Director of Data Science Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$267,000
national median salary
$227,000 to $347,000. Last updated July 2026.
Highest Paying
$376,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$278,000
Jersey City, NJ
Lowest Paying
$200,000
Charleston, WV
Salary data sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, H-1B Labor Condition Applications (DOL), state pay-transparency job postings, and community submissions. Most ranges are anchored to BLS OES occupation wage percentiles and placed by seniority level (entry near the 25th, mid at the median, senior at the 75th); a minority of emerging roles retain a modeled estimate where BLS has no matching series. Cost-of-living adjustments use Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2025 index). Last updated July 2026. Baseline derived from BLS SOC 11-3021. Full methodology.
The average Director of Data Science salary in the United States is $267,000 in 2026, with the full range spanning $227,000 at the 25th percentile to $347,000 at the 75th. San Jose pays the most at $376,000, while Jersey City offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Team composition, model deployment complexity, and business impact attribution are the strongest pay factors.
Director of Data Science salary by city.
Skills that increase Director of Data Science pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Director of Data Sciences based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $37,380 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$37,380 per year
≈ +$34,710 per year
≈ +$32,040 per year
≈ +$29,370 per year
≈ +$29,370 per year
≈ +$26,700 per year
≈ +$26,700 per year
≈ +$24,030 per year
What you should know.
Team composition, model deployment complexity, and business impact attribution are the strongest pay factors. Directors overseeing ML engineers alongside data scientists earn more than those managing analytics-only teams. Industry premiums are highest in fintech, adtech, and healthcare AI where model accuracy directly drives revenue.
Senior data scientists earn $140,000 to $175,000. Data science managers advance to $165,000 to $210,000. Directors start at $195,000 to $250,000. Senior directors overseeing multiple teams earn $245,000 to $300,000. VP of data science or CDO is the next step at $260,000 to $380,000.
Equity grants at tech companies add $80,000 to $300,000 in annualized value. Cash bonuses of 15 to 25% of base tied to model performance metrics and business impact are typical. Signing bonuses of $30,000 to $75,000 are common due to talent scarcity.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Director of Data Sciences typically earn $254,000 (5% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Director of Data Science pay.
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