Data scientist salary in California
In California, space employers offer data scientists and machine learning engineers a median of $184k a year, the middle half $161k–$219k $21.3k above the national posted median. From 32 jobs at 13 employers that name a salary in their postings.
- 25th percentile$161,464.90/hr
- Median (50th)$183,750/hr
- 75th percentile$218,750/hr
- Distinct posted rates32
- Jobs stating an hourly rate32
- Employers13
The median is the middle of the 32 distinct rates they post, and the middle half, $161,464.90–$218,750 an hour, runs from their 25th percentile to their 75th: half of the rates fall between them. Each range counts at its midpoint, and a job posted many times at one rate counts once, so no employer's posting volume sets the figure.
- 25th percentile$161,464.90/hr
- Median (50th)$183,750/hr
- 75th percentile$218,750/hr
- Distinct posted rates32
- Jobs stating an hourly rate32
- Employers13
The median is the middle of the 32 distinct rates they post, and the middle half, $161,464.90–$218,750 an hour, runs from their 25th percentile to their 75th: half of the rates fall between them. Each range counts at its midpoint, and a job posted many times at one rate counts once, so no employer's posting volume sets the figure.
- Median posted pay, a year$183,800
- Hours in a full-time year2,080
- The same per hour, full time$88.34/hr
Every figure here is a year's pay: a job that posts pay counts at 2,080 hours (40 a week for 52 weeks). Rounded to the nearest $100.
- SpaceX8 jobs
- Lockheed Martin6 jobs
- True Anomaly5 jobs
- Anduril2 jobs
- K2 Space2 jobs
- Booz Allen Hamilton2 jobs
- Array Labs1 job
- Muon Space1 job
- E-Space1 job
- Voyager Technologies1 job
Jobs stating pay, the employers with the most first: 29 at the 10 shown and 3 at 3 other employers, 32 in all.
The jobs themselves: Data scientist jobs in California · Data scientist pay nationwide
What data scientists and machine learning engineers are paid in California
Each bar counts the open jobs posting pay in its step of pay (a range at its midpoint).
Median $184k a year. Middle half $161k to $219k. Point at a bar for its count. Tap a bar for its count.
Posted on open jobs in California
Middle half of 32 distinct posted rates (a job posted many times at one rate counted once), median $184k. 68% of the 47 open data scientist jobs in California state pay.
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Data scientist pay by town in California
Towns where at least three open jobs state pay, the towns with the most such jobs first.
| Town | Median posted | Posted range | Jobs (employers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto | $208k | $83.7k–$424k | 9 (2) |
| Long Beach | $198k | $80k–$315k | 5 (1) |
| Sunnyvale | $108k | $75.4k–$424k | 5 (1) |
| Hawthorne | $183k | $125k–$350k | 3 (1) |
| El Segundo | $162k | $77.6k–$225k | 3 (2) |
Median of employers' rates in the town, the lowest and highest rate posted, and the jobs and employers behind them. A town opens its own job page.
Data scientist pay by employer in California
What each employer posts for data scientists and machine learning engineers here, the employers with the most jobs stating pay first.
Median of each employer's jobs in California (a range at its midpoint), and its lowest and highest rate here. An employer's name opens its pay for data scientists and machine learning engineers nationwide when it has such a page.
Best-paid open data scientist jobs in California
The open jobs posting the highest pay figures tonight, at most two from one employer.
$228,100–$423,700/yr
$220,000–$350,000/yr- $220,000–$350,000/yr
$205,000–$315,000/yr- $200,000–$280,000/yr
$150,000–$300,000/yr
$191,000–$254,000/yr- $135,700–$280,000/yr
$190,000–$212,000/yr- $167,000–$222,000/yr
$150,000–$225,000/yr
$160,000–$210,000/yr
Data scientist salary in California: common questions
How much does a data scientist make in California?
Open data scientist jobs in California that state pay post a median of $184k, the middle half $161k–$219k (32 jobs from 13 employers).
Where in California do data scientists and machine learning engineers earn the most?
By the median rate open jobs post, in the towns with the most jobs stating pay: Palo Alto ($208k), Long Beach ($198k), Sunnyvale ($108k) and Hawthorne ($183k). The town table lists 5.
Which employers in California pay data scientists and machine learning engineers the most?
Among employers stating a rate on at least three open jobs here: SpaceX ($200k), True Anomaly ($198k) and Lockheed Martin ($114k).
How does California compare with the rest of the country?
The posted median in California ($184k) is $21.3k above the national posted median of $163k.
Where do these figures come from?
From the pay open jobs state, read every night from each employer's own job board: 32 of 47 open data scientist jobs in California (68%) state pay. No pay is estimated for a job that states none; "up to" ceilings and weekly travel rates are left out.
Data scientist pay in other states
Sources and method
Cite this page
SpaceJobs.Now. (2026). Data scientist salary in California. Data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://spacejobs.now/salaries/data-scientists/california