Median Salary
$120,230
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$57.80
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$199,130
entry level starts ~$67,240
Pay Grade
A
excellent pay · 262,000 employed
How much does a Data Scientist make?
Data Scientists in the United States bring home a median salary of $120,230 a year, or around $57.80 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $67,240, while the top 10% earn $199,130.
That is $58,840 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Data Scientist salary range by percentile
Half of all Data Scientists earn between $85,660 and $158,880 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $67,240 | $32.33 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $85,660 | $41.18 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $120,230 | $57.80 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $158,880 | $76.38 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $199,130 | $95.74 |
|
Highest-paying states for Data Scientist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Data Scientist pay at $163,350 a year, followed by California ($141,590) and Maryland ($136,370). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $69,490 — a gap of $93,860 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Data Scientist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 49 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Washington $163,350California $141,590Maryland $136,370New Jersey $135,280Massachusetts $131,750New York $130,460Minnesota $128,800Vermont $127,070District of Columbia $126,490Virginia $126,430Connecticut $126,340Oregon $125,990Texas $122,090North Carolina $119,090Colorado $117,400Florida $115,820Arkansas $109,390Utah $108,090Arizona $107,240Pennsylvania $106,850Wisconsin $106,680Illinois $106,560Georgia $104,340Alabama $103,120Ohio $102,630Rhode Island $102,440Hawaii $102,130New Hampshire $100,620Michigan $100,590Montana $100,490Tennessee $100,330Nevada $98,540Nebraska $98,230Kansas $98,130Missouri $97,090South Dakota $96,150New Mexico $95,850Iowa $95,830South Carolina $91,990Kentucky $91,760Indiana $91,470Maine $90,880Idaho $89,380Oklahoma $86,310West Virginia $85,090Alaska $84,110North Dakota $81,900Louisiana $78,760Mississippi $69,490
Workforce and education
About 262,000 people work as Data Scientists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $126,800 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Data Scientist make in the United States?
The median Data Scientist salary in the United States is $120,230 per year, or about $57.80 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $67,240, while the top 10% of earners make $199,130 or more.
How does Data Scientist pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A (excellent pay), the Data Scientist median of $120,230 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Data Scientists the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Data Scientists, with a median salary of $163,350 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Data Scientist?
Becoming a Data Scientist typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Data Scientists work in the United States?
About 262,000 people were employed as Data Scientists in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.