Data Scientist Salary Guide

Considerations for Skills and Certifications

Skills can influence data scientist salaries because not all data science roles require the same level of technical depth. Skills for data scientists range from machine learning, data modeling, natural language processing, large datasets, visualization, and reporting. Additionally, data scientists may need certifications or expertise in specific technologies, such as Python, SQL, R, and machine learning tools.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says data scientists typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related field, and that some employers require or prefer a master’s or even doctoral degree. A master’s in data science may help students build advanced skills in statistics, programming, machine learning, and applied analytics, but salary outcomes still depend on experience, portfolio work, employer needs, and the responsibilities of the role.

For cloud-based machine learning roles, the AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate credential focuses on implementing and operationalizing machine learning workloads in production. The AWS Certified AI Practitioner credential is more foundational, covering concepts and use cases in AI, machine learning, and generative AI. For Microsoft-focused roles, the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate credential focuses on designing, developing, and deploying Azure AI solutions using Python and Microsoft Foundry.

A cloud or AI credential may be useful for data scientists pursuing machine learning engineering, MLOps, AI engineering, or platform-heavy roles. It may be less important for roles focused mainly on reporting, dashboards, or general business analytics. Before investing in a certification, compare job postings in your target market and look for repeated requirements around AWS, Azure, Python, SQL, machine learning, data pipelines, or model deployment.

Top Paying Locations for Data Scientists

Salaries for data scientists vary by region and state. Many high-paying jobs can be found in coastal states, such as California, Washington, and New York. However, the cost of living and lifestyle costs in those locations are all part of earned wages. It is possible to earn a high salary as a data scientist elsewhere in the United States. Depending on the employer, some data scientists may also work remotely, which offers the opportunity to live where they want while maximizing their earning potential.

Top Paying States for Data Scientists

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for May 2025, the states below reported median annual wages for data scientists above the national median for the occupation, $120,230

Top Paying Metro and Nonmetro Areas for Data Scientists

Metro-level salary data can reveal high-paying local markets that may not stand out in statewide figures. The comparison below uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for data scientists. Below, you can review metro and nonmetro areas where median pay was at least 10% higher than the national benchmark ($120,230). The figures compare wages for the same occupation across geographies, but they do not adjust for cost of living, housing, taxes, remote-work availability, or the number of local openings.

Standout Markets for Data Scientist Salaries

Some metro areas report median wages for data scientists well above the national benchmark, even when the statewide median is lower. The comparison below uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for data scientists. It highlights metro areas where median pay was at least 10% above the U.S. benchmark, while the statewide median for data scientists was below the national benchmark.

A few areas are especially useful reminders that local labor markets can differ from statewide patterns.

• Idaho Falls, ID: The metro median annual wage for data scientists was $167,840, compared with Idaho’s statewide median of $89,380.
• North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL: The metro median annual wage was $146,980, compared with Florida’s statewide median of $115,820.
• Boulder, CO: The metro median annual wage was $134,040, compared with Colorado’s statewide median of $117,400.
• Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: The metro median annual wage was $132,460, compared with North Carolina’s statewide median of $119,090.

Those gaps do not mean these markets are automatically better places to work, but they may point to local employer clusters or specialized labor markets. Keep in mind these figures represent wage data only and do not account for the cost of living, housing costs, taxes, remote work options, or the number of available jobs. But they do show why it can be useful to look beyond statewide salary figures when comparing data scientist pay.

Data Scientist Salary by Industry

Data scientists work across many parts of the economy, but industry can shape both the work itself and the salary range. In technology, software, and digital platforms, data scientists may work on product analytics, machine learning systems, search, recommendations, infrastructure, or user behavior. In finance, they may support risk modeling, fraud detection, credit decisions, or investment analysis. In research, science, and engineering, they may work with experimental data, simulations, health or life sciences data, or advanced modeling. Other roles may sit in consulting, corporate analytics, manufacturing, health care, insurance, or commercial supply chains.

Because those settings vary so much, industry-level salaries are most useful when median wages are compared with employment estimates. Some industries report high median wages but employ relatively few data scientists. Others may offer more roles, even if the median wage is closer to the national benchmark. The table below focuses on industries where above-national-median pay and meaningful employment appear to overlap.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the national median annual wage for data scientists was $120,230 across industries. The following industry categories reported median wages above that benchmark and employed at least 1,000 data scientists.

*Employment refers to the estimated number of wage-and-salary workers employed in an occupation. BLS estimates the number of data scientists working in each industry category. These figures do not include self-employed workers.

FAQs About Data Scientist Salary

The salary data in this guide, including the figures referenced in the FAQ section below, comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051). BLS OEWS data provide national, state, metro, industry, and wage-percentile estimates for wage-and-salary workers in this occupation.

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