How Much Do Lead Data Scientists Make?

Having a clear understanding of earnings potential is important, especially if you are researching career paths or considering changing jobs. If you're one of those people, and you're curious what kind of salary lead data scientists make, you've come to the right place.

Using data from Lightcast,™ the Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled rich information about salary for lead data scientists and related jobs, including details about average compensation, salary trends and job growth. We've also gathered advertised salaries from actual job postings to provide insight into what employers of lead data scientists are offering as compensation.

Keep reading to learn more about how much lead data scientists can expect to make in the United States.

At a Glance: Salary & Jobs for Lead Data Scientists

According to data from 2023, there were about 195,214 positions for lead data scientists in the United States. In terms of salary, the national median salary for lead data scientists was reported to be $108,014. Additionally, when examining job demand, employers across the country posted 213,669 job postings related to positions for lead data scientists.

How Much Money Do Lead Data Scientists Make?

Median salary is just one data point. To build a better understanding of how much money lead data scientists and related positions can expect to make in the United States, it can be helpful to look at the full range of compensation for those jobs.

Let's look more deeply at data that was reported to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for detail into the lowest and highest salary earnings for lead data scientists.

Annual Salary for Lead Data Scientists

According to the BLS, the lowest earners for lead data scientists and related professions earned about $61,069 per year in 2023. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the highest earners made about $184,101 annually.

As mentioned previously, the median salary for lead data scientists in the United States in 2023 was $108,014.

Hourly Salary for Lead Data Scientists

The BLS also breaks down compensation for lead data scientists by hourly salary, and the median average hourly pay for lead data scientists in 2023 was $52. Lowest hourly earners took home $29 while the highest reported hourly salaries for lead data scientists was $89.

Top Online College For Working Adults

Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.

Degree Options for Lead Data Scientists

Advertised Compensation for Lead Data Scientists

Data from the BLS is one way to dig into compensation for lead data scientists, but another way to build a more real-time understanding of salary is to look at actual job postings and see what compensation organizations are currently providing to fill open positions for lead data scientists.

Keep in mind that salary data is not included in every job posting, so the information compiled here is reflective of the data available through Lightcast.™

Annual Salary from Job Postings for Lead Data Scientists

During a review of 283,789 job postings related to lead data scientists, advertised salary was included in 97,889 of them, which was 34%. Based on those postings, the median advertised salary for lead data scientists was $125,312 per year.

Hourly Salary from Job Postings for Lead Data Scientists

A similar analysis of job postings provides insight into advertised hourly salary for lead data scientists. Based on 46% of postings with advertised compensation, the median hourly salary for open positions for lead data scientists in the United States is about $60.

Salary Trend for Lead Data Scientists

If you're thinking about pursuing a career in the field, you may want to understand how compensation has changed over time for lead data scientists. The chart below provides a snapshot of advertised salaries over the past three years.

Based on compensation data that was included in job postings for lead data scientists dating back to September 2020, advertised salaries for lead data scientists have increased 34%.

What's the Job Growth for Lead Data Scientists?

Another data point that someone thinking about a career path should consider is whether or not jobs are expected to see growth in the future. The chart below looks at projected employment for lead data scientists over the next 10 years.

According to the data obtained through Lightcast,™ there were 195,161 jobs for lead data scientists in the United States in 2023. By 2033, it is expected that about 70,559 jobs will be added. That's a 36.2% increase over the next 10-year period.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about lead data scientists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for lead data scientists.

What do lead data scientists do?
Lead Data Scientists: How do you become one?

All Occupations

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.

View Other Occupations