Salary by profession · US · 2026
Data scientist salary in the US
What is the average data scientist salary in the US?
The median US data scientist earns about $112,000 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), typically $85,000–$155,000. That's around $7,302 a month take-home in a no-tax state, and places the typical data scientist in roughly the 86th percentile of US earners — $58,990 above the median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Data scientist pay and take-home
| Salary | Take-home, no-tax state | Take-home, California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | $85,000 | $68,628 | $64,180 |
| Median | $112,000 | $87,622 | $80,664 |
| Experienced | $155,000 | $117,209 | $106,251 |
How data scientists compare
The US median individual income is $53,010. At $112,000, the typical data scientist earns $58,990 more — around the 86th percentile of all earners. Tech and finance employers, plus senior/staff levels, push pay well above the median.
Location matters as much as the number. The same salary stretches far further in Texas than California. See what you'd keep in your city →