Average Computer Scientist Salary in Saudi Arabia for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Computer Scientist salary for 2024 in Saudi Arabia and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Saudi riyal. To keep things simple, we are using the SAR currency code instead of the currency symbol ر.س.

How Much Does a Computer Scientist Make in Saudi Arabia?

A Computer Scientist working in Saudi Arabia will typically earn around 294,300 SAR per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 151,800 SAR to the highest average salary of 453,200 SAR.

Average Annual Salary
294,300 SAR
Average Monthly Salary
24,525 SAR

Lowest Annual Salary
151,800 SAR
Lowest Monthly Salary
12,650 SAR

Highest Annual Salary
453,200 SAR
Highest Monthly Salary
37,766 SAR

These are average salaries for a Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Computer Scientist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Computer Scientist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Computer Scientist Salaries in Saudi Arabia

So we've looked at the average salaries a Computer Scientist will earn in Saudi Arabia. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Computer Scientist can earn between 151,800 SAR and 453,200 SAR on average in Saudi Arabia. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia is 286,400 SAR. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 286,400 SAR, and 50% of the population earn more than 286,400 SAR.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Computer Scientist salary in Saudi Arabia, 25% of the population are earning less than 195,200 SAR while 75% of the population earn more than 195,200 SAR.

75% of the population earn less than 365,400 SAR, and 25% of the population earn more than 365,400 SAR.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Computer Scientist Salary by Experience Level in Saudi Arabia

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average computer scientist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 167,100 SAR.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Computer Scientist salary would increase to 221,500 SAR.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Computer Scientist, the average salary would be 308,900 SAR.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 369,900 SAR.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Computer Scientist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 399,900 SAR.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Computer Scientist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 431,300 SAR.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
167,100 SAR
2-5 Years +31%
221,500 SAR
5-10 Years +40%
308,900 SAR
10-15 Years +20%
369,900 SAR
15-20 Years +9%
399,900 SAR
20+ Years +8%
431,300 SAR

Computer Scientist Salary by Education Level in Saudi Arabia

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 197,600 SAR.

  • Master's Degree. A Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 294,700 SAR.

  • PhD. A Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia with a phd education can earn an average salary of 426,700 SAR.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Bachelor's Degree
197,600 SAR
Master's Degree +49%
294,700 SAR
PhD +45%
426,700 SAR

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Saudi Arabia is around 83,500 to 251,000 SAR and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Computer Scientist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Saudi Arabia, a male computer scientist will earn an average of 315,900 SAR, while a female computer scientist will earn around 275,200 SAR.

This means that a male computer scientist earns approximately 15% more than a female computer scientist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Saudi Arabia

Male
315,900 SAR
Female -15%
275,200 SAR

Computer Scientist Average Pay Raise in Saudi Arabia

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia is around 12% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Saudi Arabia is around 8% every 17 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 12 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 8%

What this means is that a Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Saudi Arabia for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Saudi Arabia.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
2%
Energy
4%
Information Technology
6%
Healthcare
8%
Travel
1%
Construction
3%
Education
5%

Computer Scientist Bonus and Incentive Rates in Saudi Arabia

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Computer Scientist is a moderate bonus based job, with 54% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

46% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6%.

Received Bonus
54%
No Bonus
46%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Saudi Arabia earn approximately 8% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
207,800 SAR
Private Sector -8%
192,600 SAR

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Computer Scientist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Computer Scientist in Saudi Arabia.

