Expert Data Scientist salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 504 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Bothell, Lynnwood.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $183,581 |
| 25th | $196,914 |
| 50th (median) | $210,057 |
| 75th | $230,310 |
| 90th | $257,204 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $180,000 | $145,051 | $192,694 | 31 |
| FY2021 | $180,575 | $133,972 | $194,000 | 49 |
| FY2022 | $176,000 | $158,371 | $197,000 | 145 |
| FY2023 | $188,000 | $165,000 | $212,115 | 194 |
| FY2024 | $202,541 | $183,581 | $220,000 | 205 |
| FY2025 | $207,000 | $191,250 | $220,000 | 293 |
| FY2026 | $212,704 | $198,218 | $237,300 | 211 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median expert Data Scientist salary of $210,057 is worth about $189,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $164,740 in May 2025 (8,370 employed). The H-1B median here is $210,057, 28% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | $216,100 | 118 |
| Meta | $216,000 | 53 |
| Amazon | $201,600 | 41 |
| TikTok | $270,000 | 28 |
| DoorDash | $196,914 | 21 |
| Apple | $187,034 | 12 |
| $237,000 | 12 | |
| Expedia | too few | 9 |
| Block | too few | 8 |
| ByteDance | too few | 8 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $110,000 | 772 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $142,698 | 1,924 |
| Senior · Level III | $178,037 | 1,334 |
| Expert · Level IV | $210,057 | 504 |
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 | $85,821 | $110,000 | 772 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $118,414 | $142,698 | 1,924 |
| Senior · Level III | $163,322 | $178,037 | 1,334 |
| Expert · Level IV | $196,914 | $210,057 | 504 |
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.