Data Scientist vs Accountant Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.
Higher paying occupation
Data Scientist
$105,473/yr median(+$25,761 · 32.3% more)
Higher pay
Data Scientist
Median$105,473
Mean$110,908
10th %ile$62,840
25th %ile$79,848
75th %ile$134,961
90th %ile$163,371
Employed234K+
Accountant
Median$79,712
Mean$87,756
10th %ile$52,794
25th %ile$64,187
75th %ile$101,940
90th %ile$130,795
Employed1.4M+
Salary Distribution Comparison
Data Scientist
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,840 |
| 25th percentile | $79,848 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $105,473 |
| 75th percentile | $134,961 |
| 90th percentile | $163,371 |
Accountant
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,794 |
| 25th percentile | $64,187 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $79,712 |
| 75th percentile | $101,940 |
| 90th percentile | $130,795 |
Top Paying States
Data Scientist
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $158,760 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $137,120 |
| 3 | California | $136,800 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $132,250 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $130,370 |
Accountant
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $103,030 |
| 2 | New York | $101,780 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $101,340 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $96,580 |
| 5 | California | $96,360 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which pays more, Data Scientist or Accountant?
- Data Scientist pays more with a median salary of $105,473/year, which is 32.3% more than Accountant at $79,712/year.
- What is the salary difference between Data Scientist and Accountant?
- The median salary difference is $25,761/year (32.3%).