Senior Data Scientist salary in Riverside, CA

Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Ontario, Corona, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino.

Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist

Median salary$130,000
Middle 50%$120.5k–$141.5k
vs. all levels here+61%comparison median $80,706
Filings22FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $114,587 and $169,404.
PercentileSalary
10th$118,747
25th$120,500
50th (median)$130,000
75th$141,500
90th$155,900

Cost of living

Riverside's median senior Data Scientist salary of $130,000 is worth about $122,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Riverside = 106.4).

Compared with all workers here

All Data Scientists in the Riverside, CA area earned a median of $112,910 in May 2025 (1,000 employed). The H-1B median here is $130,000, 15% higher.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $64,800 95
Mid-level · Level II $92,000 39
Senior · Level III $130,000 22
Expert · Level IV $151,403 14

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$62,650$64,80095
Mid-level · Level II$91,686$92,00039
Senior · Level III$118,747$130,00022
Expert · Level IV$140,546$151,40314

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.