Data Scientist salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Data Scientists in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area earn a median of $106,500 a year ($51.20 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,320 workers.
Pay ranges from $60,060 for the lowest-paid 10% to $182,020 for the top 10%. That is 11% lower than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 11% lower than the North Carolina statewide median of $119,090. There are 3.8 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $119,660, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,060 | $28.87 |
| 25th percentile | $75,470 | $36.28 |
| Median | $106,500 | $51.20 |
| 75th percentile | $157,290 | $75.62 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $182,020 | $87.51 |
| Average (mean) | $119,660 | $57.53 |
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 | $8,875 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,437.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,096.15 |
| Weekly | $2,048.08 |
| Hourly | $51.20 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Data Scientist salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132,460 | 4,420 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $120,710 | 1,990 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $111,870 | 30 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $106,270 | 90 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $106,060 | 370 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $102,740 | 40 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $101,570 | 300 |
| Greenville, NC | $101,520 | 80 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $100,300 | 770 |
| Asheville, NC | $97,690 | 130 |
| Burlington, NC | $96,300 | 80 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $95,290 | 110 |
| Wilmington, NC | $93,090 | 160 |
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 |
See Data Scientist pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Statistician | $103,290 | $49.66 |
| Operations Research Analyst | $109,110 | $52.46 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $109,650 | $52.72 |
| Software Developer | $135,620 | $65.20 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $106,410 | $51.16 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $126,300 | $60.72 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $71,750 | $34.50 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $110,640 | $53.19 |
| Computer Network Architect | $144,990 | $69.71 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $122,980 | $59.13 |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,670 | $62.34 |
| Database Architect | $141,770 | $68.16 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $133,340 | $64.11 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $81,090 | $38.99 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median salary for data scientists in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $106,500 a year, or $51.20 an hour. Pay ranges from $60,060 for the lowest-paid 10% to $182,020 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The top 10% of data scientists in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area earn at least $182,020 a year. The top 25% earn $157,290 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $60,060 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $75,470 or less.
How many data scientists work in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
About 1,320 data scientists are employed in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.