Data Scientists Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Portland-South Portland, ME is $97,840/year ($47.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $153K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $96,053 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $98K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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
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What this looks like in Portland-South Portland
Pay for data scientists in Portland-South Portland runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $120K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for data scientistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lewiston-Auburn | $82K | $86K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $104K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $153K or more, a $88K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,925/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $98K here vs. $120K nationally.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for data scientists?
Portland-South Portland pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $97,840 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,410, and experienced data scientists can clear $153,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,977/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 35.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a data scientists salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median data scientists salary is worth about $96,053 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.