Data Scientists Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $120,710/year ($58.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $181K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $122,973 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,750/month, or 23.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $121K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). 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 Raleigh-Cary
Data scientists pay in Raleigh-Cary tracks closely to the national median, $121K locally vs. $120K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,750/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $132K | $136K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $107K | $109K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $106K | $114K |
| Winston-Salem | $102K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $181K or more, a $109K 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 Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,331/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $121K locally vs. $120K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for data scientists?
Raleigh-Cary pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $120,710 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,190, and experienced data scientists can clear $180,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,319/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 23.9% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 $122,973 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.