State comparison · 2025
Data Scientists salary: California vs North Dakota
Data Scientists in California earn a median of $141,590. In North Dakota, $81,900. After cost-of-living, the gap is 39% — not 72.9%.
Nominal pay gap
+72.9%
California vs North Dakota
COL-adjusted gap
+39%
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%
North Dakota
Data Scientists
- Median
- $81,900
- p25
- $64,270
- p75
- $100,110
- p10
- $59,030
- p90
- $126,710
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 89.0
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- 0%
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.