Career comparison
Computer Science Professor vs. Engineering Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Engineering professors earn more at the median ($109,270 vs. $96,980), while computer science professors usually get to work faster (5–7 years after a bachelor’s of training). Computer science professors teach programming, algorithms and computing at the college level. Engineering professors teach engineering and lead research labs at colleges and universities.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Computer Science Professor | Engineering Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $96,980 | $109,270 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $49,460 – $170,200 | $61,550 – $210,370 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +4.9% (about as fast as average) | +7.8% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 3,200 | 3,900 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in computer science | Ph.D. in engineering |
| Work setting | CS faculty work in classrooms, labs and offices at colleges and universities.. | Engineering faculty work in classrooms, labs and offices.. |
What each job does
Computer Science Professor
- Teach computing courses
- Design programming assignments
- Run labs and recitations
- Mentor student projects
- Conduct research
Engineering Professor
- Teach engineering courses
- Run teaching labs
- Advise capstone design teams
- Lead a research lab
- Write grant proposals
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, problem-solving, and high-pay. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose computer science professor if…
- I love computing
- I enjoy explaining code
- I want to do research
Choose engineering professor if…
- I love engineering
- I want to lead research
- I enjoy mentoring
Still torn? Take the Computer Science Professor fit quiz and the Engineering Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, computer science professor or engineering professor?
Engineering Professors earn more at the median: $109,270 versus $96,980 for computer science professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Computer Science Professors typically train faster (5–7 years after a bachelor’s) than engineering professors (5–7 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects engineering professors to grow +7.8% from 2025–35, compared with +4.9% for computer science professors.