Data Scientists
Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051) earn a median $120,230 a year ($57.80 an hour) in the United States, with 262,440 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What data scientists do
Data scientists develop and run analytic techniques that turn raw data into information organizations can act on. They work in programming languages built for data and in visualization tools, using techniques such as data mining, modeling, language processing, and machine learning to pull insight from large structured and unstructured data sets. Data scientists visualize, interpret, and report data findings, and they may create dynamic data reports. Titles include data analyst, applied scientist, and analytics consultant. The occupation differs from statisticians, who emphasize statistical theory and study design, from operations research analysts, who use optimization models, and from database administrators and architects, who store and organize the data. It also differs from computer and information research scientists, who invent new computing methods. The occupation excludes statisticians, cartographers and photogrammetrists, and health information technologists and medical registrars, which have their own classifications.
Also called: Analytics Consultant, Applied Scientist, Data Analyst, Data Analytic Scientist, Data Analytics Manager.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $32.33 | $41.18 | $57.80 | $76.39 | $95.74 | $60.96 | 262,440 |
| Annual | $67,240 | $85,660 | $120,230 | $158,880 | $199,130 | $126,800 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where data scientists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $38.43 | $50.60 | $78.54 | $100.15 | $105.79 | $75.98 | 9,600 | 2.71 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $79,930 | $105,240 | $163,350 | $208,320 | $220,040 | $158,040 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $37.25 | $49.69 | $68.07 | $89.82 | $108.13 | $75.00 | 39,310 | 2.16 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $77,480 | $103,360 | $141,590 | $186,820 | $224,920 | $156,000 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $37.46 | $48.25 | $65.56 | $81.50 | $102.53 | $69.27 | 3,340 | 1.21 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $77,930 | $100,370 | $136,370 | $169,510 | $213,270 | $144,080 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $38.81 | $49.02 | $65.04 | $80.45 | $98.05 | $66.63 | 6,430 | 1.50 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $80,720 | $101,970 | $135,280 | $167,330 | $203,950 | $138,590 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $38.96 | $49.01 | $63.34 | $79.90 | $99.15 | $65.61 | 9,420 | 2.59 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $81,030 | $101,940 | $131,750 | $166,180 | $206,220 | $136,460 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $37.25 | $49.69 | $68.07 | $89.82 | $108.13 | $75.00 | 39,310 | 2.16 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $77,480 | $103,360 | $141,590 | $186,820 | $224,920 | $156,000 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $31.03 | $40.33 | $58.70 | $70.21 | $82.11 | $57.55 | 25,860 | 1.84 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $64,540 | $83,880 | $122,090 | $146,030 | $170,780 | $119,710 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $35.25 | $45.62 | $62.72 | $82.49 | $102.92 | $66.20 | 23,970 | 2.47 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $73,330 | $94,880 | $130,460 | $171,580 | $214,080 | $137,690 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $30.45 | $38.09 | $51.37 | $62.09 | $78.03 | $53.28 | 13,810 | 2.28 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $63,340 | $79,220 | $106,850 | $129,160 | $162,290 | $110,810 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $31.72 | $39.63 | $57.25 | $70.93 | $83.09 | $58.30 | 11,430 | 2.31 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $65,970 | $82,440 | $119,090 | $147,540 | $172,830 | $121,270 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $52.76 | $71.91 | $88.98 | $105.51 | $135.98 | $102.29 | 6,060 | 5.34 | 3.16 |
