2025 Data Science Tech Salary Guide
Motion Recruitment's 2025 Tech Salary Guide helps you understand the data science job market in the United States. It provides salary details for over 100 job titles and insights into the tech industry. Before starting a job search or data science hiring, learn about the current landscape for data science professionals.
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IT Salaries and Tech Market Insights for Data Science Workers in 2025
With tech unemployment rates hovering around 2% and a complex hiring landscape, Motion’s 2025 IT Salary Guide gives you the info needed to navigate either your tech job search or hiring plans.
Map Out Your 2025 Strategy for the Data Science Hiring Market
with Expert Insights & Salary Data
The technology industry, which has experienced several fluctuations over the past five years, is now approaching a phase of stabilization. This shift creates a more predictable environment for those in data science, benefiting both hiring managers and job seekers who are actively pursuing opportunities.
Data science remains one of the most impactful and expansive fields within the tech industry, with a marked increase in job postings for professionals in this area.
Motion's 2025 Guide explores the latest trends shaping the data science job market, offering valuable insights and detailed information on starting salaries for some of the most in-demand data science roles.
36%
Projected job growth
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, data science employment is predicted to grow 36% by 2031, making it one of the most in-demand jobs in tech.
11.7%
Year-over-year salary growth
The maximum salary for a senior level Data Scientist rose 11.7% year over year, one of the largest increases this year for any tech role.
Tech Companies Seek Data Science Workers
Data scientists are still the talk of the tech industry, with companies seeing a shortage of top-tier data scientists to fill open roles. The top skills businesses are looking for in data scientists include data visualization, statistical analysis, data mining, and predictive modeling.
Q: What Advice Would You Give Tech Job Seekers and Hiring Managers in 2025?
From John Rosenbaum, Chief Information Officer at Motion Recruitment:
What will I find in Motion's IT Salary Guide?
- The state of tech employment in 2025, with the impact of layoffs, economic conditions, IT job creation and the tech talent shortage.
- How the tech industry has finally stabilized after five years of peaks and valleys.
- Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and more: the emerging technology and sectors businesses are hiring for in 2025.
- Tech hiring and workplace trends, including tech workers heading back to the office, the move to skills-based hiring, and the golden generation in tech.
- Advice from market experts on what you can do to succeed in 2025.
You will find starting salaries for mid and senior level ranges for over 100 specific job titles across technology areas. There are also city-specific variances included, which you can use to measure the regional salary ranges per tech job.
You will see IT salaries for top roles from the most in-demand technology areas: Software, Data & AI, Security, Infrastructure & DevOps, Mobile, Functional, Product & UX and Executive.
Data Science Salaries Demand and Supply Market Insights
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Tech Specific Salary Guides
Find technology-specific insights for top IT roles and salary guides below.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Engineer, Pen Tester, Security Architect, and more
Software
Python Developer, Platform Engineer, Ruby on Rails Developer, and more
Data Science
Data Scientist, Data Warehouse Analyst, Data Architect, and more
Machine Learning
Machine Learning Engineer, Computer Vision Engineer, and more
Cloud Computing
Cloud Engineer, Cloud Architect, and more
Data Engineering
AI Engineer, Data Modeler, Database Engineer, and more
DevOps
DevOps Engineer, DevOps Architect/Coach, and more
Front End
Javascript Developer, Angular Developer, React Developer, and more
Network Engineer
Network Security Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer, Network Architect, and more
DotNet
DotNet Architect, DotNet Developer, and more
Java
Java Architect, Java Developer, and more
Previous Salary Guides
Tech Hiring Market
Mid-Year Update
2024
Tech Salary Guide
North America
2024
Tech Salary Guide
North America
2023
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Frequently Asked Questions
For mid-level Data Scientists, the average salary in 2024 ranged from $111,010 to $148,390. For senior-level Data Scientists, the average salary is between $122,140 and $172,993.
In high-demand regions such as San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Seattle, salaries can be more than 28% higher than averages in other areas.
The Data Science job with the highest salary is Computer Vision Engineer, with a salary range from $145,000 to $218,750.
The updated salary for a mid-level Data Scientist with around 5 years of experience in 2025 typically ranges from $130,541 to $177,342.
