State comparison · 2025
Data Scientists salary: California vs Kentucky
Data Scientists in California earn a median of $141,590. In Kentucky, $91,760. After cost-of-living, the gap is 25.7% — not 54.3%.
Nominal pay gap
+54.3%
California vs Kentucky
COL-adjusted gap
+25.7%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Data Scientists
- Median
- $141,590
- p25
- $103,360
- p75
- $186,820
- p10
- $77,480
- p90
- $224,920
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -39%
Kentucky
Data Scientists
- Median
- $91,760
- p25
- $75,620
- p75
- $121,850
- p10
- $61,990
- p90
- $156,480
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 90.2
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -45%
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.