BLS SOC 15-2051 · Technology
Data Scientist Salary
Data scientists analyze complex datasets to extract actionable insights and build predictive models. They combine statistics, machine learning, and domain expertise to drive data-driven decisions.
Data: BLS OEWS · 2026
National Median
$119,800
annual
25th Percentile
$92,246
annual
75th Percentile
$153,344
annual
90th Percentile
$191,680
annual
National Salary Distribution
P25: $92,246Median: $119,800P75: $153,344P90: $191,680
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Top Paying Cities for Data Scientist
Ranked by median annual salary
| # | City | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $165,000 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $162,000 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $158,000 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $148,000 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $145,000 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $142,000 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $138,000 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $132,000 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $132,000 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $128,000 |
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Best After Cost of Living
Salary adjusted for cost of living (US avg = $100k)
| # | City | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $115,385 |
| 2 | Raleigh, NC | $114,563 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | $113,333 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $112,360 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $112,150 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $112,150 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $111,650 |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | $111,607 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $111,111 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $109,259 |
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Data Scientist Salary — All Cities
All 30 metro areas, sorted by median salary
| City | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $125,000 | $165,000 | $215,000 | $270,000 | 18,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $123,000 | $162,000 | $210,000 | $262,000 | 16,000 |
| New York, NY | $120,000 | $158,000 | $205,000 | $258,000 | 24,000 |
| Boston, MA | $112,000 | $148,000 | $192,000 | $240,000 | 14,000 |
| Washington, DC | $110,000 | $145,000 | $188,000 | $235,000 | 15,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $108,000 | $142,000 | $185,000 | $230,000 | 16,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $105,000 | $138,000 | $179,000 | $224,000 | 8,000 |
| Austin, TX | $100,000 | $132,000 | $172,000 | $215,000 | 12,000 |
| Portland, OR | $100,000 | $132,000 | $172,000 | $215,000 | 6,000 |
| Denver, CO | $97,000 | $128,000 | $166,000 | $208,000 | 9,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $95,000 | $125,000 | $162,000 | $202,000 | 11,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $91,000 | $120,000 | $156,000 | $196,000 | 11,000 |
| Houston, TX | $91,000 | $120,000 | $156,000 | $196,000 | 9,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $90,000 | $118,000 | $153,000 | $191,000 | 9,000 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $90,000 | $118,000 | $153,000 | $191,000 | 7,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $90,000 | $118,000 | $153,000 | $191,000 | 7,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $87,000 | $115,000 | $149,000 | $186,000 | 8,000 |
| Miami, FL | $85,000 | $112,000 | $146,000 | $182,000 | 7,000 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $85,000 | $112,000 | $146,000 | $182,000 | 5,000 |
| Nashville, TN | $83,000 | $110,000 | $143,000 | $179,000 | 5,000 |
| Charlotte, NC | $82,000 | $108,000 | $140,000 | $175,000 | 6,000 |
| Richmond, VA | $82,000 | $108,000 | $140,000 | $175,000 | 4,000 |
| Columbus, OH | $80,000 | $105,000 | $136,000 | $170,000 | 5,000 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $77,000 | $102,000 | $132,000 | $166,000 | 4,000 |
| Detroit, MI | $76,000 | $100,000 | $130,000 | $163,000 | 4,000 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $76,000 | $100,000 | $130,000 | $163,000 | 4,000 |
| Louisville, KY | $70,000 | $93,000 | $121,000 | $151,000 | 3,000 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $68,000 | $90,000 | $117,000 | $146,000 | 3,000 |
| Memphis, TN | $66,000 | $88,000 | $114,000 | $143,000 | 2,000 |
| El Paso, TX | $62,000 | $82,000 | $106,000 | $133,000 | 2,000 |
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Compare Data Scientist Salaries: City vs City
Top Skills for Data Scientist
PythonMachine LearningSQLStatisticsData Visualization