Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Ai Data Scientist in California is $149,828 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.
However, an Ai Data Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
AI Onboarding
Ai Data Scientist Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $158,440 | $13,203 | $3,047 | $76 |
| Average | $149,828 | $12,486 | $2,881 | $72 |
| 25th Percentile | $133,776 | $11,148 | $2,573 | $64 |
Buck Institute - Novato, CA
YO AI Labs - Los Angeles, CA
YO AI Labs - Palo Alto, CA
YO AI Labs - San Francisco, CA
An Ai 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.
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 Ai 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:
For Ai Data Scientist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Ai Data Scientist positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Ai Data Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet | $194,777 | $94.0 | 30% |
| Software & Networking | $194,777 | $94.0 | 30% |
| Biotechnology | $187,285 | $90.0 | 25% |
| Financial Services | $187,285 | $90.0 | 25% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $187,285 | $90.0 | 25% |
Understanding how an Ai 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 | $158,440 | $13,203 | $3,047 | $76 |
| Average | $149,828 | $12,486 | $2,881 | $72 |
| 25th Percentile | $133,776 | $11,148 | $2,573 | $64 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Ai Data Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Buck Institute
Novato, CA
Buck Institute | Novato, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Position Summary. The Buck Institute for Research on Aging is seeking an exceptional, highly motivated. AI Data Scientist... more
9 Days Ago
Azumo, LLC
San Francisco, CA
Azumo, LLC | San Francisco, CA
Azumo is currently looking for a highly motivatedData Scientist / Machine Learning Engineerto develop and enhance our data and analytics infrastructure.The... more
8 Days Ago
Call For Referral
San Francisco, CA
Call For Referral | San Francisco, CA
A leading recruitment agency seeks a Data Scientist for a remote, part-time role focused on AI task evaluation and statistical analysis.The ideal candidate... more
10 Days Ago
Relha LLC
Sunnyvale, CA
Relha LLC | Sunnyvale, CA
Target's Applied Data Sciences team seeks a Principal Data Scientist for Search and Browse to shape AI-driven discovery at scale. You will lead architectur... more
7 Days Ago
Genentech
South San Francisco, CA
Genentech | South San Francisco, CA
Why Genentech. We\'re passionate about delivering on Our Promise to improve the lives of patients and create healthier communities for all. We foster a cul... more
7 Days Ago
Walmart
Sunnyvale, CA
Walmart | Sunnyvale, CA
Walmart is seeking a Principal Data Scientist in Sunnyvale, CA to lead advanced data science initiatives and deploy machine learning models that address co... more
6 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
