Data Scientists Job Trends after Gen AI
Data Scientists
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Salary Trends
- High Median Salary: Data scientists continue to be well-compensated, with a median annual salary around $112,590 as of May 202bls.gov】. This is about twice the national median for all jobs. In 2023 the median was roughly $108money.usnews.com】, so salaries have ticked up slightly, maintaining a strong position.
- Upper and Lower Ranges: The salary range for data scientists is broad. The top 25% of data scientists earn about $147,000 or more per yeamoney.usnews.com】. The top 10% can exceed $190k (especially in high-cost areas or specialized rolesbls.gov】. Conversely, the entry-level or lower 25% earn around $79k–$85money.usnews.com】. Entry-level salaries can vary depending on education (those with PhDs often launch higher) and region.
- Influence of Experience and Education: Experienced data scientists (with 5+ years or with advanced degrees and domain expertise) often command six-figure salaries comfortably into the $150k-$200k range. Many data scientists have a Master’s or PhD, which can bump starting salaries. For example, a PhD data scientist at a tech firm might launch at ~$120k-$130k. Those with only a bachelor’s might launch lower but can climb quickly with a few years of experience.
- Industry Variation: Salaries can fluctuate by industry. Generally, tech companies and finance pay the highest for data scientists (often well into six figures). For instance, AI research roles or quantitative finance roles for data scientists can pay in the upper end (plus hefty bonuses). In contrast, academia, nonprofits, or certain government roles might pay less (somewhere in the $80k-$100k range) but may offer other benefits. Consulting roles in data science can also be very high-paying on a per-project basis.
- Geographic Factors: Location historically affected pay (with West Coast and Northeast U.S. offering more), but with remote function, there’s a trend toward leveling. Still, major urban tech hubs like San Francisco, New York report higher average data scientist salaries (often 10-20% above national median). For example, in San Francisco, an average data scientist might earn $135k+, whereas in a smaller city it might be closer to $100k. Remote roles often peg salary to either the company’s location or the candidate’s location or some blend thereof.
- Growth and Trends: Data scientist salaries grew rapidly through the 2010s. In 2025, growth is present but moderating. There’s a larger supply of early-career data scientists now, which has introduced some salary leveling at the entry level. but, for those with the right skill sets (like expertise in ML engineering or deep learning), salaries are still climbing fast. Overall, we see moderate salary growth (~3-5% annually) for data science as a whole, with certain sub-specialties (like machine learning engineers, which overlap with data science) seeing higher raises.
- Total Compensation: Many data scientists, especially at tech firms, receive bonuses or equity. It’s not uncommon for annual bonuses to be 10-15% of base pay. Thus, a median base of ~$112k could be more like $125k-$130k total. Senior data scientists might have significan’t stock grants in big tech companies, pushing total comp well above base. Startups might offer equity in lieu of matching big salaries. All said, the profession remains one of the best-remunerated for people with a strong quantitative background.
Data Scientist Salary Figures:
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