Computer Scientist Salary: Your 2025 Guide

Computer scientists use technology to solve problems, often researching how computers work and having an understanding of theoretical frameworks. As technology evolves, the demand for computer scientists will rise, making it a potentially promising career option. Take a closer look at the average computer scientist salary, as well as some of the factors that can influence your salary.

What is a computer scientist? 

A computer scientist applies principles of computer science to design, develop, and analyze computer algorithms and software systems. The role requires a range of tasks, including designing and testing computer systems, writing code, analyzing algorithms, and researching new technologies. The primary focus of a computer scientist is to find efficient solutions to complex problems using technology. 

Computer scientists may also work with teams of software developers, designers, and testers to ensure software applications meet the needs of their users. Some responsibilities of a computer scientist may include: 

• Designing and developing software systems that perform various tasks

• Creating new software or modifying existing ones to meet specific requirements

• Analyzing, improving, and understanding algorithms

• Developing new algorithms that can solve complex problems more efficiently

• Conducting research in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision

How much do computer scientists make? 

According to Indeed, computer scientists in Canada earn an average annual base salary of $93,703, which is equivalent to $40.58 per hour [1]. Keep in mind that salaries may depend on the company you work for. Compare that estimate to data from other salary aggregate sources to gain a comprehensive idea of your earning potential  [4, 2, 3]: 

*All salary data current as of November 2024

The exact amount you can expect to earn will depend on factors like where you work, your highest level of education, and your experience.

Factors that affect salary

Your computer science salary and earning potential depend on factors like education, industry, location, and experience level. Explore how those variables might affect your salary estimate.

Education

According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, you’ll likely need a bachelor’s degree, and some employers may require master’s level degrees or professional certifications. For example, a computer software engineer is one type of computer scientist, and these professionals typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or some other related field to be qualified for positions. Relevant majors include computer science, mathematics, and electrical engineering. 

Achieving a higher level of education also enables you to elevate your earning potential. Keep in mind employers may have preferences for the education level, so it might help to research and be aware of any requirements when applying for jobs.

Read more: Popular Programming Languages  

Location

Location is a significant factor that determines your salary due to variances in the cost of living between cities and the demand in specific locations for skilled computer scientists. Computer scientists working in major cities tend to make more money on average. For example, Talent.com offers insight into how your salary might vary based on where you live in Canada [3]:

• Saskatchewan: $98,101 CAD

• New Brunswick: $91,269 CAD

• Nova Scotia: $88,793 CAD

• British Columbia: $73,125 CAD

• Ontario: $70,047 CAD

• Quebec: $63,024 CAD

• Alberta: $57,750 CAD

• Manitoba: $36,153 CAD

Experience 

The earning potential for a computer scientist increases with the amount of experience and years worked in the industry. With more relevant work experience on your resume, you can expect a higher salary for your expertise. 

Glassdoor offers data about how your salary might change based on your years of experience [2]: 

• Entry level (0-1): $71,268

• Mid-level (4-6 years): $72,076

• Senior level (15-plus years): $78,012

Read more: Computer Science Internships: A Guide

Job title

If you are trained or have experience as a computer scientist, you might have the skills and education needed to work in a similar role that earns a slightly different average salary. Consider some of the related job titles you could explore as a computer scientist: 

*Salaries represent average base salaries according to Glassdoor as of November 2024

• Control systems engineer: $73,856 CAD

• Information technology specialist: $66,426 CAD

• Systems analyst: $70,368 CAD

• Computer programmer: $71,399 CAD

• Computer hardware engineer: $85,575 CAD

Company

Another reason you might see your salary vary from the average is which company you work for. Some companies pay more for computer scientists. Glassdoor’s data can help demonstrate this variable [2]: 

• Simba Technologies: $64,000 CAD median pay

• Orbital Technologies: $93,000 CAD median pay

• Google: $72,000 CAD median pay

• Adobe: $106,000 CAD median pay

• RBC: $87,000 CAD median pay

• Amazon: $230,000 CAD median pay

Job outlook

According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, the future job outlook for computer scientists is strong. While the Job Bank doesn’t offer a specific job outlook for computer scientists, it offers insight into related careers. For example, the organization projects computer engineers to have a mixed job outlook, with new job seekers outpacing new job openings between 2022 and 2031 [5]. The job outlook for computer programmers will be good to moderate, and demand for software engineers and designers will be good [6, 7]. These statistics demonstrate the job demand for skilled computer science professionals throughout Canada in the coming years. 

Build computer science skills on Coursera

Computer science is a broad field with robust earning potential for those with the necessary skills and knowledge. Completing a course or receiving a relevant certificate is a great place to start if you want to become a computer scientist. 

Check out Duke University's Python for Everybody Specialization. This course is conducted online and available for beginners without prior experience. It covers basic programming concepts like Python data structures, how to access web data, databases with Python, and more.

If you already have prior experience in the computer science field, consider enrolling in Accelerated Computer Science Fundamentals Specialization offered by the University of Illinois. This Specialization begins at an intermediate level and takes around two months to complete. You may gain skills like run-time analysis, object-oriented programming, and more from this program.