Data Scientists pay in California
$156,000avg. a year
$75.00 an hour · 39,310 employed
Data Scientists in California earn an average of $156,000 a year. That is $29,200 (23%) more than the U.S. average of $126,800. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $212,760.
$141,590Median pay
$75.00Average hourly
+17%Avg. pay since 2021
#2Of 48 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for data scientists by metro area. Swipe to see all 20.
16,060 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$212,760
$102.29 an hour
210,460 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$174,830
$84.05 an hour
3460 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$138,630
$66.65 an hour
49,850 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$136,700
$65.72 an hour
52,830 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$134,470
$64.65 an hour
680 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$132,800
$63.85 an hour
760 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$128,340
$61.70 an hour
8190 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$125,770
$60.47 an hour
91,000 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$125,060
$60.13 an hour
1030 jobs
Napa, CA
$124,390
$59.80 an hour
11130 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$122,240
$58.77 an hour
1270 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$117,210
$56.35 an hour
1380 jobs
Modesto, CA
$113,750
$54.69 an hour
142,710 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$112,740
$54.20 an hour
15100 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$112,340
$54.01 an hour
1690 jobs
Salinas, CA
$109,540
$52.66 an hour
17220 jobs
Fresno, CA
$107,370
$51.62 an hour
18200 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$106,010
$50.97 an hour
1940 jobs
Visalia, CA
$103,110
$49.57 an hour
2060 jobs
Redding, CA
$102,120
$49.10 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Data Scientists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California data scientists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $101k$101k–$111k$111k–$124k$124k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $126,800 | $60.96 |
| California | $156,000 | $75.00 |
| Oregon | $131,300 | $63.13 |
| Arizona | $111,950 | $53.82 |
| Nevada | $108,340 | $52.09 |
Related jobs in California
- Operations Research Analysts$110,860
- Statisticians$140,780
- Software Developers$186,770
- Computer User Support Specialists$85,030
- Computer Systems Analysts$130,480
- Computer Occupations, All Other$146,770
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do data scientists make in California?
The average is $156,000 a year, and the median is $141,590. That is $29,200 (23%) more than the U.S. average of $126,800.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$75.00 an hour on average; the median is $68.07.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($212,760), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($174,830). The lowest average among 20 metro areas with data is Redding, CA ($102,120).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 49 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2021–May 2025), occupation code 15-2051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national data scientists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.