worthsay

Data Science Salary in Washington: Is It a Good Career?

Washington · 2026 BLS salary data

Data Science pay in Washington

The median wage is $163,350/yr — 36% above the national median. Among U.S. states, Washingtonis one of the highest-paying states (#1 of 49).

The numbers in Washington

Real BLS state-level figures for Data Science.

Median salary
$163,350/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$105,240 – $208,320
National median
$120,230/yr
Employed in Washington
9,600

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

What that pay is really worth in Washington

Salary alone can mislead — Washington costs 7% more than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
107
Nominal median
$163,350
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $152,664
State income tax
None

Washington levies no state income tax, so more of that pay stays in your pocket than in high-tax states.

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 Washington?

The median annual wage is $163,350 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $105,240 and $208,320. That's 36% above the national median.

Is Washington a good state for data science?

By raw pay, Washington is one of the highest-paying states (#1 of 49). Adjusted for cost of living (Washington costs 7% more than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $152,664. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.

Are data science professionals in demand in Washington?

About 9,600 people work in this field in Washington (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 — Washington pay is 36% above 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.