Data Scientist salary in North Carolina
Data Scientists in North Carolina earn a median of $119,090 a year ($57.25 an hour), based on BLS data for 11,430 workers.
Pay ranges from $65,970 for the lowest-paid 10% to $172,830 for the top 10%. That is 1% lower than the national median of $120,230. North Carolina ranks 14th of 49 states for data scientists pay. There are 2.3 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.4× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $121,270, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in North Carolina
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $65,970 | $31.72 |
| 25th percentile | $82,440 | $39.63 |
| Median | $119,090 | $57.25 |
| 75th percentile | $147,540 | $70.93 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $172,830 | $83.09 |
| Average (mean) | $121,270 | $58.30 |
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 | $9,924.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,962.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,580.38 |
| Weekly | $2,290.19 |
| Hourly | $57.25 |
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 North Carolina
| 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 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $106,500 | 1,320 |
| 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 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $97,290 | $46.78 |
| Statistician | $115,690 | $55.62 |
| Actuary | $128,730 | $61.89 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $101,850 | $48.97 |
| Software Developer | $134,710 | $64.76 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $60,120 | $28.90 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $106,850 | $51.37 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $104,850 | $50.41 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $95,230 | $45.78 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $100,390 | $48.27 |
| Information Security Analyst | $131,540 | $63.24 |
| Computer Network Architect | $127,320 | $61.21 |
| Computer Programmer | $81,070 | $38.98 |
| Database Architect | $134,630 | $64.73 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in North Carolina
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 North Carolina?
The median salary for data scientists in North Carolina is $119,090 a year, or $57.25 an hour. Pay ranges from $65,970 for the lowest-paid 10% to $172,830 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in North Carolina?
The top 10% of data scientists in North Carolina earn at least $172,830 a year. The top 25% earn $147,540 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in North Carolina?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $65,970 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $82,440 or less.
How many data scientists work in North Carolina?
About 11,430 data scientists are employed in North Carolina, not counting the self-employed.