Data Scientist Salary in San Diego, CA
Data Scientists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $130,990 a year — 9% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $91,142 take-home, or $7,595 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$20,172
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,121
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,899
- California income tax$7,952
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,703
- Take-home pay$91,142
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Data Scientist pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $74,110 | $35.63 | $57,286 | $4,774 |
| 25th percentile | $93,420 | $44.91 | $68,878 | $5,740 |
| Median (50th) | $130,990 | $62.98 | $91,142 | $7,595 |
| 75th percentile | $164,160 | $78.92 | $110,298 | $9,191 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $201,190 | $96.73 | $132,707 | $11,059 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $130,990 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $91,142 take-home pay has the buying power of $81,459 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 San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.09).
Best-paying cities for data scientists, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #37 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 |
| 37 | San Diego, CA | $130,990 | $91,142 | $81,459 |
*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
- Oxnard, CA — $126,360
- Los Angeles, CA — $129,740
- Riverside, CA — $112,910
- Sacramento, CA — $103,700
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in San Diego, CA?
The median data scientist salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $130,990 a year, or about $62.98 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $93,420 and $164,160.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $130,990 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $91,142 a year ($7,595 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $9,655 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 9% above the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $81,459 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #37 of 72 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 32% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Software Developer — $163,270
- Computer Network Architect — $157,700
- Computer Programmer — $134,130
- Information Security Analyst — $132,120
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $127,600
- Web and Digital Interface Designer — $123,850
- Computer and Information Research Scientist — $121,530
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $120,210
- Computer Systems Analyst — $119,090
- Database Administrator — $106,820
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $105,170
- Operations Research Analyst — $99,230