Data Scientist salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Data Scientists in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median of $132,200 a year ($63.56 an hour), based on BLS data for 9,260 workers.
Pay ranges from $85,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $212,320 for the top 10%. That is 10% higher than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 5% higher than the District of Columbia statewide median of $126,490. There are 3.0 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.8× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $143,510, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $85,250 | $40.99 |
| 25th percentile | $105,700 | $50.82 |
| Median | $132,200 | $63.56 |
| 75th percentile | $172,960 | $83.16 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $212,320 | $102.08 |
| Average (mean) | $143,510 | $68.99 |
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 | $11,016.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,508.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,084.62 |
| Weekly | $2,542.31 |
| Hourly | $63.56 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $132,200 salary, see how much house you can afford in District of Columbia 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $149,800 | n/a |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $134,320 | 1,090 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $129,990 | 60 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $129,020 | 90 |
| Richmond, VA | $122,510 | 1,050 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $109,910 | 6,480 |
| Roanoke, VA | $106,090 | n/a |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $100,300 | 770 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $98,470 | 90 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $97,190 | 50 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $91,130 | 50 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $89,070 | 60 |
| Charleston, WV | $79,860 | 100 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $79,560 | 40 |
| Morgantown, WV | $78,950 | 40 |
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 District of Columbia statewide figures.
Related jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $127,600 | $61.35 |
| Statistician | $136,660 | $65.70 |
| Actuary | $144,680 | $69.56 |
| Mathematician | $164,470 | $79.07 |
| Software Developer | $154,930 | $74.49 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $127,040 | $61.08 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $77,860 | $37.43 |
| Information Security Analyst | $148,950 | $71.61 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $125,430 | $60.30 |
| Computer Network Architect | $159,820 | $76.84 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $126,350 | $60.74 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $92,400 | $44.42 |
| Database Architect | $162,870 | $78.30 |
| Web Developer | $134,350 | $64.59 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median salary for data scientists in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $132,200 a year, or $63.56 an hour. Pay ranges from $85,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $212,320 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The top 10% of data scientists in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn at least $212,320 a year. The top 25% earn $172,960 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $85,250 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $105,700 or less.
How many data scientists work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
About 9,260 data scientists are employed in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, not counting the self-employed.