Data Scientist Salary by City (2026): Median Pay Across 15 Major U.S. Cities
Data scientists remain among the most in-demand professionals in the U.S. economy. As companies invest heavily in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics, salaries for data scientists continue to rise — but where you work still matters a lot.
In this article, we compare the median data scientist salary across 15 major U.S. cities, explain why pay varies so much by location, and break down how cost of living and remote work affect real earnings in 2026.
Median Data Scientist Salary by City (U.S.)
Below is a comparison of median base salary ranges for data scientists across major U.S. metro areas. Figures represent typical annual compensation for mid-level professionals and exclude bonuses and equity unless otherwise noted.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Cities for Data Scientists
- San Francisco Bay Area – The Bay Area continues to dominate data science compensation due to its dense concentration of Big Tech, AI startups, and venture capital. While salaries are the highest in the country, cost of living significantly offsets take-home purchasing power.
- New York City – NYC offers some of the strongest non-tech salary opportunities, especially in finance, media, and enterprise analytics. Data scientists in hedge funds and fintech firms often earn above the median shown here.
- Seattle – Driven largely by Amazon, Microsoft, and cloud-focused companies, Seattle combines high salaries with no state income tax — a major advantage compared to California.
- Boston – Boston’s biotech, healthcare, and research sectors support consistently strong data science salaries, especially for professionals with advanced degrees.
- Washington, D.C. – Government contracting, defense analytics, and policy-driven data work make D.C. a surprisingly strong market, particularly for data scientists with security clearances.
Salary vs Cost of Living: Where Data Scientists Keep the Most
While San Francisco and New York offer the highest nominal salaries, mid-tier cities often provide better real purchasing power.
- Austin, Dallas, and Atlanta frequently deliver stronger lifestyle value due to lower housing costs.
- Seattle stands out among high-pay cities thanks to the lack of state income tax.
- Chicago and Denver strike a balance between salary, cost of living, and job availability.
- For many professionals, a $120K salary in a lower-cost city can feel richer than $150K in San Francisco.
How Remote Work Is Changing Data Scientist Salaries
Remote work has narrowed salary gaps, but it hasn’t eliminated them. Key trends in 2026 ; Some companies still adjust pay based on location, Fully remote roles often cluster around the national median and Senior data scientists retain more negotiating power regardless of location. Despite remote flexibility, city-based salary differences remain very real, especially for in-office or hybrid roles.
What Affects Data Scientist Salary by City?
Several factors drive these variations:
- Industry concentration (tech, finance, healthcare)
- Local talent competition
- Cost of living adjustments
- Company size and funding
- Experience level and specialization (AI, ML, NLP, cloud)
- Data scientists working in AI-heavy roles or regulated industries tend to earn more across all cities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays data scientists the most?
The San Francisco Bay Area consistently offers the highest median data scientist salaries in the U.S.
Is $130K a good data scientist salary?
Yes. A $130K salary is above the national median and provides strong purchasing power in many mid-cost U.S. cities.
Do data scientists earn more than software engineers?
In some cities and industries — especially finance and AI — data scientists can match or exceed software engineer salaries.
Is New York a good city for data scientists?
Yes. NYC offers high salaries, strong job density, and diverse industry options, though housing costs are a major drawback.
