Philadelphia data scientist salary: rankings and context
Here is how that number compares with the rest of the United States, with PA, and with other jobs in Philadelphia.
Data Scientist pay in Philadelphia: national and in-state ranking
San Jose leads at US$185,080, 68% above Philadelphia, while San Antonio sits at US$103,290. The neighbours in the ranking are Denver and Atlanta.
No other PA metro has observed data scientist percentiles here, so Philadelphia is judged against the 21-metro national list instead.
Cost of living and take-home in Philadelphia
Living costs are close to the baseline (COL index 100), so the median's buying power, about US$109,900, is near its face value.
Cash rank and buying-power rank match for Philadelphia: 17th of 21.
Run the median through our simplified tax model (14% effective) and about US$7,900 lands each month. Budget US$1,650 for a modeled 1-bedroom — 21% of pay — and other modeled costs, and roughly US$4,380 remains.
Philadelphia vs similar-cost metros
New York (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$135,980, 24% more than Philadelphia; modeled monthly leftover is US$1,670 higher.
A data scientist moving from Philadelphia to Los Angeles (similar cost level, COL 100) would see the median rise 18% to US$129,740, with US$1,280 more left over monthly in our model.
Chicago (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$107,640, 2% less than Philadelphia; modeled monthly leftover is US$150 lower.
Where Data Scientist ranks among Philadelphia jobs
Data Scientist ranks 3rd of 9 occupations with observed Philadelphia data. Lawyer leads the city at US$170,660.
Closest neighbours in the Philadelphia list: Software Engineer at US$133,040 (+21%) and Mechanical Engineer at US$104,410 (-5%).
How Philadelphia ranks at the low and high end
Senior pay is the relative strength in Philadelphia: US$181,560 at the 90th percentile ranks 12th of 21, while US$67,950 at the 10th ranks 16th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$282,840 at the 90th percentile, +56% against Philadelphia.
Spread between low and high data scientist pay in Philadelphia
Pay is spread out: US$67,950 at the 10th percentile to US$181,560 at the 90th (2.7×). Level and setting matter more than the city average here.