - Wilkes - Barre | $61,180 | 190 | 0.08% | |
| PA | York - Hanover | $82,370 | 220 | 0.13% | |
| PR | San Juan - Caguas - Guaynabo | $55,090 | 500 | 0.07% | |
| RI | Providence - Fall River - Warwick | $71,480 | 620 | 0.11% | |
| SC | Charleston - North Charleston - Summerville | $77,990 | 620 | 0.21% | |
| SD | Sioux Falls | $68,820 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| TN | Chattanooga | $45,760 | 100 | 0.05% | |
| TN | Clarksville | $68,820 | 160 | 0.20% | |
| TN | Johnson City | $57,640 | 60 | 0.07% | |
| TN | Knoxville | $61,320 | 260 | 0.08% | |
| TN | Memphis | $75,670 | 660 | 0.11% | |
| TN | Nashville - Davidson - Murfreesboro - Franklin | $60,850 | 500 | 0.07% | |
| TX | Amarillo | $69,230 | 70 | 0.07% | |
| TX | Austin - Round Rock - San Marcos | $85,720 | 1,550 | 0.19% | |
| TX | College Station - Bryan | $55,100 | 100 | 0.11% | |
| TX | Corpus Christi | $67,250 | 180 | 0.10% | |
| TX | Dallas - Plano - Irving (Metro Area) | $89,910 | 3,890 | 0.19% | |
| TX | El Paso | $65,290 | 250 | 0.09% | |
| TX | Fort Worth - Arlington (Metro Area) | $80,490 | 700 | 0.08% | |
| TX | Houston - Sugar Land - Baytown | $79,780 | 1,650 | 0.06% | |
| TX | Killeen - Temple - Fort Hood | $68,820 | 320 | 0.26% | |
| TX | Laredo | N/A | 50 | 0.06% | |
| TX | McAllen - Edinburg - Mission | $37,480 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| TX | Midland | $23,090 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| TX | San Antonio - New Braunfels | $75,680 | 2,370 | 0.28% | |
| TX | Texarkana - Texarkana | $75,170 | 50 | 0.09% | |
| TX | Tyler | $36,670 | N/A | N/A | |
| TX | Waco | $61,230 | 90 | 0.09% | |
| TX | Wichita Falls | $61,310 | N/A | N/A | |
| UT | Ogden - Clearfield | $81,810 | 850 | 0.43% | |
| UT | Provo - Orem | $23,460 | 150 | 0.08% | |
| UT | Salt Lake City | $69,700 | 700 | 0.11% | |
| VA | Charlottesville | $95,460 | 80 | 0.08% | |
| VA | Richmond | $84,250 | 580 | 0.10% | |
| VA | Virginia Beach - Norfolk - Newport News | $80,270 | 2,110 | 0.29% | |
| VT | Burlington - South Burlington | $82,560 | 250 | 0.21% | |
| WA | Bremerton - Silverdale | $83,200 | 350 | 0.44% | |
| WA | Kennewick - Pasco - Richland | $72,820 | 100 | 0.10% | |
| WA | Olympia | $68,120 | 110 | 0.12% | |
| WA | Seattle - Bellevue - Everett (Metro Area) | $92,680 | 4,080 | 0.29% | |
| WA | Spokane | $63,290 | 230 | 0.12% | |
| WA | Tacoma (Metro Area) | $67,380 | 460 | 0.18% | |
| WI | Green Bay | $74,660 | 90 | 0.05% | |
| WI | Madison | $66,230 | 270 | 0.08% | |
| WI | Milwaukee - Waukesha - West Allis | $67,710 | 540 | 0.07% | |
| WV | Charleston | $63,290 | 100 | 0.07% | |
| WV | Huntington - Ashland | $75,160 | 60 | 0.05% | |
| WV | Morgantown | $79,150 | N/A | N/A | |
| WV | Parkersburg - Marietta - Vienna | $80,280 | 310 | 0.46% | |
| WY | Cheyenne | N/A | 80 | 0.19% |