What the numbers say
The median Data Scientist in California earned $136,800 in 2024, about 18% above the US median of $115,636. The mean came in higher at $155,450, which tells us a group of top earners pulls the average well above what most people in the role actually make.
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles runs from $73,390 to $221,080. Top earners in California make roughly three times what the lowest-paid 10th do. That kind of range usually reflects real differences in seniority, specialization, and the industry doing the hiring, not noise in the data.
California's overall cost of living runs about 15% above the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the $21,164 nominal premium over the US median shrinks to something closer to $3,900 in real purchasing terms. The headline number is real; what it buys is closer to the national figure than it first appears.
BLS projects employment for Data Scientists to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as much faster than average. California's 36,850 jobs in this occupation represent one of the largest state-level concentrations in the country, concentrated in technology, finance, and health care sectors that have absorbed the bulk of recent hiring.
Salary distribution
Where California data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $98,460 and $177,480, with a median of $136,800.
Data Scientists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $173,406. 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 | 27 | $111,504 |
| Level II — qualified | 69 | $174,304 |
| Level III — experienced | 42 | $192,500 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 39 | $215,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | Manager, Advanced Analytics | 52 | $139,562 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Business Intelligence Engineer II | 47 | $167,500 |
| Google LLC | Data Scientist | 45 | $201,000 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Data Scientist | 35 | $220,376 |
| Apple Inc. | Data Scientist | 27 | $175,958 |
| TikTok Inc. | Data Engineer | 27 | $174,304 |
| Adobe Inc. | Machine Learning Engineer | 25 | $202,000 |
| PayPal, Inc. | Senior Data Scientist | 18 | $185,000 |
| TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | Machine Learning Engineer - USDS | 16 | $200,000 |
| Netflix, Inc. | Analytics Engineer | 15 | $275,850 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Manager, Business Intelligence at Verkada, Inc$175,000San MateoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504367
- Principal Data Scientist at Shutterfly, LLC$130,270IrvineDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504403
- Lead Machine Learning Engineer at Upwork Inc.$247,655PacificaDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502176
- Strategic Business Development at Apple Inc.$186,830CupertinoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-203-25356-500868
- Staff - Level V at Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.$115,170Palo AltoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503565
- BUSINESS SYSTEM ANALYST at ROBOTICS STAFFING LLC$73,174AGOURA HILLSDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503727
- Business Intelligence Analyst at FRESNO COMMUNITY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER$105,893Los AngelesDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502644
- Sr Data Engineer at Tesla, Inc.$171,149FremontDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500686
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 California
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 California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 607 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $180,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | Meta Platforms, Inc | 236 | $180,000 |
| Data Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 82 | $168,074 |
| Manager, Advanced Analytics | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 55 | $156,190 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Adobe Inc. | 49 | $220,000 |
| Data Analyst | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 37 | $109,000 |
| Business Intelligence Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 30 | $158,604 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Applied Materials, Inc | 28 | $135,500 |
| Business Analyst | Amazon.com Services LLC | 24 | $120,000 |
| Software Engineer | LINKEDIN CORPORATION | 22 | $190,518 |
| Senior Product Manager | Adobe Inc. | 19 | $164,403 |
| Director, Data Science | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 13 | $230,000 |
| Analytics Engineer | Netflix, Inc. | 12 | $214,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 997 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $180,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 541 | $180,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 138 | $166,687 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 99 | $172,100 |
| Professional services | Amgen Inc. | 95 | $164,403 |
| Finance and insurance | PayPal, Inc. | 76 | $165,995 |
| Education | The University of Southern California | 16 | $96,020 |
| Transportation and logistics | Thumbtack, Inc. | 12 | $157,500 |
| Healthcare | FRESNO COMMUNITY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER | 10 | $104,301 |
| Energy and utilities | Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. | 4 | $99,133 |
| Real estate | Move Sales, Inc | 3 | $163,937 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 3 | $123,531 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California 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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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for data scientists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$173,160
- San Francisco$166,300
- San Diego$127,200
- Los Angeles$124,270
- Riverside$105,590
- Sacramento$98,460
Compare Data Scientists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in California is $136,800.
- How does California compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The California median is +18.3% versus the BLS national figure of $115,636.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $73,390 and the 90th-percentile at $221,080, 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.