Entry Level Data Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does an Entry Level Data Scientist make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for an Entry Level Data Scientist in the United States is $73,924 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, an Entry Level Data Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,029
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,209 to $80,260
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,004
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
Recruit with AI
View as table View as graph 25% $68,209 10% $63,004 90% $86,029 75% $80,260 $73,924 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Entry Level Data Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $80,260 $6,688 $1,543 $39
Average $73,924 $6,160 $1,422 $36
25th Percentile $68,209 $5,684 $1,312 $33
Check out Entry Level Data Scientist Job Openings in the United States
LEAD DATA ENGINEER

John Hancock - Toronto, OH

Data Scientist

Battelle Memorial Institute - Columbus, OH

Mid

Battelle Memorial Institute - Columbus, OH

DATA SCIENTIST

Battelle Memorial Institute - Columbus, OH

Search More Entry Level Data Scientist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Entry Level Data Scientist Salaries

An Entry Level Data Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Entry Level Data Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Level Data Scientist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $74,025
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $90,592
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $115,809
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $131,992
  • Expert (over 8 years): $176,887
Levels Salary
Entry Lev... Level Entry Level Data Scientist$74,025
Data Scie... Level Entry Level Data Scientist$90,592
Data Scie... Level Entry Level Data Scientist$115,809
Data Scie... Level Entry Level Data Scientist$131,992
Data Scie... Level Entry Level Data Scientist$176,887
$74,025 0 yr
$90,592 < 2 yrs
$115,809 2-4 yrs
$131,992 5-8 yrs
$176,887 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Entry Level Data Scientists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $93,241
  • San Francisco: $92,324
  • Oakland: $90,277

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Level Data Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 11.33% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • SQL (Mentioned in 3.32% Job Postings): Structured Query Language) is a domain-specific language used in programming and designed for managing data held in a relational database management system (RDBMS), or for stream processing in a relational data stream management system (RDSMS).
  • Economics (Mentioned in 1.42% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 11.33%
SQL 3.32%
Economics 1.42%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Entry Level Data Scientist's salary.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Programming Language: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration
$78,360
6%
Insight
$77,621
5%
Programming Language
$77,621
5%
AWS
$76,881
4%
Computer Science
$76,881
4%
Tableau
$76,881
4%
Get Latest Data

Entry Level Data Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Level Data Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

Salary Trends for Entry Level Data Scientist

Salaries for an Entry Level Data Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $67,733 in 2023 to around $67,079 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Entry Level Data Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Entry Level Data Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$67,733
2024
$67,437
2025
$67,079
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $67,733
2024 $67,437
2025 $67,079
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Entry Level Data Scientist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Entry Level Data Scientist

Here are companies hiring for Entry Level Data Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Entry Level Data Scientist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Entry Level Data Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst