Data Scientists salary in Charlotte, NC
Median pay for data scientists in Charlotte, NC: $133,220/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $71,960 – $179,060 · about 3,040 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($93,540) by +$39,680 (+42%).
What it's really worth in Charlotte
With Charlotte's cost of living at 97 (US=100), that $133,220 has the buying power of about $136,884 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,177 · median home $390,321 · median rent $1,740/mo.
How Charlotte ranks for this job
On raw pay, Charlotte, NC is 7th of the 171 metros we hold data scientists wages for. Once Charlotte's cost of living is applied, it ranks 4th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Charlotte sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Charlotte
A median home in Charlotte, NC costs $390,321 — about 2.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,740/mo works out at 16% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where data scientists earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Charlotte.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charlotte | Rent vs Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $171,800 | +29% | 2.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $163,430 | +23% | 1.9× |
| Seattle, WA | $135,610 | +2% | 1.3× |
| Washington, DC | $135,080 | +1% | 1.4× |
Same job elsewhere in NC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charlotte | Rent vs Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NC | $127,310 | −4% | 1× |
| Raleigh, NC | $126,950 | −5% | 1× |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $117,450 | −12% | 0.9× |
| Wilmington, NC | $113,320 | −15% | 1× |
Staying in NC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires data scientists around Charlotte
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Bank of America · Finance
- Truist Financial · Finance
- Wells Fargo · Finance
- Novant Health · Healthcare
Other jobs in Charlotte
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 171 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.