Data Scientist Salary: Phoenix, AZ vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Data Scientists in Phoenix, AZ and Austin, TX, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Phoenix, AZ | Austin, TX | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $114,540 | $127,360▲ | -$12,820 |
| 25th Percentile | $85,530 | $85,780▲ | -$250 |
| 75th Percentile | $136,710 | $161,560▲ | -$24,850 |
| 90th Percentile | $165,520 | $186,010▲ | -$20,490 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 103.3 | 98.1 | +5.2 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $110,864 | $129,872▲ | -$19,008 |
| Total Employment | 3,480 | 3,730 | -250 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Austin, TX pays $12,820 more (median: $114,540 vs $127,360). BEA's regional price parity is 103.3 in Phoenix, AZ and 98.1 in Austin, TX (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $110,864 and $129,872, so Austin, TX comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Data Scientist City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $12,820 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $110,864 for Phoenix and $129,872 for Austin, a difference of $19,008.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 3,480 Data Scientist jobs in the Phoenix area and 3,730 in the Austin area. For broader context, see our Arizona overview and the full Data Scientist city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Data Scientist salary higher in Phoenix, AZ or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX has the higher median wage for Data Scientists ($127,360 per year, against $114,540 in Phoenix, AZ; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $110,864 in Phoenix, AZ and $129,872 in Austin, TX.
How do prices compare between Phoenix, AZ and Austin, TX?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 103.3 for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area and 98.1 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 3.3% above the national level for Phoenix, AZ and 1.9% below the national level for Austin, TX.
Which city pays Data Scientists more once local prices are counted?
Austin, TX: at national-average prices its median Data Scientist wage is $129,872, against $110,864 for Phoenix, AZ. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.