Data Scientists: H-1B wage levels by area (2026-27)
For Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051), the salary that reaches H-1B wage Level II ranges from $72,030 in Baton Rouge, LA to $168,917 in San Jose, CA among the 60 areas with the most jobs in the occupation (Department of Labor wage file for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, read on 7 November 2026). Level II gives 2 lottery entries, Level IV gives 4.
US mean wage (OEWS May 2025): $126,800
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports the Department of Labor wage file and the DHS rule as we read them. The level on a registration also depends on the job duties, the SOC code and the place of work chosen for the job, and the employer attests to it. Check with USCIS and the Department of Labor, and ask an immigration lawyer about your own case.
Wage levels in the 60 areas with the most jobs
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 23,160 | $87,256 | $115,835 | $144,414 | $172,994 | 1 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 10,460 | $110,386 | $142,438 | $174,512 | $206,565 | 1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 10,120 | $75,691 | $99,299 | $122,907 | $146,515 | 1 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 9,850 | $77,584 | $106,995 | $136,406 | $165,818 | 1 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 9,260 | $92,830 | $118,040 | $143,250 | $168,459 | 1 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 8,370 | $93,912 | $127,026 | $160,118 | $193,232 | 1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 7,940 | $76,336 | $97,490 | $118,664 | $139,818 | 1 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,930 | $88,920 | $112,861 | $136,781 | $160,722 | 1 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,820 | $77,875 | $98,946 | $120,037 | $141,107 | 1 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,480 | $74,859 | $98,134 | $121,410 | $144,685 | 1 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 6,060 | $125,486 | $168,917 | $212,326 | $255,757 | 1 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 4,510 | $82,888 | $103,854 | $124,821 | $145,787 | 1 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 4,420 | $79,997 | $104,312 | $128,648 | $152,963 | 1 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,060 | $70,658 | $93,226 | $115,794 | $138,362 | 1 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,810 | $69,472 | $90,147 | $110,843 | $131,518 | 1 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 3,730 | $77,334 | $101,962 | $126,589 | $151,216 | 1 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,480 | $75,130 | $95,514 | $115,898 | $136,282 | 1 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,250 | $79,893 | $104,478 | $129,085 | $153,670 | 1 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,040 | $72,363 | $97,677 | $122,990 | $148,304 | 1 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 2,970 | $70,512 | $93,704 | $116,917 | $140,109 | 1 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,830 | $80,600 | $107,390 | $134,202 | $160,992 | 1 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 2,710 | $79,165 | $95,867 | $112,570 | $129,272 | 1 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,640 | $66,394 | $85,509 | $104,603 | $123,718 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2,270 | $64,043 | $83,117 | $102,170 | $121,243 | 1 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,990 | $75,712 | $99,923 | $124,155 | $148,366 | 1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1,880 | $67,101 | $84,885 | $102,690 | $120,474 | 1 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,730 | $66,310 | $87,859 | $109,429 | $130,978 | 1 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,730 | $74,464 | $95,430 | $116,397 | $137,363 | 1 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,700 | $84,510 | $109,595 | $134,701 | $159,786 | 1 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,680 | $70,013 | $89,232 | $108,430 | $127,650 | 1 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,480 | $71,448 | $93,018 | $114,608 | $136,178 | 1 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,440 | $70,533 | $92,602 | $114,650 | $136,718 | 1 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 1,360 | $69,826 | $89,606 | $109,408 | $129,189 | 1 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,320 | $66,061 | $92,726 | $119,413 | $146,078 | 1 |
