Becoming a Computer Information Scientist via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Post University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering computer information systems courses to train individuals to become top-notch computer information systems specialists, computer support specialists, network engineers, database engineers, database technicians, data managers, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 26,130 people employed as computer and information scientists, research alone in America, and their average annual salary is $105,370. Database administrators make on average $74,290 per year and there are about 108,080 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Post University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Computer Information Scientist
  • at a university
  • in a computer store
  • in and office
  • at a desk
  • at home
  • at a school
  • in an airport
  • in a government building
  • in an office complex
  • in a computer lab
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Computer Information Scientist
  • sound knowledge on subject
  • introduce new ideas
  • work with more interest
  • learn from experience
  • work flexible hours
  • improve self esteem
  • improve technical skills
  • interact with people
  • enrich with team spirit
  • motivate others
Potential Drawbacks
  • stay on top of the new computer advancements
  • learn programs
  • modify programs
  • create programs
  • find practical uses for software
  • resolve issues with computers such as viruses
  • think creatively in order to resolve computer issues
  • be able to relay high tech language to others simply
  • work in hurried environments
  • spend long hours in front of the computer
Related Professions to Consider
  • Interdisciplinary Computer Scientist
  • Sr. Computer Scientist
  • Computer Scientist/Mathematician
  • Computers Engineer/ Electronics Engineer/Computer Scientist
  • Principle Computer Scientist
  • Computer Scientist/Software Programmer
  • Computer Research Scientist/Engineer or Computer Staff Scientist
  • Statistical Scientist
  • Human Modeling Computer Scientist/Engineer
  • Computer & Information Scientist
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Computer Information Scientist
  • Please tell us something about your professional experience?
  • Elaborate some of your technical and non technical skills?
  • Please tell us something about the roles and responsibilities that you had in your previous positions?
  • Why do you want to work with our organization?
  • What is more important for you: Money or work?
  • How did you get into computer science?
  • What was the most challenging project that you worked on?
  • What kind of technical publications (print or online) do you read on a regular basis?
  • What was the last book you read (does not have to be job related!)?
  • What was the most interesting project that you worked on?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Scientist
  • Teacher
  • Professor
  • Chemistry Professor
  • Physics Professor
  • Physics Scientist
  • Physics Writer
  • Electro-chemical Engineer
  • Chemistry Scientist
  • Chemistry Teacher
Computer Information Scientist Training books Computer Information Scientist (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Computer system organization
  • Data structures and algorithms
  • Digital system design
  • Introduction to program design
  • Mathematics for computer science
  • Software engineering
  • The theory of formal languages
  • Discrete mathematics
  • Foreign language

Computer Information Scientist Salary Information

Category: Computer and information scientists, research

Total # Employed in the US 26,130
Average Hourly Wage: $50.66/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$29.56 $37.8 $48.83 $61.35 $74.72
Average Yearly Salary $105,370
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$61,480 $78,620 $101,570 $127,600 $155,420
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 6.4% 17.0% 10.5% 44.3% 18.7% 2.5%
Computer and information scientists, research — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Colorado $58.96/hr $122,650
Missouri $58.31/hr $121,280
Wyoming $55.23/hr $114,870
North Carolina $54.59/hr $113,560
Florida $53.41/hr $111,100
Guam $52.33/hr $108,850
Mississippi $52.22/hr $108,610
Delaware $51.94/hr $108,040
Louisiana $51.82/hr $107,790
North Dakota $51.11/hr $106,310
Arkansas $50.03/hr $104,060
Virginia $49.84/hr $103,660
Tennessee $49.68/hr $103,330
Nebraska $49.12/hr $102,180
Alabama $48.45/hr $100,770
Idaho $48.4/hr $100,670
South Carolina $48.39/hr $100,650
Connecticut $47.99/hr $99,820
Oklahoma $46.86/hr $97,460
Kansas $46.26/hr $96,210
Indiana $46.2/hr $96,090
Iowa $45.24/hr $94,110
Montana $44.71/hr $93,000
Washington $44.53/hr $92,620
Kentucky $44.29/hr $92,120
Wisconsin $43.92/hr $91,350
Oregon $43.63/hr $90,760
New York $42.12/hr $87,600
Hawaii $41.58/hr $86,480
Utah $41.43/hr $86,180
Ohio $41.29/hr $85,890
District of Columbia $40.07/hr $83,340
South Dakota $39.59/hr $82,340
Massachusetts $38.73/hr $80,550
Nevada $38.3/hr $79,660
New Mexico $37.35/hr $77,680
Maine $37.05/hr $77,070
New Hampshire $33.4/hr $69,460
New Jersey $26.47/hr $55,060


