Data Scientist 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:
Where the paycheck goes
What $91K actually covers in Indiana, month by month
About data scientists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
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 scientists 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 annually. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
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 $3,954/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
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.