Expert Data Scientist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 279 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $166,858 |
| 25th | $166,858 |
| 50th (median) | $170,872 |
| 75th | $182,385 |
| 90th | $203,642 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | $145,108 | $141,341 | $151,250 | 16 |
| FY2023 | $157,000 | $145,000 | $179,250 | 55 |
| FY2024 | $154,543 | $149,594 | $167,435 | 98 |
| FY2025 | $166,858 | $166,858 | $172,459 | 171 |
| FY2026 | $176,470 | $170,872 | $193,100 | 108 |
Cost of living
Washington's median expert Data Scientist salary of $170,872 is worth about $156,900 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 $170,872, 29% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Capital One | $166,858 | 163 |
| Amazon | too few | 8 |
| Visa | too few | 8 |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | too few | 6 |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | too few | 6 |
| HiLabs | too few | 4 |
| Wartsila Energy Storage | too few | 4 |
| Meta | too few | 3 |
| Apple | too few | 2 |
| Uber | too few | 2 |
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.