Data Scientist salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Data Scientists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median of $170,110 a year ($81.79 an hour), based on BLS data for 10,460 workers.
Pay ranges from $99,170 for the lowest-paid 10% to $272,430 for the top 10%. That is 41% higher than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 20% higher than the California statewide median of $141,590. There are 4.4 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.6× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $174,830, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $99,170 | $47.68 |
| 25th percentile | $130,430 | $62.71 |
| Median | $170,110 | $81.79 |
| 75th percentile | $212,970 | $102.39 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $272,430 | $130.98 |
| Average (mean) | $174,830 | $84.05 |
Half of data scientists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $14,175.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $7,087.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $6,542.69 |
| Weekly | $3,271.35 |
| Hourly | $81.79 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $170,110 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Data Scientist salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $185,080 | 6,060 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $130,990 | 2,830 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,980 | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $129,740 | 9,850 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,360 | 460 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $119,930 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $114,830 | 60 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $113,990 | 190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,910 | 1,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $104,990 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,530 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $103,700 | 2,710 |
| Napa, CA | $101,830 | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $101,370 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,250 | 220 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,850 | 90 |
| Visalia, CA | $97,870 | 40 |
| Redding, CA | $96,960 | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $92,200 | 200 |
Highest-paying states for data scientists
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $163,350 |
| California | $141,590 |
| Maryland | $136,370 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 |
| New York | $130,460 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 |
| Vermont | $127,070 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 |
| Virginia | $126,430 |
See Data Scientist pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $110,560 | $53.15 |
| Actuary | $175,330 | $84.29 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $180,510 | $86.78 |
| Software Developer | $186,640 | $89.73 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $161,700 | $77.74 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $134,460 | $64.65 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $89,440 | $43.00 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $163,810 | $78.76 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $134,630 | $64.73 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $129,680 | $62.34 |
| Information Security Analyst | $162,310 | $78.03 |
| Computer Network Architect | $166,760 | $80.18 |
| Computer Programmer | $130,730 | $62.85 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $101,600 | $48.85 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-2051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median salary for data scientists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $170,110 a year, or $81.79 an hour. Pay ranges from $99,170 for the lowest-paid 10% to $272,430 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The top 10% of data scientists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn at least $272,430 a year. The top 25% earn $212,970 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $99,170 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $130,430 or less.
How many data scientists work in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
About 10,460 data scientists are employed in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.