| Annual | $109,740 | $149,570 | $185,080 | $219,460 | $282,840 | $212,760 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $47.68 | $62.71 | $81.79 | $102.39 | $130.98 | $84.05 | 10,460 | 4.41 | 2.61 |
| Annual | $99,170 | $130,430 | $170,110 | $212,970 | $272,430 | $174,830 | ||||
| Idaho Falls, ID | Hourly | $36.91 | $65.87 | $80.69 | $81.26 | $105.48 | $76.50 | 230 | 2.84 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $76,770 | $137,020 | $167,840 | $169,010 | $219,400 | $159,110 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $39.00 | $52.28 | $79.20 | $101.14 | $111.05 | $77.14 | 8,370 | 4.01 | 2.38 |
| Annual | $81,130 | $108,740 | $164,740 | $210,370 | $230,980 | $160,460 | ||||
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | Hourly | $44.22 | $57.89 | $75.40 | $99.57 | $109.98 | $75.66 | 150 | 1.16 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $91,970 | $120,420 | $156,830 | $207,110 | $228,760 | $157,380 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $38.40 | $48.71 | $65.37 | $83.25 | $103.86 | $69.57 | 23,160 | 2.44 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $79,870 | $101,320 | $135,980 | $173,160 | $216,030 | $144,700 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $47.68 | $62.71 | $81.79 | $102.39 | $130.98 | $84.05 | 10,460 | 4.41 | 2.61 |
| Annual | $99,170 | $130,430 | $170,110 | $212,970 | $272,430 | $174,830 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $31.34 | $43.51 | $61.42 | $70.55 | $83.34 | $59.21 | 10,120 | 2.50 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $65,190 | $90,510 | $127,750 | $146,750 | $173,340 | $123,150 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $34.17 | $43.92 | $62.38 | $80.97 | $100.13 | $65.72 | 9,850 | 1.57 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $71,080 | $91,350 | $129,740 | $168,420 | $208,280 | $136,700 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $40.99 | $50.82 | $63.56 | $83.16 | $102.08 | $68.99 | 9,260 | 2.95 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $85,250 | $105,700 | $132,200 | $172,960 | $212,320 | $143,510 | ||||
Top industries employing data scientists
Management of Companies and Enterprises employ 10.9% of data scientists nationally (28,620 jobs) at a median $128,050 a year ($61.56 an hour), followed by Computer Systems Design and Related Services (10.5%) and Insurance Carriers (5.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 28,620 | 10.9% | $128,050 | $61.56 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 27,590 | 10.5% | $132,380 | $63.65 |
| Insurance Carriers NAICS 524100 | 15,090 | 5.7% | $107,680 | $51.77 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 15,060 | 5.7% | $112,520 | $54.10 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) NAICS 5220A1 | 12,450 | 4.7% | $130,300 | $62.65 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (262,440). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $100,910 for data scientists in May 2021 and $120,230 in May 2025, with employment of 105,980 and 262,440.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $100,910 | $48.52 | 105,980 |
| May 2022 | $103,500 | $49.76 | 159,630 |
| May 2023 | $108,020 | $51.93 | 192,710 |
| May 2024 | $112,590 | $54.13 | 233,440 |
| May 2025 | $120,230 | $57.80 | 262,440 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $78.54 | $163,350 | $79,930 | $220,040 | 9,600 | 2.71 | 1.60 |
| 2 | California profile | $68.07 | $141,590 | $77,480 | $224,920 | 39,310 | 2.16 | 1.28 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $65.56 | $136,370 | $77,930 | $213,270 | 3,340 | 1.21 | 0.72 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $65.04 | $135,280 | $80,720 | $203,950 | 6,430 | 1.50 | 0.89 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $63.34 | $131,750 | $81,030 | $206,220 | 9,420 | 2.59 | 1.53 |
| 6 | New York profile | $62.72 | $130,460 | $73,330 | $214,080 | 23,970 | 2.47 | 1.47 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $61.92 | $128,800 | $65,730 | $179,640 | 4,020 | 1.36 | 0.81 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | $61.09 | $127,070 | $76,570 | $160,430 | 200 | 0.65 | 0.38 |
| 9 | District of Columbia profile | $60.81 | $126,490 | $89,750 | $209,730 | 2,680 | 3.83 | 2.27 |
| 10 | Virginia profile | $60.79 | $126,430 | $76,420 | $207,890 | 8,920 | 2.17 | 1.29 |
