PublicPay

Computer Science federal salary series 1550

Full-time federal employees in the Computer Science series earned a median of $163,104 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 49% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $133,142 and $190,953.

Median pay
$163,104
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$133,142–$190,953
25th–75th percentile
Employees
10,538
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1.5%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Computer Science
All federal (full-time)

What shapes computer science pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (500 employees, median $143,830). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Commerce (263 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in California ($197,200) and lowest in Oklahoma ($134,822), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 89% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Computer Science pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Computer Science pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-11 251 $85,447 $84,957–$89,957
GS-12 231 $111,552 $104,177–$119,485
GS-13 500 $143,830 $131,332–$154,263
GS-14 286 $172,700 $158,306–$187,093
GS-15 149 $197,200 $195,190–$197,200
RG (ungraded) 79 $196,653 $158,306–$197,152
ZP-4 95 $180,774 $163,318–$187,093
ZP-5 42 $197,200 $197,200–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Computer Science pay by agency

Computer Science pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Commerce 263 $165,396 $119,485–$187,093
Department of Health and Human Services 249 $172,700 $146,325–$197,152
Department of Transportation 247 $154,094 $131,272–$180,662
Department of Justice 195 $172,700 $148,711–$187,093
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 134 $185,710 $135,354–$197,200
Department of the Interior 80 $117,081 $103,126–$147,282
Department of the Treasury 46 $172,700 $159,349–$187,093
Department of Veterans Affairs 42 $152,696 $137,809–$156,715

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Computer Science pay by state

The 9 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Computer Science pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 423 $180,002 $148,866–$197,152
New Jersey 204 $152,844 $132,130–$178,950
District of Columbia 105 $177,497 $146,143–$197,200
California 85 $197,200 $172,980–$197,200
Virginia 55 $182,295 $152,269–$197,200
Colorado 38 $154,280 $115,543–$182,316
Massachusetts 33 $156,715 $131,994–$156,715
Oklahoma 31 $134,822 $122,352–$155,034
Georgia 30 $146,325 $120,808–$162,938

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare computer science pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.5% from $160,676 in September 2025 to $163,104 in September 2026. Headcount went from 11,199 to 10,538 (−5.9%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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