Technology · 25 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Data Scientist (2024)

The median Data Scientist salary is $173,160 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Charlotte, NC offers the best purchasing power at $135,584 adjusted.

$123,258

National Median

$173,160

Highest City

$100,420

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th–90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$173,160	$107,470 – $276,108	195.8	$88,437	6,570
2	San Francisco, CA	$166,300	$91,410 – $227,300	179.6	$92,595	9,350
3	Seattle, WA	$157,290	$93,790 – $226,830	149.4	$105,281	6,100
4	Washington, DC	$135,190	$84,780 – $208,600	152.8	$88,475	8,530
5	Boston, MA	$131,830	$80,740 – $200,390	152.1	$86,673	8,220
6	Charlotte, NC	$131,110	$72,270 – $183,760	96.7	$135,584	3,870
7	New York, NY	$130,710	$73,920 – $213,130	187.2	$69,824	19,810
8	Nashville, TN	$127,770	$67,890 – $190,000	100.3	$127,388	1,490
9	San Diego, CA	$127,200	$69,920 – $205,700	160.2	$79,401	2,550
10	Los Angeles, CA	$124,270	$66,550 – $198,830	166	$74,861	10,030
11	Austin, TX	$122,440	$72,450 – $181,930	103	$118,874	3,100
12	Salt Lake City, UT	$122,370	$59,990 – $173,370	101.4	$120,680	0
13	Dallas, TX	$120,840	$64,630 – $172,160	104.1	$116,081	8,630
14	Minneapolis, MN	$119,860	$60,070 – $171,260	106.2	$112,863	2,870
15	Miami, FL	$118,820	$60,690 – $193,530	123.1	$96,523	2,250
16	Portland, OR	$114,390	$68,870 – $200,310	130.1	$87,925	2,090
17	Chicago, IL	$112,640	$65,590 – $175,390	107.3	$104,977	5,840
18	Tampa, FL	$112,310	$59,410 – $162,980	99.6	$112,761	1,640
19	Phoenix, AZ	$109,230	$70,040 – $168,450	100.7	$108,471	3,210
20	Philadelphia, PA	$107,030	$68,330 – $174,240	118.4	$90,397	5,640
21	Denver, CO	$105,380	$67,330 – $169,220	112.8	$93,422	4,940
22	Atlanta, GA	$104,480	$66,870 – $168,010	99.2	$105,323	5,940
23	Detroit, MI	$103,710	$59,860 – $163,010	95.1	$109,054	2,810
24	Raleigh, NC	$102,690	$52,640 – $174,770	99.8	$102,896	1,940
25	Houston, TX	$100,420	$59,040 – $164,300	96.5	$104,062	4,900

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Data Scientist paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Charlotte, NC	$135,584	$131,110	96.7
2	Nashville, TN	$127,388	$127,770	100.3
3	Salt Lake City, UT	$120,680	$122,370	101.4
4	Austin, TX	$118,874	$122,440	103
5	Dallas, TX	$116,081	$120,840	104.1
6	Minneapolis, MN	$112,863	$119,860	106.2
7	Tampa, FL	$112,761	$112,310	99.6
8	Detroit, MI	$109,054	$103,710	95.1
9	Phoenix, AZ	$108,471	$109,230	100.7
10	Atlanta, GA	$105,323	$104,480	99.2
11	Seattle, WA	$105,281	$157,290	149.4
12	Chicago, IL	$104,977	$112,640	107.3
13	Houston, TX	$104,062	$100,420	96.5
14	Raleigh, NC	$102,896	$102,690	99.8
15	Miami, FL	$96,523	$118,820	123.1
16	Denver, CO	$93,422	$105,380	112.8
17	San Francisco, CA	$92,595	$166,300	179.6
18	Philadelphia, PA	$90,397	$107,030	118.4
19	Washington, DC	$88,475	$135,190	152.8
20	San Jose, CA	$88,437	$173,160	195.8
21	Portland, OR	$87,925	$114,390	130.1
22	Boston, MA	$86,673	$131,830	152.1
23	San Diego, CA	$79,401	$127,200	160.2
24	Los Angeles, CA	$74,861	$124,270	166
25	New York, NY	$69,824	$130,710	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Data Scientist salary at $173,160. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Charlotte, NC offers the most purchasing power at $135,584 adjusted.

The national median Data Scientist salary is $123,258 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $100,420 to $173,160 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above — cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.