Updated October 29, 2026

SOC code for Research Scientist

Employers filed Research Scientist under 15-1221 Computer and Information Research Scientists in 42% of 8,947 filings in DOL's files, and under 11 other codes.

Filed most under

15-1221

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Of its filings

42%

8,947 in all

BLS median pay for the code

$140,300

a year, nationally

O*NET Job Zone

of 5: how much preparation it takes

Every code employers used

Each code's share of the title's filings in DOL's PERM, wage request and H-1B files. Codes under 1% aren't listed.

15-1221 Computer and Information Research Scientists

101 PERM, 524 wage requests, 3,110 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $140,300 a year. Job Zone 5
42%
19-1042 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

10 PERM, 169 wage requests, 1,099 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $103,410 a year. Job Zone 5
14%
19-1029 Biological Scientists, All Other

21 PERM, 50 wage requests, 529 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $98,920 a year. Job Zone 5
6.7%
19-1021 Biochemists and Biophysicists

7 PERM, 71 wage requests, 467 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $127,410 a year. Job Zone 5
6.1%
15-1252 Software Developers

22 PERM, 117 wage requests, 239 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $135,980 a year. Job Zone 4
4.2%
15-2051 Data Scientists

13 PERM, 63 wage requests, 162 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $120,230 a year. Job Zone 4
2.7%
19-2031 Chemists

9 PERM, 22 wage requests, 194 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $91,240 a year. Job Zone 4
2.5%
19-2012 Physicists

1 PERM, 11 wage requests, 186 H-1B LCAs. BLS median $172,250 a year. Job Zone 5
2.2%
19-2032 Materials Scientists

3 PERM, 11 wage requests, 140 H-1B LCAs. Job Zone 4
1.7%
15-2041 Statisticians

19 PERM, 14 wage requests, 82 H-1B LCAs. Job Zone 5
1.3%
17-2031 Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

4 PERM, 10 wage requests, 99 H-1B LCAs. Job Zone 4
1.3%
15-2031 Operations Research Analysts

7 PERM, 28 wage requests, 73 H-1B LCAs. Job Zone 5
1.2%

O*NET also lists Research Scientist under 15-2021 Mathematicians, 15-2099 Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other, 17-3026 Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians, 19-1011 Animal Scientists, 19-1012 Food Scientists and Technologists, 19-1013 Soil and Plant Scientists.

How employers wrote it

The commonest spellings filed under 15-1221.

RESEARCH SCIENTIST 3,120
RESEARCH SCIENTIST II 186
SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST 150
STAFF RESEARCH SCIENTIST 78
RESEARCH SCIENTIST III 59

With the code

Waiting on a case for a Research Scientist job?

When it'll likely be decided
An email when DOL moves it

FAQs

What is the SOC code for Research Scientist?

Employers filed Research Scientist under 15-1221 Computer and Information Research Scientists in 42% of 8,947 filings in DOL's files, and under 11 other codes. 15-1221 is Computer and Information Research Scientists.

Which code should a Research Scientist job use?

The code follows the job's duties and requirements, not its title. DOL's National Prevailing Wage Center decides it on the wage request. When employers split a title between codes, the work decides which one fits.

The titles employers typed come from DOL's PERM, prevailing wage and LCA disclosure files (PERM cases decided 2023-10-01 to 2026-06-30; wage requests and LCAs of fiscal years 2024 to 2026). This page also includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. PERM Tracker has modified this information (its titles are matched to the titles in DOL's files); what changed. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Case data: DOL quarterly disclosure files (flag.dol.gov) · data through Jun 30, 2026 · quarterly

Wage determinations has not refreshed in 121 days. It should update quarterly, so the figures below are the last ones that arrived rather than the current ones. Source: DOL quarterly PW disclosure files (www.dol.gov) · data through Jun 30, 2026.

LCA disclosures has not refreshed in 121 days. It should update quarterly, so the figures below are the last ones that arrived rather than the current ones. Source: DOL quarterly LCA disclosure files (www.dol.gov) · data through Jun 30, 2026.

O*NET occupation data: O*NET Database, USDOL/ETA (onetcenter.org) · data through Aug 16, 2026 · twice a year

How these figures are counted. Spotted an error? Tell us; every fix is dated in the corrections log.

What each source includes

Case data: Decided PERM cases only. A case still waiting isn't in here, so counts and durations describe finished cases.

Wage determinations: Decided prevailing wage requests only, with the wage DOL determined. Pending requests are absent.

LCA disclosures: Certified and denied H-1B labor condition applications only, with the wage offered.

O*NET occupation data: What O*NET says each occupation is and takes: its description, tasks, Job Zone and the education workers report. A description of the job everywhere, not of any one employer's opening.

Cite this page

Waiting on a PERM case?

When it'll likely be decided
An email when DOL moves it