Data Scientists Salary 2025: $111,767 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
$111,767 per year is the national median annual wage for data scientists (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $54/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $109,740 to $282,840. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 15-2051.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $111,767
- Median hourly wage
- $54/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $132,442
- Total US employment
- 188,180
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($185,080)
- BLS SOC code
- 15-2051
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
Data Scientist (SOC 15-2051) is a high-paying U.S. occupation: national median wage of $111,767 across 188,180 reported workers per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey.
Geographic wage spread is wide: across the 69 cities reporting data, median Data Scientist wages range from $83,650 to $185,080 — roughly 121% above the floor. The spread reflects cost-of-living, regional supply-and-demand, and industry-mix differences. Data Scientist sits in the Technology category — occupations with high national wage premiums driven by sustained labor-demand growth. Tech roles tend to show wider geographic spreads than other categories because remote-friendly hiring lets high-paying coastal employers compete for workers anywhere.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Data Scientists salaries range from $83,650 to $185,080 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Data Scientists Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $109,740 | $139,876 | $185,080 | $233,960 | $282,840 | $94,525 | 6,060 |
| San Francisco, CA | $99,170 | $127,546 | $170,110 | $221,270 | $272,430 | $94,716 | 10,460 |
| Seattle, WA | $81,130 | $114,574 | $164,740 | $197,860 | $230,980 | $110,268 | 8,370 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $94,240 | $113,248 | $141,760 | $179,880 | $218,000 | $103,098 | 570 |
| New York, NY | $79,870 | $102,314 | $135,980 | $176,005 | $216,030 | $72,639 | 23,160 |
| Baltimore, MD | $76,820 | $99,820 | $134,320 | $180,785 | $227,250 | $117,618 | 1,090 |
| Charlotte, NC | $70,790 | $95,458 | $132,460 | $151,830 | $171,200 | $136,980 | 4,420 |
| Washington, DC | $85,250 | $104,030 | $132,200 | $172,260 | $212,320 | $86,518 | 9,260 |
| Boston, MA | $82,030 | $102,034 | $132,040 | $169,130 | $206,220 | $86,811 | 7,930 |
| San Diego, CA | $74,110 | $96,862 | $130,990 | $166,090 | $201,190 | $81,767 | 2,830 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $71,990 | $95,106 | $129,780 | $162,655 | $195,530 | $122,203 | 3,250 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $71,080 | $94,544 | $129,740 | $169,010 | $208,280 | $78,157 | 9,850 |
| Portland, OR | $78,110 | $98,706 | $129,600 | $168,855 | $208,110 | $99,616 | 1,700 |
| Dallas, TX | $65,190 | $90,214 | $127,750 | $150,545 | $173,340 | $122,719 | 10,120 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $75,300 | $96,220 | $127,600 | $161,435 | $195,270 | $122,105 | 580 |
| Miami, FL | $62,590 | $88,534 | $127,450 | $163,290 | $199,130 | $103,534 | 3,040 |
| Austin, TX | $74,640 | $95,728 | $127,360 | $156,685 | $186,010 | $123,650 | 3,730 |
| Hartford, CT | $85,970 | $102,118 | $126,340 | $161,725 | $197,110 | $112,202 | 560 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $62,710 | $86,698 | $122,680 | $144,025 | $165,370 | $129,001 | 880 |
| Richmond, VA | $68,510 | $90,110 | $122,510 | $165,340 | $208,170 | $119,990 | 1,050 |
| Raleigh, NC | $72,190 | $91,598 | $120,710 | $150,780 | $180,850 | $120,952 | 1,990 |
| Spokane, WA | $68,770 | $88,162 | $117,250 | $146,205 | $175,160 | $120,380 | 160 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $62,050 | $83,226 | $114,990 | $137,405 | $159,820 | $113,402 | 2,970 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $68,880 | $87,144 | $114,540 | $140,030 | $165,520 | $113,744 | 3,480 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $66,690 | $85,178 | $112,910 | $161,005 | $209,100 | $92,247 | 1,000 |
| Denver, CO | $74,830 | $89,906 | $112,520 | $145,610 | $178,700 | $99,752 | 4,510 |
| Tampa, FL | $67,530 | $84,514 | $109,990 | $135,735 | $161,480 | $110,432 | 1,730 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $67,950 | $84,734 | $109,910 | $145,735 | $181,560 | $92,829 | 6,480 |
| Atlanta, GA | $72,430 | $87,034 | $108,940 | $140,535 | $172,130 | $109,819 | 6,820 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,530 | $81,298 | $107,950 | $138,665 | $169,380 | $115,951 | 1,480 |
