Data Scientist salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Data Scientists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median of $185,080 a year ($88.98 an hour), based on BLS data for 6,060 workers.
Pay ranges from $109,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $282,840 for the top 10%. That is 54% higher than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 31% higher than the California statewide median of $141,590. There are 5.3 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 3.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $212,760, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $109,740 | $52.76 |
| 25th percentile | $149,570 | $71.91 |
| Median | $185,080 | $88.98 |
| 75th percentile | $219,460 | $105.51 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $282,840 | $135.98 |
| Average (mean) | $212,760 | $102.29 |
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 | $15,423.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $7,711.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $7,118.46 |
| Weekly | $3,559.23 |
| Hourly | $88.98 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
See Data Scientist pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $123,360 | $59.31 |
| Statistician | $202,840 | $97.52 |
| Actuary | $131,040 | $63.00 |
| Software Developer | $213,110 | $102.46 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $184,430 | $88.67 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $157,140 | $75.55 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $166,530 | $80.06 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $93,590 | $45.00 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $201,260 | $96.76 |
| Computer Network Architect | $186,110 | $89.47 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $133,360 | $64.12 |
| Information Security Analyst | $176,120 | $84.67 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $218,420 | $105.01 |
| Web Developer | $166,670 | $80.13 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median salary for data scientists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $185,080 a year, or $88.98 an hour. Pay ranges from $109,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $282,840 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The top 10% of data scientists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn at least $282,840 a year. The top 25% earn $219,460 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $109,740 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $149,570 or less.
How many data scientists work in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
About 6,060 data scientists are employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.