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Data Science Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Data Science Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Data Science Engineer in the United States is $148,194 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $71.

However, a Data Science Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $171,414
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $137,780 to $160,348
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $128,299
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Data Science Engineer Salaries

A Data Science Engineer'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.

How Experience Level Affects Data Science Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Data Science Engineer'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $210,413
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $116,557
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $147,300
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $192,278
  • Expert (over 8 years): $234,676
Levels Salary
Data Scie... Level Data Science Engineer$210,413
Data Scie... Level Data Science Engineer$116,557
Data Scie... Level Data Science Engineer$147,300
Data Scie... Level Data Science Engineer$192,278
Data Scie... Level Data Science Engineer$234,676
View as Graph

How Do Data Science Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

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 Data Science Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $164,080.
  • California: $163,458.
  • Massachusetts: $161,280.

Top Paying Cities for Data Science Engineers

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:

  • San Jose: $186,917
  • San Francisco: $184,871
  • Oakland: $180,975

What Skills Can Increase a Data Science Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.99% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Algorithms (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): Algorithms act as an exact list of instructions that conduct specified actions step by step in either hardware- or software-based routines.
  • Data Mining (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Data mining is the process of discovering patterns in large data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and database systems. Data mining is an interdisciplinary subfield of computer science and statistics with an overall goal to extract information (with intelligent methods) from a data set and transform the information into a comprehensible structure for further use. Data mining is the analysis step of the "knowledge discovery in databases" process, or KDD. Aside from the raw analysis step, it also involves database and data management aspects, data pre-processing, model and inference considerations, interestingness metrics, complexity considerations, post-processing of discovered structures, visualization, and online updating. The difference between data analysis and data mining is that data analysis is used to test models and hypotheses on the dataset, e.g., analyzing the effectiveness of a marketing campaign, regardless of the amount of data; in contrast, data mining uses machine-learning and statistical models to uncover clandestine or hidden patterns in a large volume of data.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.99%
Algorithms 2.87%
Data Mining 1.44%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Data Science Engineer's salary.

  • Inference: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Collaborating: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Creativity: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Inference $160,050
8%
Collaborating $157,086
6%
Creativity $157,086
6%
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Data Science Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Data Science Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Data Science Engineer positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Data Science Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Data Science Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Internet$185,242$89.025%
Biotechnology$177,833$85.020%
Software & Networking$177,833$85.020%
Healthcare$170,423$82.015%
Energy & Utilities$163,013$78.010%

Data Science Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Data Science Engineer'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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$137,780
Average $148,194/year
$160,348
$11,482
Average $12,350/month
$13,362
$2,650
Average $2,850/week
$3,084
$66
Average $71/hour
$77
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $160,348 $13,362 $3,084 $77
Average $148,194 $12,350 $2,850 $71
25th Percentile $137,780 $11,482 $2,650 $66

Most common benefits for Data Science Engineer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Data Science Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Data Science Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Data Science Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Data Science Engineer?

The Internet industry offers the highest average compensation for Data Science Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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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