Computer & Math

Data Scientists

SOC 15-2051

Pull signal out of messy data with stats and code, then explain it to the people who decide.

The job

Median pay

$120k

$86k to $159k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+35% projected

Openings a year

25k

BLS projection

Typical education

Bachelor's or Master's

Our model

AI displacement risk

Very high

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

3/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

97th pct

More exposed than 97% of occupations · modeled estimate · 98th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

62/100

At a glance

Looking to 2035, the projected change for Data Scientists is +35%, well ahead of the typical occupation we cover. Annual openings for Data Scientists come to about 24,800. Getting in usually takes a bachelor's degree or a master's degree. At $120,230 a year, median pay runs $53,040 above the typical occupation we cover (14% above the Computer & Math median). Displacement risk is very high and works-with-AI scores 3/100, closer to displacement than to help; modeled exposure is at the 97th percentile. Growth is the contrast with Mathematicians: +35% here against +0.6% there.

Take the next step

Weigh it against StatisticiansPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostWashington leads at $163k; all states are listed below Find careers like itOpen the map at Data Scientists and explore its neighbours See open jobsData Scientists roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Data Scientists, who lean most on reading comprehension Real pay & reviewsSelf-reported pay and reviews on Glassdoor

Similar pay in Computer & Math

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Speaking
Writing
Active Learning

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 50 states and DC. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	39,310	2.2	1.3×	$142k
Texas	25,860	1.8	1.1×	$122k
New York	23,970	2.5	1.5×	$130k
Pennsylvania	13,810	2.3	1.4×	$107k
North Carolina	11,430	2.3	1.4×	$119k
Illinois	10,520	1.7	1.0×	$107k
Florida	10,240	1.0	0.6×	$116k
Washington	9,600	2.7	1.6×	$163k
Massachusetts	9,420	2.6	1.5×	$132k
Georgia	9,260	1.9	1.1×	$104k

All 50 states and DC

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Virginia	8,920	2.2	1.3×	$126k
Michigan	7,360	1.7	1.0×	$101k
New Jersey	6,430	1.5	0.9×	$135k
Colorado	6,280	2.2	1.3×	$117k
Ohio	6,100	1.1	0.7×	$103k
Missouri	4,730	1.6	0.9×	$97k
Arizona	4,560	1.4	0.8×	$107k
Wisconsin	4,370	1.5	0.9×	$107k
Utah	4,360	2.5	1.5×	$108k
Minnesota	4,020	1.4	0.8×	$129k
South Carolina	3,750	1.6	1.0×	$92k
Indiana	3,580	1.1	0.7×	$91k
Maryland	3,340	1.2	0.7×	$136k
Tennessee	2,790	0.9	0.5×	$100k
Washington DC	2,680	3.8	2.3×	$126k
Iowa	2,300	1.5	0.9×	$96k
Oregon	2,140	1.1	0.6×	$126k
Nebraska	1,980	1.9	1.1×	$98k
Oklahoma	1,900	1.1	0.7×	$86k
Connecticut	1,760	1.0	0.6×	$126k
Alabama	1,740	0.8	0.5×	$103k
Nevada	1,680	1.1	0.6×	$99k
Kentucky	1,540	0.8	0.5×	$92k
Idaho	1,350	1.6	0.9×	$89k
Louisiana	1,300	0.7	0.4×	$79k
Maine	1,210	1.9	1.1×	$91k
Rhode Island	1,160	2.3	1.4×	$102k
New Hampshire	1,100	1.6	0.9×	$101k
Delaware	770	1.6	0.9×	$125k (estimated)
New Mexico	560	0.6	0.4×	$96k
Arkansas	530	0.4	0.2×	$109k
Kansas	490	0.3	0.2×	$98k
Mississippi	440	0.4	0.2×	$69k
West Virginia	390	0.6	0.3×	$85k
Hawaii	300	0.5	0.3×	$102k
Alaska	230	0.7	0.4×	$84k
Wyoming	221 (estimated)	0.8 (estimated)	0.5× (estimated)	$93k (estimated)
Montana	220	0.4	0.3×	$100k
South Dakota	220	0.5	0.3×	$96k
North Dakota	210	0.5	0.3×	$82k
Vermont	200	0.7	0.4×	$127k

Top metro areas

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ23,160 jobs · $136k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA10,460 jobs · $170k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX10,120 jobs · $128k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA9,850 jobs · $130k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV9,260 jobs · $132k median
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA8,370 jobs · $165k median
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN7,940 jobs · $108k median
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH7,930 jobs · $132k median

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.