SOC 15-2051.00

Data Scientist Salary in Winston-Salem, 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: 102.58 (+2.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 71.1% Realized
$72,230 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $101,570 $48.83/hr
Effective Tax Drag 22.89% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$23,246 $894.06/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 $48.83 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,094/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,341/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$12,175
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,297
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,473
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,301
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$72,230 ($2,778.09 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Winston-Salem, NC Data Scientist Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $101,570
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $51.9k 25th $75.5k Median: $101,570 50th (Median) $102k 75th $133k 90th $172k You: $101,570
10th (Entry) $51,880 $24.94/hr
25th (Junior) $75,480 $36.29/hr
50th (Median) $101,570 $48.83/hr
75th (Senior) $133,300 $64.09/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $172,200 $82.79/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Data Scientist in Winston-Salem, NC
1
Junior Data ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$56,770$27.29/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Data ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$72,399$34.81/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Data ScientistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$101,545$48.82/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Staff / Lead Data ScientistOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$134,238$64.54/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Principal Data ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$168,199$80.86/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
20% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,224/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,960
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,332/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,280
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.69/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $19.52/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 Winston-Salem, 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$101,570-$23,246$72,230$2,778.09
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$120,614-$29,355$84,022$3,231.63
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$139,659-$35,654$95,625$3,677.88
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$158,703-$42,122$107,059$4,117.66
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$177,748-$48,589$118,493$4,557.43
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 Winston-Salem, 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
$101,570/yr
$48.83/hr · SOC 15-2051.00
Statutory Tax Drag
22.89% Effective
-$23,246 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
20% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,795/mo
Post-$1,224/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 Winston-Salem, NC: Market Snapshot

Data Scientist roles in Winston-Salem, NC report a median annual wage of $101,570, 15.5% below the national median of $120,230. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $51,880 to $172,200, and HUD’s $1,224 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.69 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Data Scientist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$185,080+82.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$170,110+67.5%
Idaho Falls, ID$167,840+65.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$164,740+62.2%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$156,830+54.4%
Charlottesville, VA$149,800+47.5%
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$146,980+44.7%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$141,760+39.6%
Corvallis, OR$140,190+38.0%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$135,980+33.9%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Winston-Salem, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$273,710$131.59/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,900$77.36/hr
Marketing Managers$160,570$77.20/hr
Fundraising Managers$158,460$76.18/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$155,200$74.62/hr
Financial Manager$155,030$74.53/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$148,710$71.50/hr
Public Relations Managers$140,680$67.63/hr
Human Resources Managers$137,110$65.92/hr
Sales Managers$132,550$63.73/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 Winston-Salem, NC (2026) Overview

Data Scientist median pay in Winston-Salem, NC is $101,570 a year ($48.83/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living. Official 2026 economic data for Data Scientist in Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC?

The median annual wage is $101,570 ($48.83 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $51,880 and $172,200. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $101,570, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $76,741 a year ($6,395 a month) after $24,829 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 24.45%, using 2026 tax rules.