Data Scientist salary in Virginia
Data Scientists in Virginia earn a median of $126,430 a year ($60.79 an hour), based on BLS data for 8,920 workers.
Pay ranges from $76,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $207,890 for the top 10%. That is 5% higher than the national median of $120,230. Virginia ranks 10th of 49 states for data scientists pay. 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 $134,590, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Virginia
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $76,420 | $36.74 |
| 25th percentile | $97,390 | $46.82 |
| Median | $126,430 | $60.79 |
| 75th percentile | $165,610 | $79.62 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $207,890 | $99.95 |
| Average (mean) | $134,590 | $64.71 |
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 | $10,535.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,267.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,862.69 |
| Weekly | $2,431.35 |
| Hourly | $60.79 |
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 Virginia
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $149,800 | n/a |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $132,200 | 9,260 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $129,990 | 60 |
| Richmond, VA | $122,510 | 1,050 |
| Roanoke, VA | $106,090 | n/a |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $100,300 | 770 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $98,470 | 90 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $89,070 | 60 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $79,560 | 40 |
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 Virginia
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $129,460 | $62.24 |
| Statistician | $114,920 | $55.25 |
| Actuary | $131,900 | $63.42 |
| Mathematician | $148,030 | $71.17 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $59,990 | $28.84 |
| Software Developer | $136,460 | $65.61 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $120,840 | $58.09 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $65,040 | $31.27 |
| Information Security Analyst | $134,900 | $64.86 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $139,030 | $66.84 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $109,610 | $52.70 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $121,590 | $58.46 |
| Computer Network Architect | $141,340 | $67.95 |
| Database Administrator | $93,320 | $44.86 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Virginia
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 Virginia?
The median salary for data scientists in Virginia is $126,430 a year, or $60.79 an hour. Pay ranges from $76,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $207,890 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Virginia?
The top 10% of data scientists in Virginia earn at least $207,890 a year. The top 25% earn $165,610 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Virginia?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $76,420 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $97,390 or less.
How many data scientists work in Virginia?
About 8,920 data scientists are employed in Virginia, not counting the self-employed.