The median pay for Data Scientists is $120,230 a year ($57.80/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 34.6% through 2035, with about 24,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 15-2051
- Computer and Mathematical
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Data Scientist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $120,230a year, or $57.80/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $67KTop 10% $199K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +34.6%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+34.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +34.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 24,800275,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025275.6K
- Projected 2035371K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 275.6K Projected 2035 371K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Pay
How much do data scientists make?
Data Scientists earn a median of $120,230 a year ($57.80 an hour, or about $10,020 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $67,240 and the top 10% more than $199,130 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Washington, with a median of $163,350. See Data scientist salary in Washington and every other state. By city, pay is highest around San Jose ($212,760 average): salary in every city.
Every data scientist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$120,230
Middle half earn $85,660 to $158,880
- 10th
- $67,240
- 25th
- $85,660
- 75th
- $158,880
- 90th
- $199,130
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $67,240 |
| 25th | $85,660 |
| Median | $120,230 |
| 75th | $158,880 |
| 90th | $199,130 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $120,230
- Median hourly wage
- $57.80/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $126,800
- People employed
- 262,440
Versus all US occupations
At $120,230, Data Scientists earn 136% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $69,250 a year.
Versus computer and mathematical occupations
Inside the Computer and Mathematical group, where the middle occupation pays $116,580, this is 3% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $199,130 or more while the bottom 10% earn $67,240, a gap of 3.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 84% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $163,350, and still leads at $152,645 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay data scientists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $163,350 | $152,645 | 9,600 |
| 2California | $141,590 | $127,881 | 39,310 |
| 3Maryland | $136,370 | $129,927 | 3,340 |
| 4New Jersey | $135,280 | $124,333 | 6,430 |
| 5Massachusetts | $131,750 | $124,578 | 9,420 |
| 6New York | $130,460 | $120,885 | 23,970 |
| 7Minnesota | $128,800 | $130,601 | 4,020 |
| 8Vermont | $127,070 | $129,719 | 200 |
| 9District of Columbia | $126,490 | $115,094 | 2,680 |
| 10Virginia | $126,430 | $125,049 | 8,920 |
Job outlook
Is data scientist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +34.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Data Scientists | +34.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Data Scientists to change 34.6% over 2025–2035, roughly 9.9× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 95,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 24,800 openings are projected each year, 9.0% of the 275,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment growth for data scientists is expected to stem from an increased demand for data-driven decisions. The volume of data available and the potential uses for that data will increase over the projections decade. As a result, organizations will likely need more data scientists to analyze the large amounts of information and data collected.
Moreover, firms are expected to continue to integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems into their workflows. Data scientists will be needed to help businesses leverage AI and other technologies to enhance their business processes, to make informed decisions, to design and develop new products, and to better market their products.
AI exposure: very high
BLS places this occupation in its very high relative AI exposure category, among the occupations most exposed to current AI.
Getting in
How to become a data scientist
There is no licence, no required certification and no accreditation gate for data science anywhere in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics profile for data scientists does not even carry a "Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations" section, which is the clearest signal available that no credential controls entry. What actually gates the work is education in mathematics and statistics and the ability to program: BLS records that data scientists typically need at least a bachelor's degree, that some jobs require a master's or doctoral degree, and that some employers additionally require industry experience, for example finance knowledge for a role in asset management.
- How long the training takes
4 years for a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, business or engineering
A bachelor's is the typical entry point, but some jobs require a master's or doctoral degree, so the realistic range runs from four years to eight or more depending on the employer and the specialism.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
No state licenses data scientists and no state restricts the title. Vendor and platform certificates exist and are sold heavily, but no state board, federal agency or accreditor requires one, and BLS does not list any certification for this occupation. Treat any course marketed as "the certification you need to become a data scientist" as marketing rather than a legal or industry requirement.
Credential detail for data scientists is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Data Scientists, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Data scientists typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related field to enter the occupation. However, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a master’s or doctoral degree.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a data scientist do?
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.
Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data.
Day-to-day tasks
- Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software.
- Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software.
- Test, validate, and reformulate models to ensure accurate prediction of outcomes of interest.
- Deliver oral or written presentations of the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
- Recommend data-driven solutions to key stakeholders.
- Compare models using statistical performance metrics, such as loss functions or proportion of explained variance.
- Clean and manipulate raw data using statistical software.
