What the numbers say
The median wage for Data Scientists in Alabama was $105,410 in 2024, about 8.8% below the national median of $115,636. That gap is real but smaller than Alabama's overall cost of living might suggest.
Alabama's cost-of-living index sits at 87.3, meaning prices run roughly 13% below the national baseline. After accounting for what the money actually buys, the Alabama median translates to around $120,700 in national-baseline dollars. On that measure, Alabama Data Scientists come out ahead of the nominal national figure.
The spread between entry-level and senior pay is wide. The 10th percentile earned $61,810 in 2024 while the 90th percentile earned $147,980. Top earners make about 2.4 times what those at the bottom of the range do. That gap reflects how much experience and specialization matter in this field: a junior analyst fresh out of school and a staff scientist with a decade of modeling work both carry the same title in BLS data, but they do not earn close to the same wage.
BLS projects employment for this occupation to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it categorizes as much faster than average. Alabama's total employment of 1,620 Data Scientists is a relatively small base, so that rate implies a modest absolute number of new positions rather than a flood of openings. Still, the direction is clear.
Salary distribution
Where Alabama data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $76,180 and $128,250, with a median of $105,410.
Data Scientists in Alabama: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 90 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $79,541. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 25 | $63,600 |
| Level II — qualified | 34 | $79,198 |
| Level III — experienced | 15 | $100,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 7 | $140,109 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in Alabama. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama at Birmingham | Data Analyst | 8 | $69,411 |
| Regions Bank | Audit Data and Innovation Partner | 8 | $92,893 |
| DEVANSH LAB WERKS INC | Clinical Data Engineer | 5 | $52,042 |
| GROKSYS LLC | DATA SCIENTIST | 4 | $109,491 |
| Shipt, Inc. | Senior Data Scientist | 4 | $144,436 |
| Polyplex USA LLC | Junior Finance Analyst | 4 | $71,781 |
| The University of Alabama | Data Analyst II | 3 | $61,500 |
| NaphCare Charitable Foundation Inc. | Data Scientist | 3 | $100,000 |
| CALIFORNIA CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, INC. | BI/Reporting Analyst | 3 | $70,720 |
| Spark Technologies, Inc. | Data Scientist | 3 | $62,400 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Data Analyst at The University of Alabama at Birmingham$65,433BirminghamDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-466305
- Data Scientist at Coderace Inc$91,520MontgomeryDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25330-441616
- DATA SCIENTIST at GROKSYS LLC$109,491HOOVERDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25308-371305
- Data Engineer at Cloud Infra IT solutions Inc$109,491BirminghamDecided Nov 5, 2025I-200-25269-338477
- Data Engineer Senior at The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.$115,500BirminghamDecided Nov 4, 2025I-200-25268-335132
- Data Analyst II at The University of Alabama$60,000TuscaloosaDecided Nov 4, 2025I-200-25268-334185
- Data Engineer Senior at The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.$115,500BirminghamWage Level IIIDecided Sep 24, 2025I-200-25260-315304
- Data Analyst at The University of Alabama at Birmingham$58,207BirminghamWage Level IDecided Sep 22, 2025I-200-25258-308525
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Data Scientists pay by experience level in Alabama
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Data Scientists specialties in Alabama
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 51 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $91,520.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | GROKSYS LLC | 21 | $91,520 |
| Data Analyst | The University of Alabama at Birmingham | 14 | $63,467 |
| Business Analyst | Sai Wholesale Inc. | 7 | $81,120 |
| Data Engineer | The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. | 6 | $112,496 |
| Clinical Data Engineer | DEVANSH LAB WERKS INC | 3 | $52,042 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in Alabama, by industry
Median offered wage across 87 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $89,876.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | GROKSYS LLC | 32 | $89,876 |
| Finance and insurance | Regions Bank | 13 | $100,000 |
| Education | The University of Alabama at Birmingham | 12 | $64,998 |
| Healthcare | DEVANSH LAB WERKS INC | 11 | $78,395 |
| Manufacturing | Polyplex USA LLC | 10 | $74,891 |
| Retail and wholesale | LG ELECTRONICS ALABAMA, INC. | 4 | $80,541 |
| Professional services | Guidehouse Managed Services LLC | 4 | $80,960 |
| Energy and utilities | Vulcan Materials Company | 1 | $63,600 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Alabama over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+33.5%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for data scientists in major Alabama metropolitan areas.
- Birmingham$96,590
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in Alabama?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in Alabama is $105,410.
- How does Alabama compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The Alabama median is -8.8% versus the BLS national figure of $115,636.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in Alabama?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $61,810 and the 90th-percentile at $147,980, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Data Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 33.5% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Data Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.