Entry-level Data Scientist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 425 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mclean, Arlington, Herndon, Vienna, Reston.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,680 |
| 25th | $83,000 |
| 50th (median) | $88,462 |
| 75th | $99,000 |
| 90th | $110,896 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $78,354 | $82,700 | 31 |
| FY2021 | $79,070 | $79,019 | $90,000 | 50 |
| FY2022 | $82,560 | $82,472 | $95,237 | 69 |
| FY2023 | $83,367 | $78,400 | $91,200 | 132 |
| FY2024 | $81,159 | $78,603 | $93,259 | 211 |
| FY2025 | $86,000 | $82,680 | $97,865 | 269 |
| FY2026 | $89,000 | $88,462 | $101,250 | 156 |
Cost of living
Washington's median entry-level Data Scientist salary of $88,462 is worth about $81,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $132,200 in May 2025 (9,260 employed). The H-1B median here is $88,462, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $111,440 | 29 |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | $101,500 | 19 |
| Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group | $86,731 | 10 |
| Antra | too few | 5 |
| Adventist Healthcare | too few | 4 |
| Asta CRS | too few | 4 |
| Carilion Services | too few | 4 |
| Hughes Network Systems | too few | 4 |
| Moxie IT Solutions | too few | 4 |
| Vanda Pharmaceuticals | 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 | $88,462 | 425 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $115,939 | 958 |
| Senior · Level III | $144,019 | 247 |
| Expert · Level IV | $170,872 | 279 |
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 | $82,680 | $88,462 | 425 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $110,739 | $115,939 | 958 |
| Senior · Level III | $143,395 | $144,019 | 247 |
| Expert · Level IV | $166,858 | $170,872 | 279 |
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.