Chief Data Officer.
Seattle.
$316,000
median salary, 22% above the national average
$237,000 to $413,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Here is what Chief Data Officers actually make in Seattle: $237,000 at the 25th percentile, $316,000 at the median, and $413,000 at the 75th. That is 22% above the national average. Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and a dense cluster of cloud computing, gaming, and AI companies. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $285,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$205,000
to $253,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$269,000
to $332,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$348,000
to $411,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$395,000
to $490,000
Salary trend
+3% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $200,000 to the total package.
Base
$316,000
Equity
$107,000
Bonus
$68,000
Signing
$25,000
Estimated total: $516,000
How Seattle compares
Seattle, WA
$316,000
Cost of living: 24% above average
National Average
$260,000
Seattle is $56,000 above
Chief Data Officer salary by city
Salary by role in Seattle
What you should know
Before you negotiate a Chief Data Officer offer in Seattle, understand the terrain. Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and a dense cluster of cloud computing, gaming, and AI companies. The presence of major tech headquarters drives some of the highest engineering salaries outside the Bay Area. Seattle's job market is particularly strong for cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and enterprise software roles. Data maturity of the organization, regulatory complexity, and whether the CDO drives revenue versus compliance create wide pay variance. CDOs at companies monetizing data assets or building AI-powered products earn significantly more than those focused primarily on governance and regulatory compliance activities.
Directors of data science or analytics earn $165,000 to $220,000. VPs of data advance to $210,000 to $280,000. CDOs at mid-market companies make $240,000 to $310,000. CDOs at large enterprises or data-intensive tech companies reach $320,000 to $400,000 with total comp of $500,000 to $1.2 million. In Seattle, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 24% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Annual bonuses of 20 to 35% of base tied to data quality metrics, AI initiative success, and compliance milestones are standard. Equity grants at tech companies add $150,000 to $600,000 in annualized value. Some CDOs negotiate dedicated data infrastructure budgets. And on the tax side: washington State has no personal income tax, which significantly boosts take home pay. However, state and local sales taxes are among the highest in the country at roughly 10.25%. When someone quotes you $316,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Remind employers that no state income tax makes your effective compensation higher. You can accept a slightly lower gross salary and still take home more than in California. The range for Chief Data Officers in Seattle runs from $237,000 to $413,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A VP of AI Engineering in Seattle earns $315,000 (0% more)
- The highest-paying role in Seattle is Chief AI Officer at $377,000
Common questions.
Chief Data Officer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Seattle
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