Senior Data Scientist salary in Indianapolis, IN
Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, Whitestown, Zionsville.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $89,880 |
| 25th | $95,638 |
| 50th (median) | $98,824 |
| 75th | $107,787 |
| 90th | $137,456 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2023 | $95,503 | $80,642 | $117,500 | 10 |
| FY2024 | $95,000 | $90,386 | $125,800 | 15 |
| FY2025 | $98,077 | $89,888 | $127,136 | 18 |
| FY2026 | $100,000 | $95,638 | $106,000 | 25 |
Cost of living
Indianapolis's median senior Data Scientist salary of $98,824 is worth about $103,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Indianapolis = 95.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Indianapolis, IN area earned a median of $99,110 in May 2025 (1,880 employed). The H-1B median here is $98,824, 0% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Company | too few | 6 |
| Cummins | too few | 2 |
| Elanco | too few | 2 |
| Rad Cube | too few | 2 |
| Style Link Logistics | too few | 2 |
| Tredence | 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 | $65,000 | 54 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $81,360 | 96 |
| Senior · Level III | $98,824 | 43 |
| Expert · Level IV | $125,000 | 88 |
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 | $62,754 | $65,000 | 54 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $79,206 | $81,360 | 96 |
| Senior · Level III | $95,638 | $98,824 | 43 |
| Expert · Level IV | $105,560 | $125,000 | 88 |
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.