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Data Science Salary in North Dakota: Is It a Good Career?

North Dakota · 2026 BLS salary data

Data Science pay in North Dakota

The median wage is $81,900/yr — 32% below the national median. Among U.S. states, North Dakotais one of the lowest-paying states (#47 of 49).

The numbers in North Dakota

Real BLS state-level figures for Data Science.

Median salary
$81,900/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$64,270 – $100,110
National median
$120,230/yr
Employed in North Dakota
210

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.

What that pay is really worth in North Dakota

Salary alone can mislead — North Dakota costs 11% less than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
89
Nominal median
$81,900
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $92,022
State income tax
Up to 2.5%

Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.

FAQ

How much do data science professionals make in North Dakota?

The median annual wage is $81,900 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $64,270 and $100,110. That's 32% below the national median.

Is North Dakota a good state for data science?

By raw pay, North Dakota is one of the lowest-paying states (#47 of 49). Adjusted for cost of living (North Dakota costs 11% less than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $92,022.

Are data science professionals in demand in North Dakota?

About 210 people work in this field in North Dakota (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects +33.5% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.

The verdict, pros, and cons below apply to Data Science nationally — North Dakota pay is 32% below the national median. See the full Data Science career guide →

The verdict

Yes — data science has the highest projected growth in this set and pays very well. But the bar is high: strong stats, coding, and often a quantitative degree, and 'entry-level' roles are competitive.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Highest projected growth of any career in this set
  • Very high, well-above-median pay
  • Remote-friendly, demand across every industry
  • Intellectually rich (stats, ML, business impact)
  • Strong path into ML engineering and leadership

Cons

  • High skill bar: statistics, coding, ML
  • Often expects a quantitative degree
  • 'Entry-level' roles are competitive
  • Role definitions vary wildly between companies
  • A lot of the job is data cleaning, not modeling

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • Quantitatively strong, analytical people
  • Those who enjoy coding and statistics
  • Anyone targeting high pay in a booming field

✗ Probably not if…

  • People who dislike math and programming
  • Those wanting a low-barrier entry

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Data Science is worth it — titles link to the original threads.