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Job outlook for information scientists in the United States
Are information scientist jobs in demand?
Information scientist job and salary trends over time
Information scientist jobs over time
Information scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 87 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 101 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 102 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 137 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 127 | 0.00% |
Average information scientist salary over time
Information scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $92,789 | $44.61 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $89,732 | $43.14 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $87,700 | $42.16 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $84,848 | $40.79 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $82,862 | $39.84 | +1.1% |
Information scientist jobs by state
Most common states for information scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 208 | 30% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,886 | 27% |
| 3 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 227 | 26% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 235 | 24% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 184 | 24% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 137 | 22% |
| 7 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,557 | 21% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 209 | 20% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 114 | 20% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 257 | 19% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 203 | 19% |
| 12 | Alaska | 739,795 | 144 | 19% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,517 | 17% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 515 | 17% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 664 | 16% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 298 | 16% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,531 | 15% |
| 18 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 814 | 15% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 311 | 15% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 255 | 15% |
Most common cities for information scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridgefield | 1 | 4% | $97,855 |
| 2 | Somerville | 1 | 1% | $91,626 |
| 3 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $66,241 |
Information Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of information scientist experts
New Mexico State University
Arizona State University
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorNew Mexico State University
Department of Geography
What soft skills should all Information Scientists possess?
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.: -Ability to outline complex projects
-Ability to lay out priorities and manage time to get them done
-Ability to work in groups
-Ability to present ideas in a clear manner, both in writing and orally.
What skills will help Information Scientists earn the most?
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.: Ability to think critically, analyze and unpack problems, and pull together an answer to the riddles involved.
Ronald Dorn
Associate DirectorArizona State University
School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning?
What general advice would you give to an Information Scientist?
Ronald Dorn: You have a way of looking at the world that others only slightly understand. In other words, you think spatially-geographically. You think about cultural geography as more than just other people, but how people fit with their spaces. You think about how the physical geography processes interact with people in ways that others do not. So my general advice is to think broadly about what you are doing for the organization and how your unique perspective can benefit the people who you are working for and with. This means you will have to try to think like they do to explain how your views can benefit the overall mission of the organization.
What Information Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ronald Dorn: Geographic information system (continually update yourself) and remote sensing. Programming skills (e.g. python) to make the GIS more powerful. Do not be scared by python programming. There are wonderful youtube series such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlrxD0HtieHhS8VzuMCfQD4uJ9yne1mE6. Writing!! AI cannot replace you. A big problem with AI words is that they are aspatial. Its pretty funny actually, that people do not notice.
What will help Information Scientists increase their earning potential?
Ronald Dorn: Keep picking up skills like GIS, drone surveying, and more. If you stop searching for skills and learning them (or what you need), then you will not have salary growth. If you keep thinking about what skills could make you more valuable and slowly pick them up, then the sky is the limit for you.