SalaryData

Software Developer vs Data Scientist Salary (2026)

Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.

Higher paying occupation

Software Developer

$127,401/yr median(+$20,120 · 18.8% more)

Higher pay

Software Developer

Median$127,401
Mean$131,906
10th %ile$78,900
25th %ile$99,989
75th %ile$157,880
90th %ile$187,436
Employed1.7M+
View full Software Developer report →

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+
View full Data Scientist report →

Salary Distribution Comparison

Software Developer

Software Developer salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$78,900
25th percentile$99,989
Median (50th percentile)$127,401
75th percentile$157,880
90th percentile$187,436

Data Scientist

Data Scientist salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$66,363
25th percentile$82,902
Median (50th percentile)$107,281
75th percentile$138,125
90th percentile$167,412

Top Paying States

Software Developer

#StateMedian
1California$174,410
2Washington$166,540
3New York$166,180
4Massachusetts$165,210
5Oregon$142,720

Data Scientist

#StateMedian
1Washington$163,350
2California$141,590
3Maryland$136,370
4New Jersey$135,280
5Massachusetts$131,750

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more, Software Developer or Data Scientist?
Software Developer pays more with a median salary of $127,401/year, which is 18.8% more than Data Scientist at $107,281/year.
What is the salary difference between Software Developer and Data Scientist?
The median salary difference is $20,120/year (18.8%).

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