Data Scientist vs Accountant Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.
Higher paying occupation
Data Scientist
$107,281/yr median(+$24,684 · 29.9% more)
Higher pay
Data Scientist
Median$107,281
Mean$113,687
10th %ile$66,363
25th %ile$82,902
75th %ile$138,125
90th %ile$167,412
Employed262K+
Accountant
Median$82,597
Mean$90,112
10th %ile$55,126
25th %ile$66,613
75th %ile$106,014
90th %ile$134,991
Employed1.4M+
Salary Distribution Comparison
Data Scientist
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $66,363 |
| 25th percentile | $82,902 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $107,281 |
| 75th percentile | $138,125 |
| 90th percentile | $167,412 |
Accountant
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $55,126 |
| 25th percentile | $66,613 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $82,597 |
| 75th percentile | $106,014 |
| 90th percentile | $134,991 |
Top Paying States
Data Scientist
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $163,350 |
| 2 | California | $141,590 |
| 3 | Maryland | $136,370 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $135,280 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $131,750 |
Accountant
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $111,530 |
| 2 | New York | $102,640 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $100,830 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $99,460 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $97,550 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which pays more, Data Scientist or Accountant?
- Data Scientist pays more with a median salary of $107,281/year, which is 29.9% more than Accountant at $82,597/year.
- What is the salary difference between Data Scientist and Accountant?
- The median salary difference is $24,684/year (29.9%).