Data Scientists Salary 2025: $111,767 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$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.
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The national median wage for data scientists (BLS SOC 15-2051) is $111,767 per year — about $54/hour — across 188,180 workers in 69 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $132,442 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $74,447 while the 90th earns $194,620 — a 2.6× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most data scientists land in the $95,092–$160,339 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $185,080, versus $83,650 in Tucson, AZ, AZ — a 121% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Charlotte, NC delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($136,980 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
As a Technology occupation, data scientist pay carries a national-market premium: remote-friendly hiring lets high-paying coastal employers compete for talent anywhere, widening the geographic spread beyond what most fields show. OEWS reports base wage only — the equity and bonuses common in tech sit on top.
Data Scientists Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what data scientists earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $74,447 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $95,092 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $126,058 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $160,339 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $194,620 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
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 |
What Employers Actually Pay Data Scientists (H-1B Filings)
BLS figures are survey estimates. When employers sponsor foreign workers they must file the wage they actually pay. Across 1,153 certified H-1B applications for this occupation (U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data), employers reported a median wage of $134,511 — 20% above the BLS all-worker median of $111,767. H-1B roles skew toward senior, specialized positions at large employers in high-cost metros, so they typically run above the broad BLS figure.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) H-1B LCA disclosure data. Figures are application-weighted across certified filings for SOC 15-2051.
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Data Scientist & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Data Scientist, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Data Scientist prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Explore Data Scientist Pay Further
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Data Scientist is $111,767 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $132,442. Salaries range from $83,650 to $185,080 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) earn about $74,447 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $111,767, $160,339 at the 75th percentile, and $194,620 for the top 10% of earners.
The median data scientist earns about $54/hour, based on the $111,767 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Data Scientist at $185,080, well above the national median of $111,767. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 188,180 Data Scientist positions in the US across 69 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile data scientist earns $194,620 — about 2.6× the $74,447 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.