15 Series · SOC 15-2051
Data Scientists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $120,230
- Median / year
- +6.8%
- 2024→2025
- $199,130
- Top 10% earn
- +33.5%
- Growth '24–'34
- 262,440
- Estimated US jobs
Data Scientists earn a median of $120,230 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $120,230, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $67,240 (10th percentile) to $199,130 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 262,440 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($163,350).
The pay verdict
Data Scientists earn a median of $120,230, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 90% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Computer and Mathematical, it ranks #8 of 21 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 33.5% by 2034.
- $120,230
- Median annual wage
- Top 10%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #8 of 21
- in Computer and Mathematical
- 3.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $163,350. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051) has a national median of $120,230 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $67,240 to $199,130, and the published mean is $126,800. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 262,440 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 50 state or territory areas and 360 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $112,590 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $120,230 in May 2025, a rise of $7,640 (+6.8%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +33.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 23,400 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Computer and Mathematical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $163,350, which is +36% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $185,080. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$120,230
per year
Median Hourly
$57.80/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$126,800
average
Employment
262,440
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Data Scientists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$120,230 Top 10% higher than 90% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 (this entry) | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$120,230 · 90th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 15-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Data Scientists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Software Developers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.8%, Median annual wage $135980
- Computer User Suppor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.7%, Median annual wage $61860
- Computer Systems Ana…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $105850
- Computer Occupations…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.2%, Median annual wage $116580
- Network and Computer…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.2%, Median annual wage $99130
- Data Scientists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 33.5%, Median annual wage $120230
- Information Security…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 28.5%, Median annual wage $129180
- Software Quality Ass…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10%, Median annual wage $104300
- Computer Network Arc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.9%, Median annual wage $134050
- Computer Network Sup…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $76220
- Web and Digital Inte…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $104000
- Operations Research …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 21.5%, Median annual wage $88940
- Computer Programmers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6%, Median annual wage $100390
- Web Developers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.5%, Median annual wage $92650
- Database Administrat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $104620
- Database Architects: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $139500
- Computer and Informa…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 19.7%, Median annual wage $140300
- Statisticians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $105650
- Actuaries: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 21.8%, Median annual wage $130000
- Mathematical Science…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $81490
- Mathematicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $126710
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+33.5%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
23,400
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+82,500
245,900 (2024) → 328,300 (2034)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Computer and Mathematical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
1/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Data Scientists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Key Tasks
- ▸ Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software.
- ▸ Apply feature selection algorithms to models predicting outcomes of interest, such as sales, attrition, and healthcare use.
- ▸ Apply sampling techniques to determine groups to be surveyed or use complete enumeration methods.
- ▸ Clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software.
- ▸ Compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance.
- ▸ Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software.
- ▸ Deliver oral or written presentations of the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
- ▸ Design surveys, opinion polls, or other instruments to collect data.
- ▸ Identify business problems or management objectives that can be addressed through data analysis.
- ▸ Identify relationships and trends or any factors that could affect the results of research.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Data Scientists pay history, 2021–2025
Published national median across 5 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $100,910 |
| 2022 | $103,500 |
| 2023 | $108,020 |
| 2024 | $112,590 |
| 2025 | $120,230 |
2021 median
$100,910
2025 median
$120,230
2021–2025 change
