Data Scientist Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in San Diego, CA is $130,990/year ($62.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $201K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $117,070 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $131K actually covers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Data scientists pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad tracks closely to the national median, $131K locally vs. $120K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 39.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $170K | $147K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $130K | $114K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $185K | $168K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $104K | $97K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $201K or more, a $127K 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 annually. We'll email you when San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 39.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,791/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $131K locally vs. $120K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for data scientists?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $117K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $130,990 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,110, and experienced data scientists can clear $201,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,664/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 39.2% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $117,070 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.