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Job outlook for computer science professors in the United States
Are computer science professor jobs in demand?
Computer science professor job and salary trends over time
Computer science professor jobs over time
Computer science professor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,648 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,270 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,240 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,284 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,270 | 0.00% |
Average computer science professor salary over time
Computer science professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $89,803 | $43.17 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | $89,425 | $42.99 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | $86,318 | $41.50 | +4.6% |
| 2022 | $82,549 | $39.69 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $81,436 | $39.15 | +3.6% |
Computer science professor jobs by state
Most common states for computer science professors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 172 | 25% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 95 | 15% |
| 3 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 92 | 11% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 83 | 11% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 761 | 9% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 516 | 9% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 368 | 9% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 90 | 9% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 477 | 8% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 244 | 8% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 157 | 8% |
| 12 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 143 | 8% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 108 | 8% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 88 | 8% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 49 | 8% |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 514 | 7% |
| 17 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 199 | 7% |
| 18 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 90 | 7% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 65 | 7% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 56 | 7% |
Most common cities for computer science professors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames | 1 | 2% | $79,054 |
| 2 | Boulder | 1 | 1% | $58,401 |
| 3 | Fort Collins | 1 | 1% | $58,336 |
| 4 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $73,749 |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $127,491 |
| 6 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $97,499 |
Computer Science Professor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of computer science professor experts
Kean University
North Carolina State University
Park University
Grambling State University
SUNY Potsdam
University of Idaho
University of Oregon
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Cleveland State University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
High Point University
University at Albany - SUNY
What general advice would you give to a Computer Science Professor?
Alex Holte PhD: My advice for someone new to the field of academia is to learn time management skills early and learn what type of service work you find interesting and would like to contribute to. From there, learn how to say “no” to opportunities that may not align with your goals as well. I feel a lot of new professors tend to find the need to be involved in everything, which can result in burning out later in their career.
What Computer Science Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alex Holte PhD: I would say being able to work with AI may be something that is more important in the next 3-5 years. Right now it’s a new technology and people are just now learning how to integrate it in the workplace, but I feel it is possible the future workforce of tomorrow will necessitate some form of being able to use AI technology.
What will help Computer Science Professors increase their earning potential?
Alex Holte PhD: When you are starting out at any career, it is important to negotiate your salary. Many candidates feel that they have to accept their first offer, but in reality, at many jobs, there is some room for negotiation. Be mindful however, to not request a salary that is much higher than what is being offered as they may feel like a compromise would not be possible and move on to the next candidate.
What general advice would you give to a Computer Science Professor?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: First, I would tell all students that it is VERY different from teaching k-12. Unlike K-12, you are not placed in a school with a teaching job upon graduation; teaching in higher education is one of the most competitive fields, period. The next difference is that you are expected to be an expert/ master of your field. If you're also willing to accept that you will likely have to work as an adjunct professor (for low pay) first, then go for it! Teaching in higher education is the most rewarding job, especially for people who love learning.
What Computer Science Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Awareness and familiarity with technology has become more important, and it will continue to be more important in the next 3-5 years. With everything from peer-reviewed journals available online, to AI, technology is an important part of higher education.
Jane Kuandre
Associate ProfessorWhat will help Computer Science Professors increase their earning potential?
Jane Kuandre: Networking is crucial for career advancement in academia as it allows individuals to establish collaborations, gain access to resources, and stay updated on the latest research trends.
Professor Wen Hsin
Professor of Computer SciencePark University
Biological And Physical Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Computer Science Professor?
Professor Wen Hsin: If you want to maximize the salary, move to either the East coast or the West coast. The salary there tends to be higher than that of the Midwest. But don't forget that the living expense will be higher there as well, presenting a tradeoff. Also consider the stock options and benefits that a company offers. Look at the entire compensation package as a whole, rather than rely on salary alone. To maximize the salary potential, I would stay abreast of the current technology and demonstrate additional values that I can bring to the company, whether they are soft skills or hard skills. Be sure to stay connected within the professional networks. So, when an opportunity falls through, you can transition to others quickly.