+$19,320 (+19.1%)
Avg/year
+4.5%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $100,910 | First banked release | 105,980 |
| May 2022 | $103,500 | +2.6% | 159,630 |
| May 2023 | $108,020 | +4.4% | 192,710 |
| May 2024 | $112,590 | +4.2% | 233,440 |
| May 2025 | $120,230 | +6.8% | 262,440 |
Across the 5 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $100,910 in May 2021 to $120,230 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2021–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.5% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 105,980 in May 2021 to 262,440 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 50 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $163,350 | +36% above national |
| 2 | California | $141,590 | +18% above national |
| 3 | Maryland | $136,370 | +13% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $135,280 | +13% above national |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $131,750 | +10% above national |
| 6 | New York | $130,460 | +9% above national |
| 7 | Minnesota | $128,800 | +7% above national |
| 8 | Vermont | $127,070 | +6% above national |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $126,490 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Virginia | $126,430 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Connecticut | $126,340 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Oregon | $125,990 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Texas | $122,090 | +2% above national |
| 14 | North Carolina | $119,090 | 1% below national |
| 15 | Colorado | $117,400 | 2% below national |
| 16 | Florida | $115,820 | 4% below national |
| 17 | Arkansas | $109,390 | 9% below national |
| 18 | Utah | $108,090 | 10% below national |
| 19 | Arizona | $107,240 | 11% below national |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $106,850 | 11% below national |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $106,680 | 11% below national |
| 22 | Illinois | $106,560 | 11% below national |
| 23 | Georgia | $104,340 | 13% below national |
| 24 | Alabama | $103,120 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Ohio | $102,630 | 15% below national |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $102,440 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Hawaii | $102,130 | 15% below national |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $100,620 | 16% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $100,590 | 16% below national |
| 30 | Montana | $100,490 | 16% below national |
| 31 | Tennessee | $100,330 | 17% below national |
| 32 | Nevada | $98,540 | 18% below national |
| 33 | Nebraska | $98,230 | 18% below national |
| 34 | Kansas | $98,130 | 18% below national |
| 35 | Missouri | $97,090 | 19% below national |
| 36 | South Dakota | $96,150 | 20% below national |
| 37 | New Mexico | $95,850 | 20% below national |
| 38 | Iowa | $95,830 | 20% below national |
| 39 | South Carolina | $91,990 | 23% below national |
| 40 | Kentucky | $91,760 | 24% below national |
| 41 | Indiana | $91,470 | 24% below national |
| 42 | Maine | $90,880 | 24% below national |
| 43 | Idaho | $89,380 | 26% below national |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $86,310 | 28% below national |
| 45 | West Virginia | $85,090 | 29% below national |
| 46 | Alaska | $84,110 | 30% below national |
| 47 | North Dakota | $81,900 | 32% below national |
| 48 | Puerto Rico | $80,350 | 33% below national |
| 49 | Louisiana | $78,760 | 34% below national |
| 50 | Mississippi | $69,490 | 42% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 282 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $185,080 | +54% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $170,110 | +41% above national |
| 3 | Idaho Falls, ID | $167,840 | +40% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $164,740 | +37% above national |
| 5 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $156,830 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Charlottesville, VA | $149,800 | +25% above national |
| 7 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $146,980 | +22% above national |
| 8 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $141,760 | +18% above national |
| 9 | Corvallis, OR | $140,190 | +17% above national |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $135,980 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $135,320 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $134,320 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $134,220 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Boulder, CO | $134,040 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132,460 | +10% above national |
| 16 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $132,200 | +10% above national |
| 17 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $132,040 | +10% above national |
| 18 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $131,820 | +10% above national |
| 19 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,990 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,980 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Winchester, VA-WV | $129,990 | +8% above national |
| 22 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $129,780 | +8% above national |
| 23 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $129,740 | +8% above national |
| 24 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $129,600 | +8% above national |
| 25 | Barnstable Town, MA | $129,530 | +8% above national |
| 26 | Lexington Park, MD | $129,020 | +7% above national |
| 27 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $127,750 | +6% above national |
| 28 | Colorado Springs, CO | $127,600 | +6% above national |
| 29 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $127,450 | +6% above national |
| 30 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $127,360 | +6% above national |
| 31 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,360 | +5% above national |
| 32 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $126,340 | +5% above national |
| 33 | Sheboygan, WI | $126,270 | +5% above national |
| 34 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $125,590 | +4% above national |
