Senior Data Scientist salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 1,334 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $153,330 |
| 25th | $163,322 |
| 50th (median) | $178,037 |
| 75th | $192,000 |
| 90th | $204,116 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $156,220 | $140,051 | $167,745 | 234 |
| FY2021 | $153,625 | $130,000 | $165,593 | 226 |
| FY2022 | $160,298 | $135,720 | $171,200 | 446 |
| FY2023 | $166,400 | $142,751 | $181,375 | 523 |
| FY2024 | $167,500 | $153,300 | $182,489 | 743 |
| FY2025 | $175,159 | $160,000 | $189,735 | 841 |
| FY2026 | $183,000 | $166,870 | $195,370 | 493 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median senior Data Scientist salary of $178,037 is worth about $160,200 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 $178,037, 8% 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 | $184,000 | 549 |
| Amazon | $163,322 | 337 |
| Meta | $199,234 | 41 |
| TikTok | $190,000 | 37 |
| Walmart | $191,531 | 27 |
| $181,000 | 22 | |
| Expedia | $150,987 | 21 |
| ByteDance | $211,000 | 16 |
| Chewy | $185,000 | 15 |
| $163,322 | 11 |
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.