Job Title Category Salary
3D Lab Technologist Science and Technical Services 175,900 SAR
Algorithm Developer Science and Technical Services 246,200 SAR
Analytical Chemist Science and Technical Services 367,200 SAR
Anthropologist Science and Technical Services 279,400 SAR
Archeologist Science and Technical Services 239,000 SAR
Assistant Breeder Science and Technical Services 125,100 SAR
Astronomer Science and Technical Services 424,300 SAR
Atmospheric and Space Scientist Science and Technical Services 341,400 SAR
Behavior Analyst Science and Technical Services 239,000 SAR
Behavior Intervention Specialist Science and Technical Services 263,100 SAR
Behavior Specialist Science and Technical Services 239,300 SAR
Biochemist Science and Technical Services 381,800 SAR
Biofuels Processing Technician Science and Technical Services 152,100 SAR
Biofuels Production Manager Science and Technical Services 266,000 SAR
Biologist Science and Technical Services 382,600 SAR
Biomedical Laboratory Officer Science and Technical Services 157,600 SAR
Biomedical Scientist Science and Technical Services 430,000 SAR
Biophysicist Science and Technical Services 392,300 SAR
Chemical Engineer Science and Technical Services 196,800 SAR
Chemical Technologist Science and Technical Services 172,400 SAR
Chemist Science and Technical Services 394,300 SAR
Chief Technologist Science and Technical Services 345,100 SAR
Climate Change Analyst Science and Technical Services 246,500 SAR
Clinical Laboratory Scientist Science and Technical Services 420,100 SAR
Conservation Scientist Science and Technical Services 340,400 SAR
Data Science Specialist Science and Technical Services 239,300 SAR
Data Scientist Science and Technical Services 315,900 SAR
DNA Analyst Science and Technical Services 386,400 SAR
Ecologist Science and Technical Services 292,000 SAR
Economic Development Specialist Science and Technical Services 292,000 SAR
Flavourist Science and Technical Services 136,200 SAR
Food Scientist Science and Technical Services 266,000 SAR
Forensic Scientist Science and Technical Services 325,600 SAR
Formulation Technologist Science and Technical Services 152,100 SAR
Fraud Investigator Science and Technical Services 195,200 SAR
Genomics Scientist Science and Technical Services 419,400 SAR
Geographer Science and Technical Services 216,800 SAR
Geographic Information Systems Technician Science and Technical Services 139,100 SAR
Geological Data Technician Science and Technical Services 136,100 SAR
Geological Technician Science and Technical Services 172,400 SAR
Geologist Science and Technical Services 344,600 SAR
Geomatics Scientist Science and Technical Services 330,900 SAR
Geophysical Data Technician Science and Technical Services 124,400 SAR
Geospatial Information Scientist and Technologist Science and Technical Services 315,700 SAR
Global Technical Lead Science and Technical Services 394,500 SAR
Hydrologist Science and Technical Services 267,100 SAR
Industrial Ecologist Science and Technical Services 290,800 SAR
Intelligence Analyst Science and Technical Services 233,900 SAR
Knowledge Management Specialist Science and Technical Services 207,700 SAR
Lab Analyst Science and Technical Services 167,100 SAR
Lab Manager Science and Technical Services 294,700 SAR
Lab Technician Science and Technical Services 117,440 SAR
Laboratory Manager Science and Technical Services 267,100 SAR
Laboratory Researcher Science and Technical Services 192,600 SAR
Laboratory Technician Science and Technical Services 116,180 SAR
Life Sciences Analyst Science and Technical Services 275,500 SAR
Life Scientist Science and Technical Services 317,700 SAR
Marine Architect Science and Technical Services 239,300 SAR
Marine Biologist Science and Technical Services 275,800 SAR
Marine Superintendent Science and Technical Services 159,400 SAR
Materials Analyst Science and Technical Services 161,600 SAR
Materials Scientist Science and Technical Services 301,300 SAR
Mathematician Science and Technical Services 313,700 SAR
Medical Scientist Science and Technical Services 415,900 SAR
Metallurgist Science and Technical Services 283,400 SAR
Meteorologist Science and Technical Services 279,400 SAR
Microbiologist Science and Technical Services 407,100 SAR
Natural Language Processing Researcher Science and Technical Services 245,300 SAR
Natural Resource Specialist Science and Technical Services 218,900 SAR
Natural Resources Analyst Science and Technical Services 237,400 SAR
Natural Sciences Manager Science and Technical Services 399,900 SAR
Nuclear Engineer Science and Technical Services 412,000 SAR
Physical Scientist Science and Technical Services 332,100 SAR
Physicist Science and Technical Services 414,000 SAR
Political Scientist Science and Technical Services 312,400 SAR
Polygraph Examiner Science and Technical Services 107,960 SAR
Polysomnographic Technologist Science and Technical Services 183,700 SAR
Product Development Scientist Science and Technical Services 311,700 SAR
Quantitative Research Analyst Science and Technical Services 275,500 SAR
Quantitative Researcher Science and Technical Services 273,000 SAR
Radiation Protection Specialist Science and Technical Services 218,900 SAR
Refrigeration Technician Science and Technical Services 93,780 SAR
Research Scientist Science and Technical Services 277,400 SAR
Risk Safety Engineer Science and Technical Services 172,200 SAR
Scientific Photographer Science and Technical Services 180,500 SAR
Scientific Programmer Science and Technical Services 252,300 SAR
Scientist Science and Technical Services 273,000 SAR
Service Engineer Science and Technical Services 181,600 SAR
Service Technician Science and Technical Services 113,700 SAR
Social Science Research Assistant Science and Technical Services 164,200 SAR
Social Scientist Science and Technical Services 305,600 SAR
Sociologist Science and Technical Services 288,700 SAR
Soil Scientist Science and Technical Services 240,500 SAR
Statistical Analyst Science and Technical Services 174,000 SAR
Statistical Assistant Science and Technical Services 125,700 SAR
Statistician Science and Technical Services 290,800 SAR
Survey Analyst Science and Technical Services 175,900 SAR
Survey Researcher Science and Technical Services 161,600 SAR
Surveying and Mapping Technician Science and Technical Services 110,380 SAR
Team Leader Science and Technical Services 254,800 SAR
Technical Manager Science and Technical Services 288,100 SAR
Technical Officer Science and Technical Services 125,100 SAR
Technical Service Director Science and Technical Services 361,600 SAR
Technical Services Regulatory Affairs Specialist Science and Technical Services 180,500 SAR
Technical Services Research and Development Manager Science and Technical Services 431,300 SAR
Technical Services Research Associate Science and Technical Services 197,600 SAR
Technical Services Research Coordinator Science and Technical Services 204,700 SAR
Technician Science and Technical Services 115,940 SAR
Water Ecologist Science and Technical Services 348,300 SAR
Wildlife Biologist Science and Technical Services 275,500 SAR

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Saudi Arabia, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Abha 299,500 SAR
Dammam 311,700 SAR
Jeddah 330,900 SAR
Khubar 301,700 SAR
Mecca 325,800 SAR
Medina 318,800 SAR
Riyadh 339,100 SAR
Tabuk 283,700 SAR
Taif 294,700 SAR

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