Data Scientists Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $95,290/year ($45.81/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $107,684 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $95K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for data scientists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 18.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton can be a reasonable trade-off for data scientistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $132K | $136K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $121K | $123K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $107K | $109K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $106K | $114K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $75K 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 18.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,557/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $95K here vs. $120K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for data scientists?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $108K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $95,290 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,290, and experienced data scientists can clear $133,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,928/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 18.5% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $107,684 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.