Data Science salaries increased in 2024. Specifically, salaries for Data Scientists rose by an average of 2.5% year-over-year, which is consistent with overall growth trends in tech salaries. This increase reflects the continued high demand for data roles across various industries.
In 2025, Data Scientists can expect the following salary ranges: for mid-level positions, the salary can range from $131,604 to $175,493, while for senior-level positions, it can range from $156,666 to $202,692.
Several factors impacted the growth of Data Science in 2024:
AI Skills Demand Surge: There has been an unprecedented rise in job postings requiring generative AI skills, with a 267% increase year-over-year from early 2023 to February 2024. Notably, during some months in 2024, over 10% of all new tech job postings have demanded associated AI skills.
- Role Transformation and AI Adoption: Artificial Intelligence continues to catalyze the evolution of job roles. Surveys indicate that 48% of organizations are adding personnel due to the rise of AI technology. Additionally, 23% of existing staff positions have transitioned to roles that specifically address AI.
- Salaries and Skill Premiums: The compensation landscape underscores the value of AI expertise; half of the highest-paid tech skills relate to AI and Machine Learning. Individuals possessing AI skills have reported salary increments as high as 50% compared to peers without such skills.
These factors highlight the accelerating integration of AI within IT and non-IT sectors, driving unprecedented demand for data-centric professionals.
To pursue a career in Data Science in 2025, several critical skills remain foundational, while new trends and technologies are shaping the requirements. Here are the key areas to focus on:
- Programming Skills: Proficiency in programming languages, particularly Python and SQL, continues to be fundamental for data manipulation, analysis, and building machine learning models. Keeping skills updated with the latest developments in Python's libraries is also beneficial.
- Data Management and Visualization: Skills in managing and processing large datasets are still crucial. Tools like Tableau, PowerBI, and emerging platforms remain important for interpreting and presenting data insights effectively.
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence: Solid understanding of machine learning algorithms and AI technologies is increasingly vital, with an emphasis on automated data analysis, predictions, and staying informed about advancements in machine learning frameworks.
- Advanced Analytical Skills: In addition to problem-solving skills, advanced analytical abilities are becoming more important. The ability to leverage data trends and predict future needs through predictive analytics is a key aspect of a modern data science role.
- Cloud Computing and Big Data Technologies: Knowledge in cloud computing platforms (like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) and big data technologies (such as Hadoop and Spark) is becoming a significant advantage, with more data science processes being integrated into cloud environments.
- Interdisciplinary Knowledge: Having a blend of technical and domain-specific knowledge (for instance, in healthcare, finance, etc.) can greatly enhance a data scientist's ability to extract and apply data insights relevantly.
Maintaining awareness of advancements in these areas is essential to staying relevant and competitive in the field.
The long-term prospects for Data Science in 2025 and beyond continue to remain strong, driven by several key trends:
- Stable Demand for Data Science Roles: Data Scientists are among the roles with the highest numbers of job postings, indicating sustained demand across industries.
- AI and Machine Learning Adoption: For the third consecutive year, AI and Machine Learning remain central to tech trends. They are contributing to job creation rather than elimination, as many feared initially. The need for these skills is expanding beyond tech companies into diverse sectors.
- Investment in AI: There is significant investment in AI, with roles related to AI being highly sought after. Companies are looking to hire for new roles such as "Head of AI" to effectively integrate AI into their long-term strategies.
- Growth in AI Skills Demand: From the beginning of 2023 through February 2024, job postings requiring generative AI skills jumped by 267%. This highlights the rapid growth and necessity of AI skills within the job market.
Overall, the integration of AI and data science is continuing to create vast opportunities. Companies are prepared to offer competitive salaries, especially for skills related to AI and Machine Learning, further enhancing the prospects for those in the data science field.
There are significant opportunities for growth in the Data Science industry in 2024. The demand for roles such as Data Scientists remains robust, with data-related positions being among the highest in terms of monthly job postings alongside others like Software Developers and Tech Support Specialists.
The industry is experiencing a transformative phase with advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning continuing to play a crucial role in creating new jobs and redefining current ones rather than eliminating them. This underscores the importance of adapting to new tools and technologies, further fueling industry growth and professional development.