Data Scientists Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Indiana is $91,470/year ($43.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $99,630 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 19.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $91K get you in Indiana?
About data scientists
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for data scientists in Indiana runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Indiana can be a reasonable trade-off for data scientistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $91K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists salary by metro in Indiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $99K | +8% | 1,880 |
| Columbus | $95K | +4% | 40 |
| Fort Wayne | $94K | +3% | 270 |
| Evansville | $83K | -9% | 140 |
| Bloomington | $83K | -9% | 50 |
| Muncie | $82K | -10% | 30 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $82K | -11% | 130 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $81K | -11% | 100 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $79K | -13% | 70 |
| Terre Haute | $77K | -16% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track data scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $91K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,525/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Indiana?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $91K here vs. $120K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for data scientists?
Indiana pays $91K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Indiana?
The median is $91,470 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,750, and experienced data scientists can clear $141,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $91K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,829/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $99,630 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.