| 35 | Midland, TX | $125,330 | +4% above national |
| 36 | Salem, OR | $124,040 | +3% above national |
| 37 | Worcester, MA | $123,640 | +3% above national |
| 38 | Jacksonville, FL | $122,680 | +2% above national |
| 39 | Richmond, VA | $122,510 | +2% above national |
| 40 | New Haven, CT | $121,880 | +1% above national |
| 41 | Springfield, MA | $121,090 | +1% above national |
| 42 | Bloomington, IL | $120,760 | same as national |
| 43 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $120,710 | same as national |
| 44 | Bozeman, MT | $120,500 | same as national |
| 45 | Bellingham, WA | $120,180 | same as national |
| 46 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $120,040 | same as national |
| 47 | Peoria, IL | $120,000 | same as national |
| 48 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $119,930 | same as national |
| 49 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $119,340 | 1% below national |
| 50 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $117,250 | 2% below national |
| 51 | Greeley, CO | $116,790 | 3% below national |
| 52 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $115,140 | 4% below national |
| 53 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $115,140 | 4% below national |
| 54 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $114,990 | 4% below national |
| 55 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $114,830 | 4% below national |
| 56 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $114,540 | 5% below national |
| 57 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $113,990 | 5% below national |
| 58 | Corpus Christi, TX | $113,450 | 6% below national |
| 59 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,910 | 6% below national |
| 60 | Ann Arbor, MI | $112,680 | 6% below national |
| 61 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $112,520 | 6% below national |
| 62 | Rocky Mount, NC | $111,870 | 7% below national |
| 63 | Huntsville, AL | $111,810 | 7% below national |
| 64 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $111,310 | 7% below national |
| 65 | Grand Junction, CO | $111,300 | 7% below national |
| 66 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $109,990 | 9% below national |
| 67 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $109,910 | 9% below national |
| 68 | Gainesville, FL | $109,800 | 9% below national |
| 69 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $108,940 | 9% below national |
| 70 | Tyler, TX | $108,780 | 10% below national |
| 71 | Syracuse, NY | $108,680 | 10% below national |
| 72 | Columbus, OH | $107,950 | 10% below national |
| 73 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $107,640 | 10% below national |
| 74 | Jackson, MI | $107,640 | 10% below national |
| 75 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $107,310 | 11% below national |
| 76 | Longview, TX | $107,270 | 11% below national |
| 77 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $107,130 | 11% below national |
| 78 | Bend, OR | $106,790 | 11% below national |
| 79 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $106,750 | 11% below national |
| 80 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $106,590 | 11% below national |
| 81 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $106,500 | 11% below national |
| 82 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $106,340 | 12% below national |
| 83 | Fayetteville, NC | $106,270 | 12% below national |
| 84 | Kenosha, WI | $106,120 | 12% below national |
| 85 | Roanoke, VA | $106,090 | 12% below national |
| 86 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $106,060 | 12% below national |
| 87 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $105,400 | 12% below national |
| 88 | Kingston, NY | $105,160 | 13% below national |
| 89 | Modesto, CA | $104,990 | 13% below national |
| 90 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $104,710 | 13% below national |
| 91 | Glens Falls, NY | $104,620 | 13% below national |
| 92 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $104,530 | 13% below national |
| 93 | Vallejo, CA | $104,530 | 13% below national |
| 94 | Wausau, WI | $104,420 | 13% below national |
| 95 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $103,790 | 14% below national |
| 96 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $103,700 | 14% below national |
| 97 | Pittsfield, MA | $103,590 | 14% below national |
| 98 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $103,510 | 14% below national |
| 99 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $103,440 | 14% below national |
| 100 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $103,340 | 14% below national |
| 101 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $103,330 | 14% below national |
| 102 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $103,290 | 14% below national |
| 103 | Appleton, WI | $103,210 | 14% below national |
| 104 | Binghamton, NY | $103,130 | 14% below national |
| 105 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $103,030 | 14% below national |
| 106 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $103,020 | 14% below national |
| 107 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $102,740 | 15% below national |
| 108 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $102,650 | 15% below national |
| 109 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $102,440 | 15% below national |
| 110 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $102,250 | 15% below national |
| 111 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $102,220 | 15% below national |
| 112 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $102,080 | 15% below national |
| 113 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $101,970 | 15% below national |
| 114 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $101,940 | 15% below national |
| 115 | Cleveland, OH | $101,860 | 15% below national |
| 116 | Napa, CA | $101,830 | 15% below national |
| 117 | Winston-Salem, NC | $101,570 | 16% below national |
| 118 | Greenville, NC | $101,520 | 16% below national |
