What the numbers say
Pennsylvania's median Data Scientist wage was $100,320 in 2024, about 13% below the US median of $115,636. That gap is meaningful, though less so than it first appears. Pennsylvania's cost of living index sits at 97.4, just below the national baseline, which means the dollar goes a little further here. Adjust for that and the gap with the national figure narrows to closer to 10%.
The spread between top and bottom earners is wide. The 10th percentile came in at $61,190 in 2024, and the 90th at $165,360. Top earners made roughly 2.7 times what those at the bottom did. That kind of range shows up in fields where experience, specialization, and the industry hiring you all push wages in different directions. A data scientist at a Philadelphia financial firm and one at a regional healthcare network are both counted here.
The mean wage of $107,450 sat above the median, which tells us a smaller group of higher earners pulled the average up. Most working Data Scientists in Pennsylvania landed somewhere between $76,220 and $129,590.
BLS projects this occupation to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. Pennsylvania had about 10,430 Data Scientists employed in 2024, a large enough base that even fast growth will produce real competition for roles at the top of the pay range.
Salary distribution
Where Pennsylvania data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $76,220 and $129,590, with a median of $100,320.
Data Scientists in Pennsylvania: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 760 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $96,034. 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 | 179 | $70,720 |
| Level II — qualified | 266 | $91,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 117 | $116,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 104 | $148,206 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in Pennsylvania. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | Sr. Analyst, Enterprise BI Data Products & Governance | 21 | $68,286 |
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Data Programmer Analyst | 20 | $70,803 |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Machine Learning Engineer, Specialist | 14 | $154,502 |
| Tredence Inc. | Senior Manager | 12 | $139,750 |
| The Bank of New York Mellon | Senior Associate Data Scientist | 12 | $145,000 |
| Federal Express Corporation | Business Intelligence Analyst II | 12 | $103,725 |
| CitiusTech Inc. | Business System Analyst | 10 | $104,300 |
| University of Pittsburgh | Data Scientist | 10 | $62,837 |
| Wawa, Inc. | Associate Data Engineer | 9 | $151,087 |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | Data Analyst D | 9 | $94,182 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- ERP Senior Application Analyst at Core Natural Resources f/k/a CONSOL Mining Company LLC$105,000CanonsburgDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501862
- Data Analyst at Orien Solutions Inc$96,013MalvernDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-488807
- Data Analyst at QSE7, LLC$121,000King of PrussiaDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-483206
- MARKETING DATA ANALYST at BRIGHT MIND SOLUTIONS LLC.$77,150MALVERNDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-484402
- Data Scientist at Comcast Cable Communications, LLC$96,013RoyersfordDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-480057
- System Analyst / Sr Technical Specialist at CitiusTech Inc.$105,600MalvernDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-477622
- SDTM Specialist at FRONTIER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC.$56,000PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-480050
- Machine Learning Engineer at Acnovate Corporation$73,944PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 18, 2025I-200-25345-474712
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 Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 396 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $108,294.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | The Bank of New York Mellon | 102 | $108,294 |
| Data Analyst | BeaconFire Staffing Solutions Inc | 69 | $90,854 |
| Data Engineer | Wawa, Inc. | 53 | $96,000 |
| Business Analyst | Aspire Home Care LLC | 43 | $87,400 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Federal Express Corporation | 41 | $93,309 |
| Manager, Data Science | Tredence Inc. | 20 | $140,023 |
| Sr. Analyst, Enterprise BI Data Products & Governance | Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | 17 | $73,944 |
| Business Systems Analyst | CitiusTech Inc. | 15 | $104,500 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | The Vanguard Group, Inc. | 11 | $109,250 |
| Business Data Analyst | Exel, Inc. | 11 | $77,000 |
| Sr. Specialist, Data Science | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | 7 | $122,800 |
| Clinical Data Manager | SUVODA LLC | 7 | $101,837 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in Pennsylvania, by industry
Median offered wage across 754 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $93,974.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | 319 | $93,974 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 133 | $101,600 |
| Finance and insurance | The Vanguard Group, Inc. | 85 | $129,000 |
| Healthcare | The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | 46 | $72,374 |
| Manufacturing | GlaxoSmithKline LLC | 44 | $127,869 |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh | 43 | $73,798 |
| Retail and wholesale | Wawa, Inc. | 30 | $142,980 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 25 | $105,000 |
| Energy and utilities | Core Natural Resources f/k/a CONSOL Mining Company LLC | 12 | $93,025 |
| Real estate | Penske Truck Leasing Co LP | 12 | $97,500 |
| Government and public sector | City of Philadelphia | 3 | $75,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Nonprofit Partners, Inc. | 1 | $64,000 |
| Media and entertainment | Scientific Games, LLC | 1 | $70,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
Metro-level salary data for data scientists in major Pennsylvania metropolitan areas.
- Philadelphia$107,030
- Pittsburgh$96,370
Compare Data Scientists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in Pennsylvania?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in Pennsylvania is $100,320.
- How does Pennsylvania compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The Pennsylvania median is -13.2% versus the BLS national figure of $115,636.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in Pennsylvania?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $61,190 and the 90th-percentile at $165,360, 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.