What Computer Science Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Wen Hsin: If you want to maximize the salary, move to either the East coast or the West coast. The salary there tends to be higher than that of the Midwest. But don’t forget that the living expense will be higher there as well, presenting a tradeoff. Also consider the stock options and benefits that a company offers. Look at the entire compensation package as a whole, rather than rely on salary alone. To maximize the salary potential, I would stay abreast of the current technology and demonstrate additional values that I can bring to the company, whether they are soft skills or hard skills. Be sure to stay connected within the professional networks. So, when an opportunity falls through, you can transition to others quickly.
What will help Computer Science Professors increase their earning potential?
Professor Wen Hsin: I would advise them to be curious and enthusiastic in the field that they are in. When a person is curious and enthusiastic, every day can be a new day, and any minute can be a new minute. Also, don't reject an idea right out of the bat, but be open to whatever comes your way, and open to continuously learning. When one is open, new possibilities or opportunities can happen. In the field of CS, there is always something new or different to learn.
I consistently encourage students to do internships as soon as they are ready in school. Hopefully a graduate has already had some internship experience by the time they graduate so that they have better ideas of what they want to do when they go out to the society, thereby mitigating intimidation from the unknown.
Furthermore, CS is not all about technologies, but also about the soft skills (such as communications, team work, adaptability, ...). In class, we do group lab work and discussions to build their soft skills. They will need to continue to build their soft skills. I know that a lot of companies are willing to hire graduates with strong soft skills because they can train other (hard) skills the way they want. So, even if you are not the best hard-skill person in the group, as long as you have excellent soft skills, you can still excel in the field of CS.
Yenumula Reddy
IEEE Senior Member, ACM Senior Member, IARIA FellowGrambling State University
College of Arts and Sciences
What's a day at work look like for a Computer Science Professor?
Yenumula Reddy: It is entirely new world and lot of enthusiasm and many new faces. Try to adjust and socialize and try to have new friends. But, for a student had internship first day work may not much difference.
My students share their experience and I saw this difference between the student had internship and the one entered without.
But it is an unforgettable day.
What skills stand out on Computer Science Professor resumes?
Brian Ladd: Evidence you can teach the introductory courses. The introductory sequence is difficult for students, so the instructor has to have multiple ways of explaining things and a good handle on a lot of homework problems.
If the school uses a particular programming language, knowing that (and it being more than just a bullet on the resume).
Experience writing computer games will make a resume stand out. Having used them to teach is an even bigger boost.
What soft skills should all Computer Science Professors possess?
Brian Ladd: Writing in standard English. This applies to technical writing, memos and proposals, and even student feedback. In getting hired, your cover letter needs to be correct (hiring committees are looking for reasons to not read the rest of your materials).
What hard/technical skills are most important for Computer Science Professors?
Brian Ladd: Knowing the right programming language(s).
I am biased in wanting a general CS instructor to have a good grasp of what the operating system is doing (I am a systems guy). This makes explaining files, multiprocessing, and safe concurrency easier, even if students do not tax your knowledge.
What skills will help Computer Science Professors earn the most?
Brian Ladd: I think the ability to write clearly and explain your experience in the cover letter and then teach clearly, using technology appropriately while teaching, are things that will help with early salary offers.
I am not an expert on how to maximize earnings. Just ask my bank. That said, over time, the skill that has kept my teaching fresh and relevant is a willingness and desire to keep learning new technology and find ways to work it into my classroom.
Robert Rinker Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Associate ChairUniversity of Idaho
Department of Computer Science
What skills stand out on Computer Science Professor resumes?
Robert Rinker Ph.D.: There have been several new research areas that have emerged in the last few years - data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, software for robotics, cybersecurity. Many of these areas didn't exist in their present form just a few years ago. So new faculty with one or more of these skills are in demand. More experienced faculty that have been in place for a few years (like me!) don't have these newer skills.
