Florida's average data scientist salary of $119,150 places it below California ($156,000) and New York ($137,690), but very close to Texas ($119,710) and North Carolina ($121,270). For employers, this means Florida offers a real cost advantage over the two highest-paying states while remaining competitive with other major Sun Belt hiring markets. If you are weighing a Florida hire against a Texas or North Carolina hire, expect compensation budgets to be nearly equivalent.
Data scientist salary in Florida (2026)
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The average annual salary for a data scientist in Florida is $119,150. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $115,820 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Florida employs 10,240 data scientists, and the $3,330 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior data scientists in Florida typically earn around $63,080, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $174,140 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a data scientist hire in Florida, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $115,820 |
Average Annual Salary | $119,150 |
vs. National Average | 6.0% below the national mean of $126,800 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 10,240 employed data scientists across Florida.
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Data scientist salary percentiles in Florida
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $63,080 |
25th Percentile | $84,070 |
75th Percentile | $140,210 |
90th Percentile | $174,140 |
Employers setting offers for data scientists in Florida should expect a wide range depending on seniority, with entry-level candidates clustering near $63,080 and experienced specialists reaching $174,140 at the 90th percentile. If you are hiring for a senior or specialized role, budget toward the upper end of this range to remain competitive with what the market is already paying.
Data scientist salary by city in Florida
City | Average Annual Salary |
Naples | $132,100 |
Miami | $123,250 |
Jacksonville | $119,750 |
Tampa | $116,600 |
Orlando | $114,870 |
Where you hire within Florida can meaningfully affect your compensation budget for a data scientist role. Naples leads the state at $132,100 in average annual salary, while Orlando sits at the lower end at $114,870, a difference of $17,230 that adds up quickly across multiple hires. If your team is remote-flexible, hiring in Tampa or Orlando rather than Naples or Miami can reduce your compensation spend without stepping outside the Florida market.
How Florida compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Florida | $119,150 | $115,820 |
California | $156,000 | $141,590 |
New York | $137,690 | $130,460 |
North Carolina | $121,270 | $119,090 |
Texas | $119,710 | $122,090 |
Georgia | $115,940 | $104,340 |
Florida is a cost-effective market for data scientist hiring relative to California and New York, which makes it a practical location for employers who want to control compensation spend without sacrificing access to experienced talent. Florida's average of $119,150 sits well below California's $156,000 and New York's $137,690, but tracks closely with Texas at $119,710 and North Carolina at $121,270. Employers competing across these Sun Belt states will find compensation expectations are broadly similar, so factors like local talent density and office presence may matter more than salary differences alone.
Frequently asked questions about data scientist salary in Florida
How does Florida compare to other states for data scientist salary?
What do the top-earning data scientists make in Florida?
Data scientists at the 90th percentile in Florida earn $174,140 per year. If you are recruiting for a senior or highly specialized role, plan to budget at or above this level to attract candidates who are already earning at the top of the market. The gap between the 75th percentile ($140,210) and the 90th percentile ($174,140) is substantial, so clearly defining the seniority of your role before setting a range will help you avoid anchoring too low.
What is the salary range for a data scientist in Florida?
The salary range for a data scientist in Florida runs from $63,080 at the 10th percentile to $174,140 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $84,070 at the 25th percentile and $140,210 at the 75th percentile, which is where most competitive offers will land. Use the seniority and specialization of your open role to determine where within that band your offer should sit.
What is the average data scientist salary in Florida?
The average data scientist salary in Florida is $119,150 per year, with a median of $115,820. The median is the more useful figure for most hiring decisions because it is less affected by a small number of very high earners at the top of the market. If you are filling a mid-level role, anchoring your offer near the median of $115,820 will put you in line with what most employed data scientists in Florida currently earn.
Data Scientist salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 15-2051 (Data Scientists).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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