Entry-level Data Scientist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 249 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Wilmington, Malvern, Newark, King Of Prussia, Exton.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,286 |
| 25th | $68,286 |
| 50th (median) | $73,944 |
| 75th | $84,000 |
| 90th | $103,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,667 | $60,000 | $75,667 | 15 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2022 | $66,768 | $60,000 | $71,926 | 22 |
| FY2023 | $70,000 | $66,768 | $75,004 | 77 |
| FY2024 | $71,225 | $70,242 | $77,205 | 114 |
| FY2025 | $70,803 | $68,286 | $82,000 | 153 |
| FY2026 | $74,200 | $73,944 | $87,050 | 96 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median entry-level Data Scientist salary of $73,944 is worth about $72,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $109,910 in May 2025 (6,480 employed). The H-1B median here is $73,944, 33% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Comcast | $68,286 | 17 |
| OneMain General Services | $68,286 | 13 |
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | $70,803 | 13 |
| Barclays | too few | 9 |
| ACE American Insurance Company | too few | 6 |
| Beaconfire Staffing Solutions | too few | 6 |
| HealthVerity | too few | 6 |
| BlackRock | too few | 5 |
| PECO Energy, An Exelon Company | too few | 4 |
| Temple University--A Commonwealth University | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $73,944 | 249 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,013 | 482 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,000 | 190 |
| Expert · Level IV | $157,000 | 242 |
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 | $68,286 | $73,944 | 249 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,013 | $96,013 | 482 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,082 | $125,000 | 190 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,150 | $157,000 | 242 |
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.