As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Data Scientist in the United States is $453,530 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $218.
However, a Chief Data Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
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Chief Data Scientist Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $476,290 | $39,691 | $9,159 | $229 |
| Average | $453,530 | $37,794 | $8,722 | $218 |
| 25th Percentile | $423,495 | $35,291 | $8,144 | $204 |
Saxon Global - Columbus, OH
Crains Cleveland - Cleveland, OH
Root Insurance Agency - Ohio, OH
Bread Financial Payments - Columbus, OH
A Chief Data Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Data Scientist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Data Science Senior Manager | 5+ years | $194,318 |
| Data Science Director | 5+ years | $237,050 |
| VP of Data Science | 5+ years | $308,612 |
| SVP of Data Science | 5+ years | $389,805 |
| Chief Data Scientist | 5+ years | $453,530 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Chief Data Scientists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
Understanding how a Chief Data Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $476,290 | $39,691 | $9,159 | $229 |
| Average | $453,530 | $37,794 | $8,722 | $218 |
| 25th Percentile | $423,495 | $35,291 | $8,144 | $204 |
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Compensation PlanningHere are companies hiring for Chief Data Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.
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A Chief Data Scientist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Chief Data Scientist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Chief Data Scientist is $572,037.
The highest pay for Chief Data Scientist is $497,012.
The lowest pay for Chief Data Scientist is $396,150.
Develops the vision, strategy, and resources to execute and support an organization's long-term, short-term, and mission-critical goals. Provides the organization with data insights, analytics, and tools to achieve business goals, foster innovation, and promote data-driven decision-making. Leads the design and implementation of big data solutions for an organization, ensuring technical specifications, requirements, and applications are effectively communicated and understood by stakeholders. Researches and adopts emerging technologies and methods to continuously improve analytic capabilities and enhance capacity to provide valuable results. Requires a master's degree in computer science, mathematics, engineering. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). C-Suite level management. Develops functional or business unit strategy for an organization. Executes multiple high impact initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Defines vision, strategy, and focus for a major functional or business unit. Substantial experience with setting key metrics like KPIs or OKRs and shaping plans to meet objectives. Typically requires progressive leadership experience in senior management roles. Has expert level knowledge of the overall departmental function. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing long term business strategies.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
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