Software Developer vs Data Scientist Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.
Higher paying occupation
Software Developer
$121,352/yr median(+$15,879 · 15.1% more)
Higher pay
Software Developer
Median$121,352
Mean$127,085
10th %ile$74,572
25th %ile$94,378
75th %ile$151,381
90th %ile$178,009
Employed1.7M+
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+
Salary Distribution Comparison
Software Developer
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $74,572 |
| 25th percentile | $94,378 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $121,352 |
| 75th percentile | $151,381 |
| 90th percentile | $178,009 |
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 |
Top Paying States
Software Developer
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $170,910 |
| 2 | Washington | $166,910 |
| 3 | New York | $161,260 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $150,520 |
| 5 | Maryland | $137,890 |
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 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which pays more, Software Developer or Data Scientist?
- Software Developer pays more with a median salary of $121,352/year, which is 15.1% more than Data Scientist at $105,473/year.
- What is the salary difference between Software Developer and Data Scientist?
- The median salary difference is $15,879/year (15.1%).