Data Scientist salary in California
Data Scientists in California earn a median of $141,590 a year ($68.07 an hour), based on BLS data for 39,310 workers.
Pay ranges from $77,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $224,920 for the top 10%. That is 18% higher than the national median of $120,230. California ranks 2nd of 49 states for data scientists pay, one of the best-paying states for this job. There are 2.2 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $156,000, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $77,480 | $37.25 |
| 25th percentile | $103,360 | $49.69 |
| Median | $141,590 | $68.07 |
| 75th percentile | $186,820 | $89.82 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $224,920 | $108.13 |
| Average (mean) | $156,000 | $75.00 |
Half of data scientists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $11,799.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,899.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,445.77 |
| Weekly | $2,722.88 |
| Hourly | $68.07 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Data Scientist salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $185,080 | 6,060 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $170,110 | 10,460 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,990 | 2,830 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,980 | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $129,740 | 9,850 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,360 | 460 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $119,930 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $114,830 | 60 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $113,990 | 190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,910 | 1,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $104,990 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,530 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $103,700 | 2,710 |
| Napa, CA | $101,830 | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,370 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,250 | 220 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,850 | 90 |
| Visalia, CA | $97,870 | 40 |
| Redding, CA | $96,960 | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $92,200 | 200 |
Highest-paying states for data scientists
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $163,350 |
| California | $141,590 |
| Maryland | $136,370 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 |
| New York | $130,460 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 |
| Vermont | $127,070 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 |
| Virginia | $126,430 |
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $102,100 | $49.09 |
| Statistician | $135,960 | $65.36 |
| Actuary | $130,510 | $62.75 |
| Mathematician | $126,710 | $60.92 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $180,500 | $86.78 |
| Software Developer | $174,410 | $83.85 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $134,440 | $64.63 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $79,570 | $38.25 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $127,720 | $61.40 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $128,740 | $61.89 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $136,110 | $65.44 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $106,440 | $51.18 |
| Information Security Analyst | $138,570 | $66.62 |
| Computer Network Architect | $158,870 | $76.38 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-2051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in California?
The median salary for data scientists in California is $141,590 a year, or $68.07 an hour. Pay ranges from $77,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $224,920 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in California?
The top 10% of data scientists in California earn at least $224,920 a year. The top 25% earn $186,820 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $77,480 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $103,360 or less.
How many data scientists work in California?
About 39,310 data scientists are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.