Data Scientist Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Data Scientists in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $129,740 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $90,420 take-home, or $7,535 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,872
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,044
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,881
- California income tax$7,836
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,687
- Take-home pay$90,420
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Data Scientist pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $71,080 | $34.17 | $55,436 | $4,620 |
| 25th percentile | $91,350 | $43.92 | $67,641 | $5,637 |
| Median (50th) | $129,740 | $62.38 | $90,420 | $7,535 |
| 75th percentile | $168,420 | $80.97 | $112,758 | $9,397 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $208,280 | $100.13 | $137,177 | $11,431 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $129,740 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $90,420 take-home pay has the buying power of $79,619 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Data Scientist jobs are about as common in Los Angeles, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.93).
Best-paying cities for data scientists, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #44 of 72 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 | Jacksonville, FL | $122,680 | $95,118 | $95,611 |
| 8 | Bridgeport, CT | $141,760 | $101,803 | $95,264 |
| 44 | Los Angeles, CA | $129,740 | $90,420 | $79,619 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 72 metros →
Data Scientist salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $185,080
- San Francisco, CA — $170,110
- San Diego, CA — $130,990
- Oxnard, CA — $126,360
- Riverside, CA — $112,910
- Sacramento, CA — $103,700
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median data scientist salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $129,740 a year, or about $62.38 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $91,350 and $168,420.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $129,740 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $90,420 a year ($7,535 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $9,523 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $79,619 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #44 of 72 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 30% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Software Developer — $160,920
- Computer and Information Research Scientist — $155,960
- Database Architect — $155,740
- Computer Network Architect — $147,510
- Information Security Analyst — $129,630
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $122,210
- Computer Systems Analyst — $121,560
- Statistician — $116,200
- Database Administrator — $112,540
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $109,700
- Web Developer — $107,290
- Computer Programmer — $107,090