SOC 15-2051.00

Data Scientist Salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NC
COL Index: 136.24 (+36.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 69.7% Realized
$84,082 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $120,710 $58.03/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.34% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$29,386 $1,130.22/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $58.03 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$7,243/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,593/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$16,133
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$7,484
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,750
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,019
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$84,082 ($3,233.91 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Raleigh-Cary, NC Data Scientist Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $120,710
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $72.2k 25th $85.2k Median: $120,710 50th (Median) $121k 75th $146k 90th $181k You: $120,710
10th (Entry) $72,190 $34.71/hr
25th (Junior) $85,220 $40.97/hr
50th (Median) $120,710 $58.03/hr
75th (Senior) $145,500 $69.95/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $180,850 $86.95/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Data Scientist in Raleigh-Cary, NC
1
Junior Data ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$67,468$32.44/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Data ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$86,042$41.37/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Data ScientistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$120,680$58.02/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Staff / Lead Data ScientistOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$159,534$76.70/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Principal Data ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$199,895$96.10/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Raleigh-Cary, NC medianView National Data Scientist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Specialists, All Other-$39,130/yr
National median: $81,100
Skill overlap: 95%
Statisticians-$14,580/yr
National median: $105,650
Skill overlap: 94%
Operations Research Analysts-$31,290/yr
National median: $88,940
Skill overlap: 91%View Salary
Statistical Assistants-$69,900/yr
National median: $50,330
Skill overlap: 88%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
22% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,552/month Requires minimum annual gross of $62,080
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,689/month Requires minimum annual gross of $67,560
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.13/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.42/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Raleigh-Cary, NC.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$120,710-$29,386$84,082$3,233.91
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$143,343-$36,905$97,837$3,762.96
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$165,976-$44,592$111,426$4,285.61
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$188,609-$52,023$125,269$4,818.06
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$211,243-$58,408$140,160$5,390.78
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Data Scientist in Raleigh-Cary, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and North Carolina tax codes.

Market Baseline
$120,710/yr
$58.03/hr · SOC 15-2051.00
Statutory Tax Drag
24.34% Effective
-$29,386 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
22% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$5,455/mo
Post-$1,552/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 15-2051.00
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Data Scientist in Raleigh-Cary, NC: Market Snapshot

Data Scientist roles in Raleigh-Cary, NC report a median annual wage of $120,710, 0.4% above the national median of $120,230. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $72,190 to $180,850, and HUD’s $1,552 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 15.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.13 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Data Scientist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$185,080+53.3%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$170,110+40.9%
Idaho Falls, ID$167,840+39.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$164,740+36.5%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$156,830+29.9%
Charlottesville, VA$149,800+24.1%
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$146,980+21.8%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$141,760+17.4%
Corvallis, OR$140,190+16.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$135,980+12.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Raleigh-Cary, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$286,050$137.52/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$173,960$83.63/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$173,510$83.42/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,780$81.62/hr
Marketing Managers$167,640$80.60/hr
Sales Managers$163,520$78.62/hr
Financial Manager$163,130$78.43/hr
Human Resources Managers$144,190$69.32/hr
Cybersecurity Analyst$143,640$69.06/hr
Actuary$142,180$68.36/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 282 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Data Scientist Salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC (2026) Overview

Data Scientist median pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $120,710 a year ($58.03/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Data Scientist in Raleigh-Cary, NC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Data Scientist in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The median annual wage is $120,710 ($58.03 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $72,190 and $180,850. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Data Scientist in Raleigh-Cary, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $120,710, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $89,442 a year ($7,453 a month) after $31,268 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 25.9%, using 2026 tax rules.