| Chicago, IL | $70,740 | $85,500 | $107,640 | $138,260 | $168,880 | $100,317 | 7,940 |
| Houston, TX | $62,980 | $80,488 | $106,750 | $136,990 | $167,230 | $110,622 | 4,060 |
| Orlando, FL | $60,490 | $78,930 | $106,590 | $136,290 | $165,990 | $103,385 | 1,440 |
| Greensboro, NC | $66,350 | $82,234 | $106,060 | $131,895 | $157,730 | $116,166 | 370 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $78,790 | $89,158 | $104,710 | $133,945 | $163,180 | $107,505 | 1,080 |
| Sacramento, CA | $77,430 | $87,938 | $103,700 | $132,220 | $160,740 | $83,160 | 2,710 |
| Little Rock, AR | $67,490 | $81,898 | $103,510 | $116,455 | $129,400 | $117,358 | 130 |
| Detroit, MI | $62,400 | $78,772 | $103,330 | $135,920 | $168,510 | $108,654 | 3,810 |
| San Antonio, TX | $59,790 | $77,190 | $103,290 | $134,270 | $165,250 | $112,885 | 1,730 |
| Des Moines, IA | $65,480 | $80,500 | $103,030 | $126,610 | $150,190 | $110,429 | 1,240 |
| Nashville, TN | $63,570 | $79,350 | $103,020 | $134,340 | $165,660 | $102,712 | 1,360 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $64,420 | $79,712 | $102,650 | $132,070 | $161,490 | $112,555 | 1,680 |
| Providence, RI | $72,170 | $84,278 | $102,440 | $131,550 | $160,660 | $85,796 | 1,170 |
| Buffalo, NY | $55,940 | $74,464 | $102,250 | $130,605 | $158,960 | $110,541 | 840 |
| Memphis, TN | $63,120 | $78,760 | $102,220 | $131,195 | $160,170 | $121,690 | 410 |
| Fresno, CA | $53,470 | $72,582 | $101,250 | $134,040 | $166,830 | $95,972 | 220 |
| Omaha, NE | $70,720 | $82,764 | $100,830 | $118,350 | $135,870 | $109,837 | 1,200 |
| Louisville, KY | $64,100 | $78,452 | $99,980 | $132,045 | $164,110 | $110,843 | 650 |
| Kansas City, MO | $61,820 | $77,040 | $99,870 | $124,465 | $149,060 | $104,686 | 1,260 |
| St. Louis, MO | $59,500 | $75,540 | $99,600 | $128,955 | $158,310 | $110,667 | 2,640 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $61,800 | $76,724 | $99,110 | $124,195 | $149,280 | $110,000 | 1,880 |
| Albany, NY | $64,450 | $78,246 | $98,940 | $129,700 | $160,460 | $98,252 | 830 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $58,440 | $74,636 | $98,930 | $128,820 | $158,710 | $90,761 | 1,180 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $58,260 | $74,456 | $98,750 | $115,750 | $132,750 | $105,053 | 360 |
| Anchorage, AK | $57,180 | $73,760 | $98,630 | $138,160 | $177,690 | $77,661 | 120 |
| New Orleans, LA | $59,560 | $75,092 | $98,390 | $114,460 | $130,530 | $102,596 | 200 |
| Boise, ID | $62,260 | $76,536 | $97,950 | $133,155 | $168,360 | $95,935 | 600 |
| Reno, NV | $55,220 | $72,308 | $97,940 | $146,805 | $195,670 | $91,962 | 330 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $60,580 | $75,016 | $96,670 | $127,135 | $157,600 | $104,735 | 2,270 |
| Wichita, KS | $67,840 | $78,576 | $94,680 | $124,110 | $153,540 | $112,714 | 70 |
| Birmingham, AL | $58,690 | $72,910 | $94,240 | $124,450 | $154,660 | $104,248 | 490 |
| Rochester, NY | $49,070 | $66,562 | $92,800 | $124,000 | $155,200 | $99,892 | 1,190 |
| Knoxville, TN | $61,980 | $74,244 | $92,640 | $120,865 | $149,090 | $102,591 | 320 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $65,840 | $76,384 | $92,200 | $125,275 | $158,350 | $91,650 | 200 |
| Greenville, SC | $61,110 | $73,262 | $91,490 | $114,885 | $138,280 | $101,543 | 660 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $58,910 | $71,842 | $91,240 | $120,645 | $150,050 | $105,480 | 820 |
| Tulsa, OK | $56,510 | $68,430 | $86,310 | $115,645 | $144,980 | $99,435 | 600 |
| Lexington, KY | $61,890 | $70,918 | $84,460 | $111,915 | $139,370 | $92,508 | 230 |
| Tucson, AZ | $62,830 | $71,158 | $83,650 | $108,965 | $134,280 | $87,683 | 360 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Data Scientist is $111,767 as of 2025. The national mean (average) is $132,442. Salaries range from $83,650 to $185,080 depending on city and cost of living.
Data Scientist salaries vary significantly by metro area. The highest-paying cities offer median salaries well above the national average of $111,767, though cost of living should be factored in. Check the city breakdown table above for COL-adjusted figures.
There are approximately 188,180 Data Scientist positions in the US across 69 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data Scientist positions at the 90th percentile earn significantly more than the median, suggesting strong income growth potential with experience and specialization. The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile indicates the impact that skills, location, and seniority have on compensation.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.