Data Scientist salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Data Scientists in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn a median of $100,300 a year ($48.22 an hour), based on BLS data for 770 workers.
Pay ranges from $60,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $158,210 for the top 10%. That is 17% lower than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 21% lower than the Virginia statewide median of $126,430. There are 1.0 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.60). The average (mean) salary is $106,710, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,740 | $29.20 |
| 25th percentile | $77,160 | $37.10 |
| Median | $100,300 | $48.22 |
| 75th percentile | $128,310 | $61.69 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $158,210 | $76.06 |
| Average (mean) | $106,710 | $51.30 |
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 | $8,358.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,179.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,857.69 |
| Weekly | $1,928.85 |
| Hourly | $48.22 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $149,800 | n/a |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132,460 | 4,420 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $132,200 | 9,260 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $129,990 | 60 |
| Richmond, VA | $122,510 | 1,050 |
| 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 |
| Roanoke, VA | $106,090 | n/a |
| 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 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $98,470 | 90 |
| Asheville, NC | $97,690 | 130 |
| Burlington, NC | $96,300 | 80 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $95,290 | 110 |
| Wilmington, NC | $93,090 | 160 |
| 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 |
See Data Scientist pay in every state or the Virginia statewide figures.
Related jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $114,070 | $54.84 |
| Actuary | $101,490 | $48.79 |
| Statistician | $101,870 | $48.97 |
| Software Developer | $129,090 | $62.06 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,920 | $56.21 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $59,650 | $28.68 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $103,760 | $49.89 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $98,640 | $47.42 |
| Information Security Analyst | $126,030 | $60.59 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $61,840 | $29.73 |
| Computer Network Architect | $111,030 | $53.38 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $105,970 | $50.95 |
| Database Architect | $135,130 | $64.97 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $132,870 | $63.88 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median salary for data scientists in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area is $100,300 a year, or $48.22 an hour. Pay ranges from $60,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $158,210 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The top 10% of data scientists in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn at least $158,210 a year. The top 25% earn $128,310 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $60,740 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $77,160 or less.
How many data scientists work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
About 770 data scientists are employed in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.