What soft skills should all Computer Science Professors possess?
Robert Rinker Ph.D.: I think the traditional view of CS people is they are holed up in padded cells and don't interact with other people. That is a very wrong perception. CS professionals are problem solvers, and they must communicate with non-CS "customers" to understand the problems. Several recruiters have mentioned that a candidate's technical skills are easy to discern from a resume, but their soft skills are much more difficult to determine - they have to be determined from face-to-face interviews. Perhaps the most difficult skill in problem-solving is to listen carefully and not try to impose a solution to the problem right away.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Computer Science Professors?
Robert Rinker Ph.D.: As I mentioned already, employers are interested in emerging skills. However, in order to understand the new skills, a good fundamental background is also necessary.
What skills will help Computer Science Professors earn the most?
Robert Rinker Ph.D.: The good news in Computer Science is that the job market is so good that anyone who is halfway decent will get a very good job. However, more than in the past, the new topics in CS are most relevant. Part of the reason for this is that these new topics have become "buzzwords" with the general public, so they are very visible. As a result, employers are especially looking for them and are willing to pay top dollar for them.
Hayden Harker
Senior Instructor, Head Undergraduate AdvisorUniversity of Oregon
Department of Mathematics
What soft skills should all Computer Science Professors possess?
Hayden Harker: For math majors, there are many jobs that specifically use mathematical techniques learned in a specific course and you don't prove theorems in jobs. However, these students need to be flexible and willing to solve many different problems even if they don't necessarily feel like a math calculation. Solid problem solving skills and logical thought process are some of the greatest assets for math majors.
Sathish Kumar Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceCleveland State University
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Computer Science Professors?
Sathish Kumar Ph.D.: I think the coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated the technology trends such as digital payment, tele health, ecommerce, telework, elearning, AI/Robotics etc., All these accelerations of the technology trends only increase the demand for the graduates especially for the graduates majoring in computer science, and information systems/technology.
I believe the concept of remote work and remote meetings is going to stay and has changed how one would be working and the new graduated or the junior professional should try to adapt or build the skills to be successful in the new work environment.
Dr. Patrick Madsen
Executive DirectorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
University Career Center
What will help Computer Science Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Patrick Madsen: What tends to help individuals do well in any field and increase their earning potential is to pay close attention to building a strong professional network, staying on top of the competencies/skills that the industry demands in candidates, and remembering to have a mindset of a "lifelong learner" - the future of work demands agile knowledge workers that are flexible to new situations and environments. The current pandemic is a perfect example of the need for an agile and flexible workforce.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Computer Science Professors?
Dr. Michael Oudshoorn: I suspect that for Computer Science graduates that this is likely - in a positive sense. During the pandemic many businesses opted to have employees work from home for an extended period of time. Many of these organizations have found that productivity did not fall and they save costs. If no one goes into the office then you save money on cleaning, office supplies, utilities, and maybe even rent. I suspect that some employers will opt to continue having employees work from home after the pandemic is over and hence continue to save money. This creates an opportunity to develop software products to support these businesses either through the development of enhanced video conference and collaboration tools, or through industry specific tools to help increase productivity when one has remote workers. Also if you have staff working from home, then those staff members could literally be anywhere in the world, so this opens the door for graduates to work for an employee irrespective of where they might physically be located.
There was a large, and growing, demand for computing professionals before the pandemic www.bls.gov, and that need has not gone away! In fact, the demand for computing professionals such as Information security analysts is expected to grow by 31% in the next 10 years. There continues to be unfiled demand for computing professionals and the number of vacancies continues to grow paloaltoonline.com .
How have salaries changed over time for Computer Science Professors?
Charalampos Chelmis: Computer scientists and engineers have seen a steady growth in salaries up to the years before the pandemic. Although I don't anticipate this trend to slow down, entry-level positions and positions whose profiles include a significant portion of remote activities may incur reduced salary as compared to on site positions.