Data Scientist Salary in Richmond, VA
Data Scientists in the Richmond, VA metro area earn a median $122,510 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $88,771 take-home, or $7,398 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in Richmond, VA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$18,136
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,596
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,776
- Virginia income tax$6,230
- Take-home pay$88,771
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 5.75% state
Data Scientist pay by experience in Richmond, VA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,510 | $32.94 | $53,902 | $4,492 |
| 25th percentile | $91,030 | $43.76 | $68,449 | $5,704 |
| Median (50th) | $122,510 | $58.90 | $88,771 | $7,398 |
| 75th percentile | $169,990 | $81.73 | $118,494 | $9,874 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $208,170 | $100.08 | $143,789 | $11,982 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Virginia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $122,510 buys in Richmond, VA
Prices in Richmond, VA are 2.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $88,771 take-home pay has the buying power of $90,714 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 Richmond, VA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).
Best-paying cities for data scientists, adjusted for cost of living
Richmond, VA ranks #14 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 |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $122,510 | $88,771 | $90,714 |
*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 Virginia
- Virginia Beach, VA — $100,300
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in Richmond, VA?
The median data scientist salary in the Richmond, VA metro area is $122,510 a year, or about $58.90 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $91,030 and $169,990.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in Richmond, VA?
On the median $122,510 salary, a single filer living in Virginia takes home about $88,771 a year ($7,398 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $6,230 in Virginia taxes in 2026.
Is Richmond, VA a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 2.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $90,714 would in a typical U.S. city. Richmond, VA ranks #14 of 72 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in Richmond, VA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Richmond, VA is $1,505 a month ($1,653 for two bedrooms) — 20% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Richmond, VA
- Database Architect — $133,770
- Software Developer — $132,120
- Computer Network Architect — $129,210
- Information Security Analyst — $126,230
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $111,070
- Operations Research Analyst — $109,650
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $106,300
- Computer Systems Analyst — $105,190
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $99,750
- Database Administrator — $99,690
- Computer Network Support Specialist — $65,460
- Computer User Support Specialist — $60,790