What the numbers say
Indiana's median Data Scientist wage was $84,050 in 2024, about 27% below the US median of $115,636. That is a notable gap, and it is real. But the state's cost of living runs about 9% below the national average, which closes the distance. In purchasing-power terms, the Indiana median lands closer to $92,200 in national-baseline dollars. The gap narrows, though it does not disappear.
The spread between earners here is wide. A Data Scientist at the 10th percentile earned $51,860 in 2024. One at the 90th earned $134,600. Top earners made roughly 2.6 times what entry-level peers made. That range reflects how much experience, sub-specialty, and the specific employer shape pay in this field. The average wage of $92,620 sits well above the median, which tells us a smaller group of senior and specialized data scientists pulls the figure up.
About 3,120 Data Scientists worked in Indiana in 2024. That is a modest base compared to coastal tech hubs, and the local employer mix skews toward manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and financial services rather than pure tech. Those industries hire data scientists, though often at pay scales below what software-first companies offer.
BLS projects 33.5% growth for this occupation nationally between 2024 and 2034, a much faster rate than average. The Indiana trajectory likely follows that direction, given the broader push by mid-market employers to staff analytics and machine-learning functions. The nominal wage gap relative to California or Washington may persist for the foreseeable future, even as total employment grows.
Salary distribution
Where Indiana data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $66,800 and $110,770, with a median of $84,050.
Data Scientists in Indiana: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 256 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $90,000. 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 | 48 | $68,250 |
| Level II — qualified | 90 | $83,200 |
| Level III — experienced | 36 | $95,507 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 56 | $125,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in Indiana. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Company | Manager - Clinical Data | 32 | $115,562 |
| Cummins Inc. | Data Scientist | 21 | $89,690 |
| Purdue University | Data Scientist | 8 | $85,038 |
| Lilly USA, LLC | Sr. AI Data Scientist - Field Analytics | 8 | $129,321 |
| Corteva Agriscience LLC | Data Scientist II | 6 | $109,780 |
| Indiana University Indianapolis | Senior Data Manager | 5 | $73,000 |
| Union Hospital, Inc. | Analyst, Data Management Analytics | 4 | $87,094 |
| SPARK TEK INC. | DATA ANALYST | 4 | $74,100 |
| RAD CUBE, LLC | Data Scientist | 3 | $65,000 |
| Aunalytics, Inc. | Data Scientist | 3 | $90,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Data Scientist at Cummins Inc.$103,667COLUMBUSDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500829
- Associate Director, Strategic Analytics at University of Notre Dame du Lac$115,920Notre DameDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-482993
- Senior Research Data Analyst at Purdue University$79,082West LafayetteDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-480217
- Principal Specialist SAP Analytics at Charles River Laboratories, Inc.$185,297WestfieldDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-445347
- Salesforce Business Analyst at CPP Enterprises, LLC$96,740IndianapolisDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-445989
- Analyst, Data Management Analytics at Union Hospital, Inc.$75,604Terre HauteDecided Dec 3, 2025I-200-25329-436837
- Senior Business Intelligence Analyst at Union Hospital, Inc.$98,584Terre HauteDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-429971
- Senior Data Scientist at Purdue University$92,700West LafayetteDecided Nov 25, 2025I-200-25322-419344
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 Indiana
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 Indiana
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 128 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $89,850.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | Cummins Inc. | 33 | $89,850 |
| Data Analyst | SPARK TEK INC. | 22 | $77,000 |
| Senior Business Intelligence Analyst | Union Hospital, Inc. | 15 | $89,835 |
| Business Analyst | Alrek Business Solutions Inc | 15 | $83,200 |
| Data Engineer | PYRAMID TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC | 14 | $105,560 |
| Analyst, Data Management Analytics | Wabash National Corporation | 7 | $90,000 |
| Principal Engineer-Data | Eli Lilly and Company | 7 | $112,476 |
| Senior Research Data Analyst | Purdue University | 3 | $79,082 |
| Business Data Analyst | MYR Group Inc. | 3 | $70,474 |
| Healthcare Data Analyst | Sentara Health | 3 | $97,136 |
| Senior Data Manager | Indiana University Indianapolis | 3 | $74,880 |
| MACHINE LEARNING ENGINEER | PRIMASOFT INC. | 3 | $88,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in Indiana, by industry
Median offered wage across 253 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $107,856.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Eli Lilly and Company | 80 | $107,856 |
| Technology and software | SPARK TEK INC. | 71 | $83,200 |
| Professional services | Corteva Agriscience LLC | 36 | $105,280 |
| Education | Purdue University | 18 | $76,184 |
| Healthcare | Union Hospital, Inc. | 13 | $95,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina | 12 | $77,002 |
| Retail and wholesale | The Tire Rack, Inc. | 11 | $85,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | TA Dispatch | 5 | $65,000 |
| Energy and utilities | AES Clean Energy Services, LLC | 3 | $87,975 |
| Real estate | RCI, LLC (Travel and Leisure Co.) | 2 | $72,103 |
| Media and entertainment | The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis, Inc. | 2 | $65,233 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Indiana 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 Indiana metropolitan areas.
- Indianapolis$90,750
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in Indiana?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in Indiana is $84,050.
- How does Indiana compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The Indiana median is -27.3% versus the BLS national figure of $115,636.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in Indiana?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $51,860 and the 90th-percentile at $134,600, 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.