| 11 | Connecticut profile | $60.74 | $126,340 | $75,700 | $204,680 | 1,760 | 1.04 | 0.61 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | $60.57 | $125,990 | $78,110 | $206,550 | 2,140 | 1.09 | 0.65 |
| 13 | Texas profile | $58.70 | $122,090 | $64,540 | $170,780 | 25,860 | 1.84 | 1.09 |
| 14 | North Carolina profile | $57.25 | $119,090 | $65,970 | $172,830 | 11,430 | 2.31 | 1.37 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $56.44 | $117,400 | $74,470 | $189,630 | 6,280 | 2.19 | 1.29 |
| 16 | Florida profile | $55.69 | $115,820 | $63,080 | $174,140 | 10,240 | 1.03 | 0.61 |
| 17 | Arkansas profile | $52.59 | $109,390 | $67,090 | $169,110 | 530 | 0.41 | 0.24 |
| 18 | Utah profile | $51.97 | $108,090 | $60,680 | $167,890 | 4,360 | 2.51 | 1.49 |
| 19 | Arizona profile | $51.56 | $107,240 | $65,200 | $161,730 | 4,560 | 1.41 | 0.83 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $51.37 | $106,850 | $63,340 | $162,290 | 13,810 | 2.28 | 1.35 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $51.29 | $106,680 | $76,300 | $168,810 | 4,370 | 1.49 | 0.88 |
| 22 | Illinois profile | $51.23 | $106,560 | $68,810 | $168,880 | 10,520 | 1.72 | 1.02 |
| 23 | Georgia profile | $50.16 | $104,340 | $67,750 | $170,010 | 9,260 | 1.89 | 1.12 |
| 24 | Alabama profile | $49.58 | $103,120 | $59,130 | $161,590 | 1,740 | 0.82 | 0.49 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | $49.34 | $102,630 | $61,710 | $160,650 | 6,100 | 1.10 | 0.65 |
| 26 | Rhode Island profile | $49.25 | $102,440 | $75,310 | $158,820 | 1,160 | 2.31 | 1.37 |
| 27 | Hawaii profile | $49.10 | $102,130 | $77,270 | $172,870 | 300 | 0.48 | 0.29 |
| 28 | New Hampshire profile | $48.37 | $100,620 | $73,480 | $155,020 | 1,100 | 1.61 | 0.95 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $48.36 | $100,590 | $60,830 | $162,670 | 7,360 | 1.67 | 0.99 |
| 30 | Montana profile | $48.31 | $100,490 | $67,120 | $167,150 | 220 | 0.42 | 0.25 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $48.24 | $100,330 | $60,200 | $156,160 | 2,790 | 0.85 | 0.50 |
| 32 | Nevada profile | $47.37 | $98,540 | $57,150 | $164,110 | 1,680 | 1.08 | 0.64 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | $47.23 | $98,230 | $66,230 | $133,140 | 1,980 | 1.94 | 1.15 |
| 34 | Kansas profile | $47.18 | $98,130 | $60,520 | $154,990 | 490 | 0.34 | 0.20 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $46.68 | $97,090 | $58,960 | $151,380 | 4,730 | 1.61 | 0.95 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $46.22 | $96,150 | $67,510 | $145,510 | 220 | 0.49 | 0.29 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $46.08 | $95,850 | $49,990 | $133,660 | 560 | 0.64 | 0.38 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $46.07 | $95,830 | $56,070 | $146,700 | 2,300 | 1.48 | 0.87 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $44.23 | $91,990 | $61,600 | $156,000 | 3,750 | 1.63 | 0.96 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $44.12 | $91,760 | $61,990 | $156,480 | 1,540 | 0.77 | 0.46 |
| 41 | Indiana profile | $43.98 | $91,470 | $58,750 | $141,250 | 3,580 | 1.12 | 0.66 |
| 42 | Maine profile | $43.69 | $90,880 | $60,280 | $138,530 | 1,210 | 1.90 | 1.12 |
| 43 | Idaho profile | $42.97 | $89,380 | $63,980 | $169,010 | 1,350 | 1.58 | 0.94 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $41.49 | $86,310 | $58,690 | $145,580 | 1,900 | 1.11 | 0.66 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | $40.91 | $85,090 | $57,500 | $125,100 | 390 | 0.55 | 0.33 |
| 46 | Alaska profile | $40.44 | $84,110 | $51,550 | $138,400 | 230 | 0.72 | 0.43 |
| 47 | North Dakota profile | $39.37 | $81,900 | $59,030 | $126,710 | 210 | 0.49 | 0.29 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $37.86 | $78,760 | $53,050 | $128,210 | 1,300 | 0.67 | 0.40 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $33.41 | $69,490 | $43,940 | $125,990 | 440 | 0.38 | 0.23 |
| – | Delaware profile | * | * | * | * | 770 | 1.59 | 0.94 |
Part of Computer and Mathematical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 15-2051 Data Scientists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 15-2051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 15-2051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.