Category: Database administrators

Total # Employed in the US 108,080
Average Hourly Wage: $35.72/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$19.61 $25.71 $34.4 $44.83 $54.9
Average Yearly Salary $74,290
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$40,780 $53,470 $71,550 $93,260 $114,200
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.4% 4.3% 16.6% 9.6% 47.4% 19.5% 2.2%
Database administrators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Mississippi $40.53/hr $84,300
District of Columbia $40.17/hr $83,560
Oklahoma $39.56/hr $82,290
Colorado $39.41/hr $81,970
North Dakota $39.14/hr $81,410
Virginia $38.98/hr $81,080
North Carolina $38.92/hr $80,950
Nebraska $38.23/hr $79,520
Florida $38.12/hr $79,300
Missouri $37.71/hr $78,430
Alaska $37.17/hr $77,320
Oregon $36.82/hr $76,590
Delaware $36.58/hr $76,090
Tennessee $36.14/hr $75,180
Guam $36.13/hr $75,150
Kansas $35.9/hr $74,670
Idaho $35.57/hr $73,990
Connecticut $35.42/hr $73,680
New York $34.99/hr $72,790
New Mexico $34.53/hr $71,810
Utah $34.53/hr $71,820
Wyoming $34.22/hr $71,170
Montana $33.6/hr $69,890
Hawaii $33.48/hr $69,640
South Carolina $33.36/hr $69,390
Michigan $33.23/hr $69,120
Louisiana $32.63/hr $67,860
Arkansas $32.46/hr $67,520
Maine $32.35/hr $67,280
Wisconsin $31.95/hr $66,460
Indiana $31.72/hr $65,970
New Hampshire $31.4/hr $65,320
Ohio $31.35/hr $65,200
Iowa $31.32/hr $65,150
Pennsylvania $31/hr $64,490
West Virginia $30.84/hr $64,150
Washington $29.7/hr $61,770
Alabama $29.59/hr $61,540
Massachusetts $29.43/hr $61,220
Kentucky $29.37/hr $61,090
California $29.31/hr $60,960
South Dakota $28.4/hr $59,080
Maryland $28.17/hr $58,590
Puerto Rico $26.75/hr $55,630
Nevada $24.85/hr $51,680
New Jersey $24.05/hr $50,020


Category: Network and computer systems administrators

Total # Employed in the US 338,890
Average Hourly Wage: $34.1/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.16 $25.45 $32.55 $41.26 $50.95
Average Yearly Salary $70,930
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$41,940 $52,940 $67,710 $85,830 $105,970
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.7% 8.4% 25.2% 15.5% 39.0% 10.2% 1.0%
Network and computer systems administrators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $39.02/hr $81,160
Mississippi $38.51/hr $80,100
Colorado $38.38/hr $79,830
Florida $38.06/hr $79,170
Oklahoma $37.96/hr $78,960
Missouri $37.31/hr $77,600
Connecticut $36.59/hr $76,110
Kansas $36.19/hr $75,260
Delaware $35.29/hr $73,400
Utah $34.54/hr $71,840
Idaho $34.13/hr $70,980
Virginia $33.9/hr $70,520
Nebraska $33.67/hr $70,040
Hawaii $33.42/hr $69,520
Oregon $33.05/hr $68,750
Wyoming $32.52/hr $67,630
Tennessee $32.46/hr $67,520
New Hampshire $32.32/hr $67,220
Montana $31.98/hr $66,520
Arkansas $31.91/hr $66,380
Alaska $31.73/hr $65,990
North Carolina $31.64/hr $65,800
District of Columbia $31.49/hr $65,500
Indiana $30.93/hr $64,340
Guam $30.67/hr $63,790
Alabama $30.48/hr $63,390
New Mexico $30.27/hr $62,960
Wisconsin $30.2/hr $62,810
New York $30.08/hr $62,560
Washington $30.07/hr $62,540
South Carolina $29.96/hr $62,310
Louisiana $29.66/hr $61,700
Puerto Rico $29.66/hr $61,690
Maine $29.13/hr $60,590
Michigan $28.77/hr $59,830
California $28.46/hr $59,200
Kentucky $28.29/hr $58,850
Iowa $27.77/hr $57,750
Ohio $27.52/hr $57,230
Massachusetts $26.89/hr $55,930
South Dakota $25.93/hr $53,930
Nevada $25.17/hr $52,360
West Virginia $25.11/hr $52,230
Maryland $24.97/hr $51,940
New Jersey $24.85/hr $51,690
Pennsylvania $24.84/hr $51,660


Category: Network systems and data communications analysts

Total # Employed in the US 226,080
Average Hourly Wage: $36.81/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.62 $26.88 $35.22 $45.35 $55.83
Average Yearly Salary $76,560
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$42,880 $55,900 $73,250 $94,320 $116,120
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.7% 8.1% 21.6% 13.5% 42.8% 12.1% 1.2%
Network systems and data communications analysts — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $43.33/hr $90,120
Colorado $40.96/hr $85,190
Mississippi $40.81/hr $84,880
District of Columbia $40.44/hr $84,110
Florida $40.15/hr $83,510
Nebraska $40/hr $83,210
Missouri $39.49/hr $82,140
Oklahoma $38.92/hr $80,950
New Hampshire $38.7/hr $80,490
Connecticut $37.59/hr $78,190
Utah $37.49/hr $77,970
New York $37.22/hr $77,410
Idaho $37.11/hr $77,200
Wyoming $36.74/hr $76,420
Oregon $36.14/hr $75,170
Delaware $35.81/hr $74,490
Virginia $35.5/hr $73,830
Kansas $35.31/hr $73,450
Guam $35.25/hr $73,320
Montana $34.83/hr $72,440
South Carolina $34.38/hr $71,510
Hawaii $33.64/hr $69,960
Arkansas $33.17/hr $69,000
Wisconsin $32.94/hr $68,520
California $32.84/hr $68,300
North Carolina $32.8/hr $68,220
Tennessee $32.37/hr $67,330
Puerto Rico $32.11/hr $66,780
Alaska $31.91/hr $66,370
Louisiana $31.87/hr $66,280
New Mexico $31.38/hr $65,270
Indiana $31.33/hr $65,160
Kentucky $30.72/hr $63,910
Maine $30.24/hr $62,900
Michigan $30.15/hr $62,720
Washington $30.15/hr $62,710
Alabama $29.99/hr $62,390
Ohio $29.77/hr $61,930
Iowa $28.94/hr $60,190
Pennsylvania $28.44/hr $59,160
South Dakota $28.43/hr $59,130
Maryland $28.43/hr $59,130
Nevada $28.01/hr $58,270
New Jersey $27.45/hr $57,100
West Virginia $26.47/hr $55,060
Massachusetts $26.1/hr $54,290


Computer Information Systems Programs by State & City