How much do Director of Data Sciences make in Charlotte compared to the national average?

The national median Director of Data Science salary is $215,464. In Charlotte, COL adjustments bring the median to $209,000.

What is the cost of living adjusted Director of Data Science salary in Charlotte?

Charlotte's COL multiplier is 0.97x. The median Director of Data Science salary of $209,000 here equals about $215,464 in an average cost market.

Director of Data Science.

Q: Do Director of Data Sciences in Charlotte earn overtime or bonuses?

Many Director of Data Sciences are exempt from overtime. Equity grants at tech companies add $80,000 to $300,000 in annualized value. Ask about total comp when evaluating offers.

Charlotte.

$209,000

median salary, 3% below the national average

$160,000 to $272,000. Updated for 2026.

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The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

A Director of Data Science in Charlotte earns a median of $209,000 in 2026. That is 3% below the national average. The range runs from $160,000 to $272,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Team composition, model deployment complexity, and business impact attribution are the strongest pay factors.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$160,000

per year

Median

$209,000

per year

75th Percentile

$272,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$160,000$272,000

How Charlotte compares

Charlotte, NC

$209,000

Cost of living: 3% below average

National Average

$215,000

Charlotte is $6,000 below

What you should know

Here is what the Director of Data Science market actually looks like in Charlotte. Charlotte is the second largest banking center in the U.S. after New York, with Bank of America and Truist headquartered here. The city's financial services dominance creates strong demand for finance, tech, and operations professionals. Rapid population growth has expanded the tech sector, with fintech and enterprise software companies establishing offices. 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. In Charlotte, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.

Base salary is not the full picture. 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. And on the tax side: north Carolina has a flat 4.5% state income tax. Charlotte has no city income tax. The moderate rate combined with low living costs makes net compensation very attractive. When someone quotes you $209,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Benchmark against banking sector pay scales. Even non finance roles in Charlotte benefit from the high compensation standards set by major banks headquartered here. The range for Director of Data Sciences in Charlotte runs from $160,000 to $272,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Top industries in Charlotte

Banking & Financial ServicesEnergyTechnologyHealthcareMotorsports

Negotiating in Charlotte

Benchmark against banking sector pay scales. Even non finance roles in Charlotte benefit from the high compensation standards set by major banks headquartered here.

Common questions.

Directors overseeing ML engineering and model deployment teams earn 15 to 25% more than those leading business analytics or BI teams. ML engineering requires managing complex infrastructure, production model serving, and specialized talent that commands higher individual salaries, increasing the director's scope and compensation.

Directors of data science typically manage teams that build predictive models and ML systems, commanding higher pay. Directors of analytics focus on dashboards, reporting, and business insights. The data science role earns 10 to 20% more due to the technical complexity and specialized talent management required.

It depends on the position and employer. Many Director of Data Sciences in Charlotte are classified as exempt salaried employees without overtime eligibility. However, equity grants at tech companies add $80,000 to $300,000 in annualized value. When evaluating the $160,000 to $272,000 range, ask about the total compensation structure during negotiation.

The national median for a Director of Data Science is $215,464. In Charlotte, cost of living adjustments push the median to $209,000. That discount reflects Charlotte's lower housing, transportation, and everyday costs.

Charlotte's cost of living multiplier is 0.97x the national average. The adjusted median Director of Data Science salary of $209,000 accounts for this. In practice, a Director of Data Science earning $209,000 in Charlotte has roughly the same purchasing power as someone earning $215,464 in an average cost market.