Mid-level Data Scientist salary in Durham, NC
Based on 80 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $87,214 |
| 50th (median) | $103,501 |
| 75th | $107,923 |
| 90th | $125,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $83,250 | $81,213 | $87,000 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $90,147 | $82,643 | $116,230 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $85,300 | $82,500 | $100,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $96,000 | $93,025 | $102,500 | 30 |
| FY2024 | $100,000 | $95,951 | $116,013 | 36 |
| FY2025 | $105,000 | $103,501 | $114,550 | 48 |
| FY2026 | $85,000 | $79,851 | $95,275 | 32 |
Cost of living
Durham's median mid-level Data Scientist salary of $103,501 is worth about $106,100 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 $103,501, 3% lower.
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 | $103,501 | 11 |
| Relx | too few | 4 |
| IBM | too few | 3 |
| American Tech Vision Solutions | too few | 3 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 3 |
| Elevance Health | too few | 3 |
| AISIN North Carolina | too few | 2 |
| Lorvish Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Populus Group | too few | 2 |
| Zscale | 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.