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How Much Does a Data Scientist Make?

A data scientist in the US earns a median salary of $120,230 a year, or $57.80 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $126,800, and the middle half earn between $85,660 and $158,880.

Median a year $120,230
Median an hour $57.80
Median a month $10,019
Average a year $126,800

Data scientist pay range

What data scientists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $67,240 $32.33
25th $85,660 $41.18
Median (50th) $120,230 $57.80
75th $158,880 $76.39
90th (top 10%) $199,130 $95.74

The median is 136% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 262,440 people work as data scientists in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,312
Every two weeks
$4,624
Twice a month
$5,010
A month
$10,019

At the median salary, before tax.

Data scientist salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays data scientists the most, at $158,040 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $158,040 $163,350 9,600 After tax
California $156,000 $141,590 39,310 After tax
Maryland $144,080 $136,370 3,340 After tax
District of Columbia $142,580 $126,490 2,680 After tax
New Jersey $138,590 $135,280 6,430 After tax
New York $137,690 $130,460 23,970 After tax
Massachusetts $136,460 $131,750 9,420 After tax
Virginia $134,590 $126,430 8,920 After tax
Oregon $131,300 $125,990 2,140 After tax
Connecticut $129,850 $126,340 1,760 After tax
Colorado $126,800 $117,400 6,280 After tax
Minnesota $126,290 $128,800 4,020 After tax
Vermont $123,640 $127,070 200 After tax
North Carolina $121,270 $119,090 11,430 After tax
Texas $119,710 $122,090 25,860 After tax
Florida $119,150 $115,820 10,240 After tax
Hawaii $118,940 $102,130 300 After tax
Illinois $117,870 $106,560 10,520 After tax
Wisconsin $116,600 $106,680 4,370 After tax
Arkansas $116,320 $109,390 530 After tax
Georgia $115,940 $104,340 9,260 After tax
Utah $114,880 $108,090 4,360 After tax
Arizona $111,950 $107,240 4,560 After tax
Rhode Island $111,260 $102,440 1,160 After tax
Pennsylvania $110,810 $106,850 13,810 After tax
Idaho $110,220 $89,380 1,350 After tax
New Hampshire $109,880 $100,620 1,100 After tax
Nevada $108,340 $98,540 1,680 After tax
Montana $108,170 $100,490 220 After tax
Ohio $107,160 $102,630 6,100 After tax
Michigan $105,890 $100,590 7,360 After tax
Tennessee $105,200 $100,330 2,790 After tax
Alabama $105,180 $103,120 1,740 After tax
Kansas $105,080 $98,130 490 After tax
South Carolina $102,830 $91,990 3,750 After tax
South Dakota $102,450 $96,150 220 After tax
Missouri $100,880 $97,090 4,730 After tax
Kentucky $100,840 $91,760 1,540 After tax
Nebraska $98,980 $98,230 1,980 After tax
Indiana $98,340 $91,470 3,580 After tax
Iowa $98,100 $95,830 2,300 After tax
Maine $97,500 $90,880 1,210 After tax
Oklahoma $94,950 $86,310 1,900 After tax
New Mexico $94,160 $95,850 560 After tax
West Virginia $90,730 $85,090 390 After tax
Alaska $89,810 $84,110 230 After tax
Louisiana $88,480 $78,760 1,300 After tax
North Dakota $87,570 $81,900 210 After tax
Puerto Rico $84,570 $80,350 100
Mississippi $79,290 $69,490 440 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other computer and mathematical jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Data Scientists” (SOC 15-2051). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a data scientist make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a data scientist is $57.80, and the average is $60.96. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $32.33 an hour and the top 10% over $95.74.

How much does a data scientist make a month?

At the median salary of $120,230, a data scientist earns about $10,019 a month before tax, or $4,624 every two weeks.

Which state pays data scientists the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a data scientist, at $158,040 a year. Next are California and Maryland. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a data scientist?

The lowest-paid 10% of data scientists earn less than $67,240 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $85,660. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid data scientists make?

The top 10% earn more than $199,130 a year, and the top 25% more than $158,880.