Technology
Data Scientist — Career & Salary Intelligence
Data Scientist careers, salary ranges across the United States, education requirements, and growth outlook.
National median
$120,230
Entry (p10)
$67,240
Top 10% (p90)
$199,130
Career score
81/100
Strong Career
Career overview
Data Scientist careers, salary ranges across the United States, education requirements, and growth outlook.
Career stability score 82/100. Automation risk 35/100. Remote-work compatibility 88/100.
What the job pays nationally
The published wage distribution for this occupation, before any location adjustment. These are pay percentiles, not years of experience \u2014 the source data does not link the two.
| Percentile | What it means | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 1 in 10 earn less than this | $67,240 |
| 25th percentile | 1 in 4 earn less than this | $85,660 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $120,230 |
| 75th percentile | 1 in 4 earn more than this | $158,880 |
| 90th percentile | 1 in 10 earn more than this | $199,130 |
Salary by location
Cost-of-living adjusted mid-level compensation.
| City | COL | Median | p90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 187 | $135,980 | $216,030 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 176 | $129,740 | $208,280 |
| Chicago, IL | 107 | $107,640 | $168,880 |
| Houston, TX | 96 | $106,750 | $167,230 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 104 | $114,540 | $165,520 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 101 | $109,910 | $181,560 |
| San Antonio, TX | 90 | $103,290 | $165,250 |
| San Diego, CA | 160 | $130,990 | $201,190 |
| Dallas, TX | 103 | $127,750 | $173,340 |
| San Jose, CA | 202 | $185,080 | $282,840 |
| Austin, TX | 119 | $127,360 | $186,010 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 93 | $122,680 | $165,370 |
Salary by education
Approximate compensation by educational attainment.
| Education level | Estimated salary | vs Bachelor's |
|---|---|---|
| High School | $67,000 | -30% |
| Associate Degree | $79,000 | -18% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $96,000 | — |
| Master's Degree | $120,000 | 25% |
| Doctorate / Professional | $149,000 | 55% |
| Professional Certifications | $108,000 | 12% |
10-year career growth forecast
Projected compensation assuming standard market growth.
Certifications that increase earnings
AWS Certified Solutions Architect
Premium cloud architecture roles
Approx. uplift: +12%
Google Cloud Professional
GCP-focused enterprises pay a premium
Approx. uplift: +10%
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
Platform / SRE leverage
Approx. uplift: +9%
PMP (Project Management Professional)
Cross-functional leadership
Approx. uplift: +8%
Career Opportunity Score breakdown
Overall
81/100
Excellent
Strong Career
Compensation
77/100
Strong
Growth
92/100
Excellent
Demand
87/100
Excellent
Stability
82/100
Excellent
Advancement
59/100
Moderate
Remote flexibility
88/100
Excellent
Frequently asked questions about Data Scientist
Common questions about salary, education, growth, and total compensation.