Data Scientists Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $164,740/year ($79.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $231K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $148,241 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,501/month, or 23.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $165K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for data scientists, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,501/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue offers a genuinely strong financial position for data scientistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $117K | $117K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $157K | $157K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $120K | $116K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $134K | $127K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $165K. Top earners bring in $231K or more, a $150K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Yes — at the median salary of $165K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for data scientists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,868/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $165K here vs. $120K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for data scientists?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $165K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $148K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $164,740 a year, that works out to about $79 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,130, and experienced data scientists can clear $230,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $165K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,279/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 24.3% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 $148,241 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.