| 119 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $101,490 | 16% below national |
| 120 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,370 | 16% below national |
| 121 | Amarillo, TX | $101,350 | 16% below national |
| 122 | Fresno, CA | $101,250 | 16% below national |
| 123 | Dalton, GA | $101,020 | 16% below national |
| 124 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $100,990 | 16% below national |
| 125 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $100,950 | 16% below national |
| 126 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $100,920 | 16% below national |
| 127 | Omaha, NE-IA | $100,830 | 16% below national |
| 128 | Reading, PA | $100,340 | 17% below national |
| 129 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $100,300 | 17% below national |
| 130 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $100,280 | 17% below national |
| 131 | Ogden, UT | $100,190 | 17% below national |
| 132 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $99,980 | 17% below national |
| 133 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $99,870 | 17% below national |
| 134 | Salinas, CA | $99,850 | 17% below national |
| 135 | Akron, OH | $99,780 | 17% below national |
| 136 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $99,630 | 17% below national |
| 137 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $99,600 | 17% below national |
| 138 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $99,560 | 17% below national |
| 139 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $99,410 | 17% below national |
| 140 | Eau Claire, WI | $99,410 | 17% below national |
| 141 | Duluth, MN-WI | $99,400 | 17% below national |
| 142 | Green Bay, WI | $99,340 | 17% below national |
| 143 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $99,110 | 18% below national |
| 144 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $98,940 | 18% below national |
| 145 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $98,930 | 18% below national |
| 146 | Albuquerque, NM | $98,750 | 18% below national |
| 147 | Anchorage, AK | $98,630 | 18% below national |
| 148 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $98,620 | 18% below national |
| 149 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $98,470 | 18% below national |
| 150 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $98,400 | 18% below national |
| 151 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $98,390 | 18% below national |
| 152 | Jackson, MS | $98,290 | 18% below national |
| 153 | Lafayette, LA | $98,130 | 18% below national |
| 154 | St. George, UT | $98,130 | 18% below national |
| 155 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $97,980 | 19% below national |
| 156 | Boise City, ID | $97,950 | 19% below national |
| 157 | Reno, NV | $97,940 | 19% below national |
| 158 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $97,930 | 19% below national |
| 159 | Visalia, CA | $97,870 | 19% below national |
| 160 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $97,840 | 19% below national |
| 161 | Asheville, NC | $97,690 | 19% below national |
| 162 | Yuma, AZ | $97,580 | 19% below national |
| 163 | York-Hanover, PA | $97,510 | 19% below national |
| 164 | Albany, GA | $97,350 | 19% below national |
| 165 | Billings, MT | $97,280 | 19% below national |
| 166 | Savannah, GA | $97,200 | 19% below national |
| 167 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $97,190 | 19% below national |
| 168 | Redding, CA | $96,960 | 19% below national |
| 169 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $96,880 | 19% below national |
| 170 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $96,760 | 20% below national |
| 171 | Pittsburgh, PA | $96,670 | 20% below national |
| 172 | Joplin, MO-KS | $96,650 | 20% below national |
| 173 | Burlington, NC | $96,300 | 20% below national |
| 174 | Monroe, MI | $96,140 | 20% below national |
| 175 | Waco, TX | $95,730 | 20% below national |
| 176 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $95,550 | 21% below national |
| 177 | El Paso, TX | $95,430 | 21% below national |
| 178 | Niles, MI | $95,350 | 21% below national |
| 179 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $95,290 | 21% below national |
| 180 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $95,190 | 21% below national |
| 181 | Flagstaff, AZ | $95,080 | 21% below national |
| 182 | Las Cruces, NM | $94,950 | 21% below national |
| 183 | Topeka, KS | $94,780 | 21% below national |
| 184 | Columbus, IN | $94,700 | 21% below national |
| 185 | Wichita, KS | $94,680 | 21% below national |
| 186 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $94,640 | 21% below national |
| 187 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $94,620 | 21% below national |
| 188 | Tallahassee, FL | $94,620 | 21% below national |
| 189 | Fort Wayne, IN | $94,470 | 21% below national |
| 190 | Spartanburg, SC | $94,330 | 22% below national |
| 191 | Birmingham, AL | $94,240 | 22% below national |
| 192 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $93,930 | 22% below national |
| 193 | Ocala, FL | $93,760 | 22% below national |
| 194 | Twin Falls, ID | $93,330 | 22% below national |
| 195 | Wilmington, NC | $93,090 | 23% below national |
| 196 | Rockford, IL | $92,990 | 23% below national |
| 197 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $92,880 | 23% below national |
| 198 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $92,800 | 23% below national |
| 199 | Rochester, NY | $92,800 | 23% below national |
| 200 | Knoxville, TN | $92,640 | 23% below national |
| 201 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $92,200 | 23% below national |
| 202 | Rome, GA | $92,130 | 23% below national |
| 203 | Fargo, ND-MN | $92,050 | 23% below national |
| 204 | Springfield, IL | $92,000 | 23% below national |
| 205 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $91,760 | 24% below national |
| 206 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $91,740 | 24% below national |
| 207 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $91,630 | 24% below national |
| 208 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $91,490 | 24% below national |
