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Data Scientists Salary in California
Data Scientists in California earn a median $141,590 a year, 18% above the U.S. median.
- Median in CA
- $141,590 a year
- U.S. median
- $120,230 a year
- Employment
- 39,310
- Location quotient
- 1.28
- Share of jobs vs. U.S. (1.00 = same)
Pay range in California
- Median (50%)
- $141,590 · $68.07 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $156,000 · $75.00 an hour (estimate error ±2.6%)
- 10th percentile
- $77,480 · $37.25 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $103,360 · $49.69 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $186,820 · $89.82 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $224,920 · $108.13 an hour
- Employment
- 39,310 (estimate error ±4.3%)
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.16
- Location quotient
- 1.28 (1.00 = national share)
Data Scientists pay by metro area in California
Includes metro areas that cross into this state and nonmetropolitan areas
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $185,080 | 6,060 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $170,110 | 10,460 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,990 | 2,830 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,980 | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $129,740 | 9,850 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,360 | 460 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $119,930 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $114,830 | 60 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $113,990 | 190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,910 | 1,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $104,990 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,530 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $103,700 | 2,710 |
| Napa, CA | $101,830 | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,370 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,250 | 220 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,850 | 90 |
| Visalia, CA | $97,870 | 40 |
| Redding, CA | $96,960 | 60 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $92,910 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $92,200 | 200 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $83,860 | 50 |
| Chico, CA | Not reported | 40 |
H-1B filings for data scientists in California
FY 2026 through Q3, by work location
5,182 certified filings with a median offered wage of $169,417.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much do data scientists make in California?
- The median wage for data scientists in California is $141,590 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). There are about 39,310 jobs in the state.
- Where in California do data scientists earn the most?
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median wage in the state for this occupation at $185,080 a year.