Data Scientists salary in Raleigh, NC
Median pay for data scientists in Raleigh, NC: $126,950/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $66,550 – $195,560 · about 1,250 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($93,540) by +$33,410 (+36%).
What it's really worth in Raleigh
With Raleigh's cost of living at 98 (US=100), that $126,950 has the buying power of about $129,073 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $91,818 · median home $438,364 · median rent $1,694/mo.
How Raleigh ranks for this job
On raw pay, Raleigh, NC is 14th of the 171 metros we hold data scientists wages for. Once Raleigh's cost of living is applied, it ranks 8th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Raleigh sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Raleigh
A median home in Raleigh, NC costs $438,364 — about 3.5× 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 $1,694/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 Raleigh.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Raleigh | Rent vs Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $171,800 | +35% | 2.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $163,430 | +29% | 1.9× |
| Seattle, WA | $135,610 | +7% | 1.3× |
| Washington, DC | $135,080 | +6% | 1.4× |
Same job elsewhere in NC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Raleigh | Rent vs Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $133,220 | +5% | 1× |
| Durham, NC | $127,310 | +0% | 1× |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $117,450 | −7% | 0.9× |
| Wilmington, NC | $113,320 | −11% | 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 Raleigh
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Duke University Health System · Healthcare
- First Citizens Bank · Finance
- Lenovo · Tech
- SAS Institute · Tech
Other jobs in Raleigh
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.