Data Scientist Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in North Carolina is $119,090/year ($57.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $128,524 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 16.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $119K actually covers in North Carolina, month by month
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Data scientists pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $119K locally vs. $120K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 17.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $107K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists salary by metro in North Carolina
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $132K | +11% | 4,420 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $121K | +1% | 1,990 |
| Rocky Mount | $112K | -6% | 30 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $107K | -11% | 1,320 |
| Fayetteville | $106K | -11% | 90 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $106K | -11% | 370 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $103K | -14% | 40 |
| Winston-Salem | $102K | -15% | 300 |
| Greenville | $102K | -15% | 80 |
| Asheville | $98K | -18% | 130 |
| Burlington | $96K | -19% | 80 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $95K | -20% | 110 |
| Wilmington | $93K | -22% | 160 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $119K, rent takes 17.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,319/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is data scientist a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $119K locally vs. $120K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for data scientists?
North Carolina pays $119K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do data scientists make in North Carolina?
The median is $119,090 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,970, and experienced data scientists can clear $172,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,233/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 17.8% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $128,524 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.