| 209 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $91,340 | 24% below national |
| 210 | Oklahoma City, OK | $91,240 | 24% below national |
| 211 | Altoona, PA | $91,170 | 24% below national |
| 212 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $91,130 | 24% below national |
| 213 | Lancaster, PA | $90,960 | 24% below national |
| 214 | Missoula, MT | $90,850 | 24% below national |
| 215 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $90,030 | 25% below national |
| 216 | Lubbock, TX | $89,490 | 26% below national |
| 217 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $89,070 | 26% below national |
| 218 | Columbia, SC | $88,260 | 27% below national |
| 219 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $88,110 | 27% below national |
| 220 | Lincoln, NE | $87,890 | 27% below national |
| 221 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $87,750 | 27% below national |
| 222 | Montgomery, AL | $87,640 | 27% below national |
| 223 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $87,160 | 28% below national |
| 224 | Warner Robins, GA | $87,060 | 28% below national |
| 225 | Tulsa, OK | $86,310 | 28% below national |
| 226 | Chambersburg, PA | $86,060 | 28% below national |
| 227 | Saginaw, MI | $85,460 | 29% below national |
| 228 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $84,750 | 30% below national |
| 229 | Gainesville, GA | $84,670 | 30% below national |
| 230 | Midland, MI | $84,520 | 30% below national |
| 231 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $84,460 | 30% below national |
| 232 | Mobile, AL | $83,910 | 30% below national |
| 233 | Tucson, AZ | $83,650 | 30% below national |
| 234 | Abilene, TX | $83,600 | 30% below national |
| 235 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $83,340 | 31% below national |
| 236 | Evansville, IN | $83,140 | 31% below national |
| 237 | Bloomington, IN | $83,020 | 31% below national |
| 238 | Muncie, IN | $82,160 | 32% below national |
| 239 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $82,050 | 32% below national |
| 240 | Toledo, OH | $82,000 | 32% below national |
| 241 | State College, PA | $81,840 | 32% below national |
| 242 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $81,570 | 32% below national |
| 243 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $81,570 | 32% below national |
| 244 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $81,420 | 32% below national |
| 245 | Springfield, MO | $81,310 | 32% below national |
| 246 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $81,250 | 32% below national |
| 247 | Columbia, MO | $80,980 | 33% below national |
| 248 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $80,830 | 33% below national |
| 249 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $80,280 | 33% below national |
| 250 | Jefferson City, MO | $80,220 | 33% below national |
| 251 | Florence, SC | $80,050 | 33% below national |
| 252 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $79,990 | 33% below national |
| 253 | Logan, UT-ID | $79,880 | 34% below national |
| 254 | Charleston, WV | $79,860 | 34% below national |
| 255 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $79,720 | 34% below national |
| 256 | Flint, MI | $79,610 | 34% below national |
| 257 | Erie, PA | $79,560 | 34% below national |
| 258 | Harrisonburg, VA | $79,560 | 34% below national |
| 259 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $79,480 | 34% below national |
| 260 | Ames, IA | $79,430 | 34% below national |
| 261 | Pocatello, ID | $79,300 | 34% below national |
| 262 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $79,280 | 34% below national |
| 263 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $79,200 | 34% below national |
| 264 | Utica-Rome, NY | $79,100 | 34% below national |
| 265 | Morgantown, WV | $78,950 | 34% below national |
| 266 | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,760 | 34% below national |
| 267 | Columbus, GA-AL | $78,620 | 35% below national |
| 268 | Laredo, TX | $78,100 | 35% below national |
| 269 | Traverse City, MI | $77,420 | 36% below national |
| 270 | Terre Haute, IN | $77,220 | 36% below national |
| 271 | Bismarck, ND | $76,960 | 36% below national |
| 272 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $76,090 | 37% below national |
| 273 | Dubuque, IA | $74,790 | 38% below national |
| 274 | Ithaca, NY | $74,170 | 38% below national |
| 275 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $73,360 | 39% below national |
| 276 | Hattiesburg, MS | $72,930 | 39% below national |
| 277 | Iowa City, IA | $72,120 | 40% below national |
| 278 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $71,240 | 41% below national |
| 279 | Williamsport, PA | $70,190 | 42% below national |
| 280 | Johnson City, TN | $69,330 | 42% below national |
| 281 | Bowling Green, KY | $65,620 | 45% below national |
| 282 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $59,160 | 51% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 15 (Computer and Mathematical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Actuaries
SOC 15-2011
Computer Network Architects
SOC 15-1241
Computer Network Support Specialists
SOC 15-1231
Computer Occupations, All Other
SOC 15-1299
Computer Programmers
SOC 15-1251
Showing 5 of 20 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Computer and Mathematical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($120,230 here) and reported employment (262,440 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Data Scientists make? ▼
Where does Data Scientists pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Data Scientists the most? ▼
What education do Data Scientists need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Data Scientists? ▼
Is Data Scientists a good career? ▼
How does Data Scientists pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Data Scientists? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Data Scientists pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $158,880/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $163,350/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.