Data Scientist Salary in Charlotte, NC
Data Scientists in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn a median $132,460 a year — 10% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $97,026 take-home, or $8,085 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in Charlotte, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$20,524
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,213
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,921
- North Carolina income tax$4,776
- Take-home pay$97,026
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 3.99% state
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro spans North Carolina, South Carolina. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Data Scientist pay by experience in Charlotte, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $70,790 | $34.03 | $56,315 | $4,693 |
| 25th percentile | $97,310 | $46.78 | $73,914 | $6,159 |
| Median (50th) | $132,460 | $63.68 | $97,026 | $8,085 |
| 75th percentile | $165,470 | $79.55 | $118,271 | $9,856 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $171,200 | $82.31 | $121,959 | $10,163 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $132,460 buys in Charlotte, NC
Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $97,026 take-home pay has the buying power of $99,669 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Charlotte, NC has 1.9× the national concentration of data scientist jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for data scientists, adjusted for cost of living
Charlotte, NC ranks #4 of 23 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $164,740 | $123,866 | $111,457 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $185,080 | $122,415 | $110,860 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $127,360 | $98,317 | $100,256 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $132,460 | $97,026 | $99,669 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $170,110 | $113,734 | $98,375 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $127,750 | $98,583 | $95,628 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $129,780 | $92,616 | $88,355 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $132,040 | $95,133 | $87,870 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 23 metros →
About the job: data scientists
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +34.6% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in Charlotte, NC?
The median data scientist salary in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $132,460 a year, or about $63.68 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $97,310 and $165,470.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in Charlotte, NC?
On the median $132,460 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $97,026 a year ($8,085 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,776 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Charlotte, NC a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 10% above the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 2.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $99,669 would in a typical U.S. city. Charlotte, NC ranks #4 of 23 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in Charlotte, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Charlotte, NC is $1,428 a month ($1,577 for two bedrooms) — 18% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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