Data Scientist Salary in Seattle, WA
Data Scientists in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $164,740 a year — 37% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $123,866 take-home, or $10,322 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median data scientist salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$28,272
- Social Security (6.2%)$10,214
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,389
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$123,866
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Data Scientist pay by experience in Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $81,130 | $39.00 | $65,905 | $5,492 |
| 25th percentile | $108,740 | $52.28 | $85,329 | $7,111 |
| Median (50th) | $164,740 | $79.20 | $123,866 | $10,322 |
| 75th percentile | $210,370 | $101.14 | $156,565 | $13,047 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $230,980 | $111.05 | $170,695 | $14,225 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $164,740 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median data scientist's $123,866 take-home pay has the buying power of $111,457 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Seattle, WA has 2.4× 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
Seattle, WA ranks #1 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 Seattle, WA?
The median data scientist salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $164,740 a year, or about $79.20 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $108,740 and $210,370.
What is a data scientist’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $164,740 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $123,866 a year ($10,322 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a data scientist?
Pay here is 37% above the national median of $120,230. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $111,457 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #1 of 23 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a data scientist afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 20% of a median data scientist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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