Data Scientists Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $106,500/year ($51.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $182K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $109,152 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 24.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $107K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About data scientists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for data scientists in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $120K. Rent runs $1,711/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $132K | $136K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $121K | $123K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $106K | $114K |
| Winston-Salem | $102K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $182K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Data Scientists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $163K | +36% | 9,600 |
| California | $142K | +18% | 39,310 |
| Maryland | $136K | +13% | 3,340 |
| New Jersey | $135K | +13% | 6,430 |
| Massachusetts | $132K | +10% | 9,420 |
| New York | $130K | +9% | 23,970 |
| Minnesota | $129K | +7% | 4,020 |
| Vermont | $127K | +6% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $126K | +5% | 2,680 |
| Virginia | $126K | +5% | 8,920 |
| Connecticut | $126K | +5% | 1,760 |
| Oregon | $126K | +5% | 2,140 |
| Texas | $122K | +2% | 25,860 |
| North Carolina | $119K | -1% | 11,430 |
| Colorado | $117K | -2% | 6,280 |
| Florida | $116K | -4% | 10,240 |
| Arkansas | $109K | -9% | 530 |
| Utah | $108K | -10% | 4,360 |
| Arizona | $107K | -11% | 4,560 |
| Pennsylvania | $107K | -11% | 13,810 |
| Wisconsin | $107K | -11% | 4,370 |
| Illinois | $107K | -11% | 10,520 |
| Georgia | $104K | -13% | 9,260 |
| Alabama | $103K | -14% | 1,740 |
| Ohio | $103K | -15% | 6,100 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | -15% | 1,160 |
| Hawaii | $102K | -15% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -16% | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $101K | -16% | 7,360 |
| Montana | $100K | -16% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $100K | -17% | 2,790 |
| Nevada | $99K | -18% | 1,680 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -18% | 1,980 |
| Kansas | $98K | -18% | 490 |
| Missouri | $97K | -19% | 4,730 |
| South Dakota | $96K | -20% | 220 |
| New Mexico | $96K | -20% | 560 |
| Iowa | $96K | -20% | 2,300 |
| South Carolina | $92K | -23% | 3,750 |
| Kentucky | $92K | -24% | 1,540 |
| Indiana | $91K | -24% | 3,580 |
| Maine | $91K | -24% | 1,210 |
| Idaho | $89K | -26% | 1,350 |
| Oklahoma | $86K | -28% | 1,900 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -29% | 390 |
| Alaska | $84K | -30% | 230 |
| North Dakota | $82K | -32% | 210 |
| Louisiana | $79K | -34% | 1,300 |
| Mississippi | $69K | -42% | 440 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track data scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 26.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,604/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is data scientist a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $107K here vs. $120K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for data scientists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $106,500 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,060, and experienced data scientists can clear $182,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,543/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 26.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a data scientists salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median data scientists salary is worth about $109,152 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do data scientists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.