SOC 15-1221 · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro

Computer and Information Research Scientists Salary in Philadelphia, PA

The average salary for computer and information research scientists in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is $127,220 a year ($61.16 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $125,320: half of the 350 people in this job in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 20% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($159,462).

$127,220average per year

$61.16 / hourMedian $125,320Take-home ≈ $94,315

  • $79K10th
  • $101K25th
  • $125KMedian
  • $142K75th
  • $175K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

350people in this job
-20%vs U.S. metro average
#2 of 2Pennsylvania metros
103cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Computer and Information Research Scientists pay range in Philadelphia

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $175,420 or more. The middle half of computer and information research scientists in Philadelphia earn between $101,040 and $142,130.

  • $79K10th
  • $101K25th
  • $125KMedian
  • $142K75th
  • $175K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$127,220$10,602$61.16
Median$125,320$10,443$60.25
Entry level (25th percentile)$101,040$8,420$48.58
Experienced (75th percentile)$142,130$11,844$68.33

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Computer and Information Research Scientists salary after taxes in Philadelphia

On the average salary of $127,220, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $94,315 a year, or $7,860 a month and $3,628 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.

The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in PA$94,315$7,860
Working in MD$92,330$7,694
Working in NJ$92,307$7,692
Working in DE$91,055$7,588

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

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Is Philadelphia a good place for computer and information research scientists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $127,220 buys what about $124,052 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 3.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $127,220 is worth in another city

Computer and Information Research Scientists salary in other Pennsylvania cities

Philadelphia ranks 2nd of 2 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Pittsburgh pays the most ($137,940).

All Computer and Information Research Scientists salaries in Pennsylvania

Highest-paying cities for computer and information research scientists

Portland, OR pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($223,160).

Computer and Information Research Scientists salary by city

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Computer and Information Research Scientists salary in Philadelphia: questions

How much do computer and information research scientists make an hour in Philadelphia?

$61.16 an hour on average, and $60.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level computer and information research scientists salary in Philadelphia?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $101,040, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the computer and information research scientists take-home pay in Philadelphia?

About $94,315 a year ($7,860 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $127,220. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

Do computer and information research scientists earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?

The average here is 20% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($159,462).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 15-1221; area Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.50, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.50).

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