Data Scientist Salary in Riverside, CA
Data Scientists in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $112,910 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $80,523 take-home, or $6,710 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$16,010
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,000
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,637
- California income tax$6,271
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,468
- Take-home pay$80,523
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Data Scientist pay by experience in Riverside, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $66,690 | $32.06 | $52,756 | $4,396 |
| 25th percentile | $80,140 | $38.53 | $60,943 | $5,079 |
| Median (50th) | $112,910 | $54.28 | $80,523 | $6,710 |
| 75th percentile | $161,600 | $77.69 | $108,820 | $9,068 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $209,100 | $100.53 | $137,694 | $11,475 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $112,910 buys in Riverside, CA
Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $80,523 take-home pay has the buying power of $75,650 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 less concentrated in Riverside, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.35), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for data scientists, adjusted for cost of living
Riverside, CA ranks #60 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 |
| 60 | Riverside, CA | $112,910 | $80,523 | $75,650 |
*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
- Los Angeles, CA — $129,740
- Sacramento, CA — $103,700
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in Riverside, CA?
The median data scientist salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $112,910 a year, or about $54.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $80,140 and $161,600.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?
On the median $112,910 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $80,523 a year ($6,710 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $7,739 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $75,650 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #60 of 72 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in Riverside, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 26% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Riverside, CA
- Software Developer — $133,270
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $105,720
- Computer Systems Analyst — $105,030
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $99,030
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $96,890
- Operations Research Analyst — $86,510
- Computer Network Support Specialist — $77,780
- Computer User Support Specialist — $72,140