Data Scientist salary in Durham, NC
Based on 254 certified H-1B filings in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Chapel Hill, Morrisville, Research Triangle Park, Hillsborough, Carrboro.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,851 |
| 25th | $97,943 |
| 50th (median) | $115,162 |
| 75th | $137,696 |
| 90th | $153,733 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,147 | $83,200 | $111,446 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $98,978 | $82,821 | $118,373 | 24 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $85,300 | $117,665 | 43 |
| FY2023 | $106,602 | $95,229 | $138,403 | 68 |
| FY2024 | $110,665 | $95,805 | $131,000 | 81 |
| FY2025 | $112,466 | $98,881 | $136,436 | 140 |
| FY2026 | $127,221 | $95,000 | $137,696 | 114 |
Cost of living
Durham's median Data Scientist salary of $115,162 is worth about $118,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $106,500 in May 2025 (1,320 employed). The H-1B median here is $115,162, 8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments | $128,606 | 61 |
| IBM | $165,874 | 12 |
| NC Health Affiliates | too few | 8 |
| Relx | too few | 7 |
| Biogen | too few | 6 |
| Cisco Systems | too few | 6 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 4 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 4 |
| GlaxoSmithKline | too few | 4 |
| American Tech Vision Solutions | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $80,000 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $103,501 | 80 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,606 | 40 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,000 | 75 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $78,374 | $80,000 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $79,851 | $103,501 | 80 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,667 | $128,606 | 40 |
| Expert · Level IV | $127,462 | $140,000 | 75 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.