- Apply feature selection algorithms to models predicting outcomes of interest, such as sales, attrition, and healthcare use.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most data scientists work full time.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where data scientists work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Publishing, broadcasting, and content providers12%
- Insurance carriers and related activities10%
- Computer systems design and related services10%
- Management of companies and enterprises10%
- Credit intermediation and related activities6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Publishing, broadcasting, and content providers | 12% |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 10% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 10% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 10% |
| Credit intermediation and related activities | 6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Mathematics4.4
- Critical Thinking4.3
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Speaking3.6
- Active Learning3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Writing3.5
- Monitoring3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 4.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Programming3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Coordination2.9
- Persuasion2.8
- Instructing2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Programming | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
| Instructing | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Enterprise system management software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a data scientist?
Women make up 41.8% of data scientists, against 47.1% of all employed people: more men than in the workforce as a whole.
Only 12.6% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce.
The median worker is 38.4 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 41.8%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 38.4All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 12.6%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 486,000Other mathematical science occupations · BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of data scientists | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 41.8% | 47.1% |
| White | 67.0% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 7.9% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 23.2% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.2% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 12.6% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 8.4% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%. CPS reports this occupation only within the wider Census group “Other mathematical science occupations”, so these figures are for that group.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a data scientist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Data Scientist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 7 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Investigative7.0
- Conventional5.4
- Artistic2.6
- Realistic2.2
- Enterprising1.7
- Social1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Data Scientist
O*NET related occupations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Office and Administrative Support
- Business and Financial Operations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Computer and Mathematical
More computer and mathematical careers
Median annual pay, with data scientists highlighted
- Software Developer$135,980
- Actuary$130,000
- Information Security Analyst$129,180
- Business Intelligence Analyst$120,230
- Data Scientist$120,230
- Database Administrator$104,620
- Web Designer$104,000
- Computer Programmer$100,390
- Web Developer$92,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | $135,980 |
| Actuary | $130,000 |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | $120,230 |
| Data Scientist | $120,230 |
| Database Administrator | $104,620 |
| Web Designer | $104,000 |
| Computer Programmer | $100,390 |
| Web Developer | $92,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within data scientist
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Questions
Data Scientist: frequently asked questions
How much do data scientists make?
Data Scientists earn a median of $120,230 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 136% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $57.80/hr. The middle half earn between $85,660 and $158,880. The top 10% earn $199,130 or more.
How much do data scientists make an hour?
The median hourly wage for data scientists is $57.80 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $120,230 annual median works out to about $10,020 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a data scientist?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of data scientists earn less than $67,240 a year and the bottom quarter less than $85,660 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do data scientists make $100k?
Yes, more often than not. The median is $120,230, so more than half of data scientists earn over $100,000 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). In 31 states the median itself is above $100,000: Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370), New Jersey ($135,280), and 27 more.
Which states pay data scientists the most?
The highest state medians for Data Scientists are Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What kind of data scientist earns the most?
BLS does not split data scientists' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $199,130, against a median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370). Among the specialty careers inside this occupation, industry sources put typical pay at $486,000 for staff data scientists (Levels.fyi company pages (Meta, Google), 2026). Those are not BLS figures.
Do you need a degree to become a data scientist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Data Scientists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation.
Is data scientist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 34.6% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 24,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a data scientist do?
Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data. A core O*NET task: analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Do data scientists work 40 hours a week?
Yes, for most. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 38% of data scientists usually work more than 40 hours a week, 63% work exactly 40 and 0% work fewer. 84% say their schedule is regular and 16% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a data scientist?
O*NET scores Data Scientists highest on the Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with INTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
How long does it take to become a data scientist?
4 years for a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, business or engineering. A bachelor's is the typical entry point, but some jobs require a master's or doctoral degree, so the realistic range runs from four years to eight or more depending on the employer and the specialism.
Do you need a license to work as a data scientist?
Not a state license. No state licenses data scientists and no state restricts the title. Vendor and platform certificates exist and are sold heavily, but no state board, federal agency or accreditor requires one, and BLS does not list any certification for this occupation. Treat any course marketed as "the certification you need to become a data scientist" as marketing rather than a legal or industry requirement.
What percentage of data scientists are women?
Women make up 41.8% of data scientists, against 47.1% of all employed people: more men than in the workforce as a whole. Only 12.6% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce. The median worker is 38.4 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages, for the Census group "Other mathematical science occupations".