| Madison, WI | 1,290 | $81,432 | $102,960 | $124,509 | $146,037 | 2 |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,260 | $67,683 | $84,968 | $102,232 | $119,517 | 1 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 1,260 | $65,458 | $83,886 | $102,294 | $120,723 | 1 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 1,240 | $69,888 | $87,318 | $104,749 | $122,179 | 1 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 1,200 | $74,901 | $88,442 | $101,962 | $115,502 | 1 |
| Rochester, NY | 1,190 | $56,389 | $76,586 | $96,762 | $116,958 | 1 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 1,180 | $66,061 | $86,715 | $107,370 | $128,024 | 1 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1,170 | $78,104 | $94,682 | $111,238 | $127,816 | 1 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,090 | $86,861 | $119,371 | $151,902 | $184,413 | 1 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,080 | $81,058 | $96,970 | $112,882 | $128,794 | 1 |
| Richmond, VA | 1,050 | $78,853 | $106,018 | $133,182 | $160,347 | 1 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,000 | $71,448 | $98,114 | $124,800 | $151,466 | 1 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 880 | $74,859 | $97,198 | $119,517 | $141,856 | 1 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 850 | $65,146 | $83,158 | $101,150 | $119,163 | 1 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 840 | $64,272 | $86,195 | $108,118 | $130,042 | 1 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | 840 | $65,104 | $89,482 | $113,838 | $138,216 | 1 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 830 | $68,245 | $87,630 | $107,016 | $126,402 | 1 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 820 | $64,106 | $80,850 | $97,594 | $114,338 | 1 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 770 | $59,072 | $72,030 | $84,989 | $97,947 | 1 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 770 | $65,790 | $86,154 | $106,496 | $126,859 | 1 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 660 | $63,981 | $80,642 | $97,282 | $113,942 | 1 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 650 | $67,371 | $85,010 | $102,669 | $120,307 | 3 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 650 | $69,597 | $87,776 | $105,955 | $124,134 | 1 |
| Huntsville, AL | 620 | $72,966 | $94,286 | $115,586 | $136,906 | 1 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 620 | $69,722 | $85,987 | $102,232 | $118,498 | 1 |
| Boise City, ID | 600 | $67,434 | $87,734 | $108,056 | $128,357 | 1 |
Yearly salary from which each level starts. Jobs: people employed in the occupation in the area (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Geo level 1 = wage computed from the area itself; 2 = area plus contiguous areas; 3 = statewide; 4 = national (OFLC). Tap a column heading to sort.
The US mean wage for data scientists is $126,800 (median $120,230). In 3 of these 60 areas Level II starts above the US mean.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Area pages
- Data Scientists in New York, NY: Level II from $115,835
- Data Scientists in San Francisco, CA: Level II from $142,438
- Data Scientists in Dallas, TX: Level II from $99,299
- Data Scientists in Los Angeles, CA: Level II from $106,995
- Data Scientists in Washington, DC: Level II from $118,040
- Data Scientists in Seattle, WA: Level II from $127,026
- Data Scientists in Chicago, IL: Level II from $97,490
- Data Scientists in Boston, MA: Level II from $112,861
- Data Scientists in Atlanta, GA: Level II from $98,946
- Data Scientists in Philadelphia, PA: Level II from $98,134
Lottery entries
Level I = 1 entry, Level II = 2, Level III = 3, Level IV = 4 (90 FR 60864). DHS estimated a 15.29% chance at Level I and 61.16% at Level IV for its assumed pool: how the odds work.
Questions people ask
What are the H-1B wage level salary ranges for data scientists?
They depend on the area. Among the 60 areas with the most jobs, Level I starts between $56,389 and $125,486 a year, and Level IV between $97,947 and $255,757.
What is the H-1B wage level for a data scientist?
For Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051) in New York, NY, the area with the most jobs, Level I starts at $87,256, Level II at $115,835, Level III at $144,414 and Level IV at $172,994 a year.
What is the H-1B Level II salary for data scientists?
From $72,030 in Baton Rouge, LA to $168,917 in San Jose, CA among the main areas; in 3 of the 60 areas it is above the US mean wage of the occupation ($126,800).
H-1B wage level calculator: all occupations · H-1B lottery odds · US OPT and STEM OPT