What the numbers say
New Jersey's median annual wage for Data Scientists was $130,370 in 2024, about 13% above the US median of $115,636. The average came in just slightly higher at $131,800, which means pay is spread fairly evenly around the middle rather than being pulled up by a small group of very high earners.
The range across the field is wide. The bottom 10% earned around $74,780, while the top 10% reached $184,520. That gap reflects how much experience, industry, and specialization matter in this role. A data scientist two or three years into the field earns very differently from someone running models for a financial firm or pharmaceutical company.
New Jersey's cost of living sits about 13% above the national average. After adjusting for that, the state's wage premium over the national median narrows to something close to zero in terms of what the money actually buys. Residents in the state's financial services and pharma corridors may see higher nominal pay, but everyday costs absorb most of that difference.
On the outlook front, BLS projects employment for Data Scientists to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034. That puts the occupation in the much faster than average category, one of the stronger projections across all professional occupations in the current ten-year cycle.
Salary distribution
Where New Jersey data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $98,220 and $161,830, with a median of $130,370.
Data Scientists in New Jersey: 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: $112,320. 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 | 231 | $82,800 |
| Level II — qualified | 313 | $112,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 114 | $148,867 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 74 | $175,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in New Jersey. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | Manager, Advanced Analytics | 27 | $167,000 |
| Barclays Services Corp. | Senior Business Analyst | 26 | $146,000 |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Vice President, Applied AI ML Lead | 26 | $158,300 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Senior Manager - Statistical Programming | 21 | $160,000 |
| NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION | Senior Manager, PSC Operations Insights | 17 | $141,170 |
| The Prudential Insurance Company of America | Director, Lead Data Scientist - KBGFJG393534-1 | 16 | $130,000 |
| ACE American Insurance Company | Senior Data Scientist | 10 | $158,075 |
| INDEGENE, INC | MANAGER - STRATEGIC INITIATIVES | 9 | $111,197 |
| Citibank, N.A. | Data Analytics Lead Analyst | 8 | $179,829 |
| Axtria INC | Manager (Manager Band) | 7 | $115,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE ENGINEER II at AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC$120,480JERSEY CITYDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500731
- Business Systems Analyst I at Arch Insurance Group Inc.$109,491Jersey CityDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503525
- Vice President, Sr. Business Analyst at JRI America Inc.$169,541Jersey CityDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500823
- AVP, Analytics Program Manager at ACE American Insurance Company$164,800Whitehouse StationDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503439
- Staff Data Scientist at Machinify, Inc.$225,077SecaucusDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25354-499786
- Senior Data Scientist at Humana Inc.$174,000Jersey CityDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497490
- Data Scientist at DVR Softek, Inc.$108,638Princeton JunctionDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-496827
- Data Scientist at Quantum Integrators Group LLC$85,650West WindsorDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498304
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 New Jersey
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 New Jersey
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 576 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $112,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 123 | $112,000 |
| Data Engineer | PHOTON INFOTECH, INC. | 99 | $109,491 |
| Data Analyst | COGNITECH TECHNOLOGIES INC. | 77 | $90,000 |
| Manager | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 71 | $150,000 |
| Business Analyst | Firefly Pros, Inc. | 64 | $95,247 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | WALL STREET CONSULTING SERVICES LLC | 36 | $90,778 |
| Director, Data Science | NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION | 34 | $169,541 |
| Vice President, Applied AI ML Lead | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | 20 | $170,373 |
| Consultant | Exzac | 15 | $110,000 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | ADP Technology Services, Inc. | 14 | $110,746 |
| Business Systems Analyst | INVICTUS DATA INC | 13 | $111,966 |
| Business Intelligence Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 10 | $113,660 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in New Jersey, by industry
Median offered wage across 996 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $109,500.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Axtria INC | 474 | $109,500 |
| Professional services | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | 216 | $124,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Barclays Services Corp. | 150 | $145,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | WAL-MART ASSOCIATES, INC. | 62 | $141,770 |
| Manufacturing | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | 62 | $156,461 |
| Healthcare | The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | 12 | $121,950 |
| Education | The Trustees of Princeton University | 7 | $100,000 |
| Real estate | HV Manco LLC | 6 | $129,771 |
| Transportation and logistics | Evans Network Services, Inc. | 5 | $85,000 |
| Government and public sector | State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families | 1 | $172,500 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 1 | $111,966 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in New Jersey 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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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in New Jersey?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in New Jersey is $130,370.
- How does New Jersey compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The New Jersey median is +12.7% versus the BLS national figure of $115,636.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in New Jersey?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $74,780 and the 90th-percentile at $184,520, 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.