Expert Data Scientist salary in Durham, NC
Based on 75 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $127,462 |
| 25th | $137,696 |
| 50th (median) | $140,000 |
| 75th | $153,733 |
| 90th | $164,455 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | $117,259 | $115,918 | $139,851 | 10 |
| FY2023 | $139,888 | $139,402 | $142,465 | 14 |
| FY2024 | $140,275 | $140,275 | $154,489 | 11 |
| FY2025 | $153,733 | $153,733 | $160,000 | 26 |
| FY2026 | $137,696 | $137,696 | $142,500 | 49 |
Cost of living
Durham's median expert Data Scientist salary of $140,000 is worth about $143,500 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 $140,000, 31% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments | $137,696 | 28 |
| IBM | too few | 7 |
| Biogen | too few | 5 |
| DGN Technologies | too few | 3 |
| GlaxoSmithKline | too few | 3 |
| University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill | too few | 2 |
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.