Data Scientists pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $138,960 or more. The middle half of data scientists in Columbia earn between $65,210 and $111,660.
- $52K10th
- $65K25th
- $88KMedian
- $112K75th
- $139K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $94,360 | $7,863 | $45.37 |
| Median | $88,260 | $7,355 | $42.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $65,210 | $5,434 | $31.35 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $111,660 | $9,305 | $53.68 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Data Scientists salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $94,360, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $71,271 a year, or $5,939 a month and $2,741 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for data scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $94,360 buys what about $100,745 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 2.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Data Scientists salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 5th of 6 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Myrtle Beach pays the most ($103,560).
- Myrtle Beach$103,560
- Hilton Head Island$99,560
- Greenville$97,450
- Spartanburg$95,360
- Columbia$94,360
- Florence$83,160
Highest-paying cities for data scientists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($212,760).
- San Jose, CA$212,760
- San Francisco, CA$174,830
- Seattle, WA$160,460
- Idaho Falls, ID$159,110
- Kennewick, WA$157,380
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Data Scientists salary in Columbia: questions
How much do data scientists make an hour in Columbia?
$45.36 an hour on average, and $42.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level data scientists salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $65,210, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the data scientists take-home pay in Columbia?
About $71,271 a year ($5,939 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $94,360.
Do data scientists earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($128,761).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 15-2051; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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