Prevailing Wage for Data Scientists
The prevailing wage for Data Scientists is the minimum hourly or annual rate a U.S. employer must pay when sponsoring this role for an H-1B, E-3, or green card. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city, so the same title can clear compliance in one metro and miss it in another.
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Entry-level Data Scientists with limited practical experience, typically recent graduates performing routine data extraction and analysis tasks under close supervision. DOL places candidates here when the role involves straightforward, well-defined assignments with minimal independent judgment.
The most common filing level for Data Scientists. Qualified practitioners with working knowledge of machine learning pipelines, data modeling, and visualization tools who complete moderately complex assignments with some autonomy. Most mid-level industry hires fall here.
Experienced Data Scientists who independently design analytical frameworks, lead project workstreams, and apply advanced techniques such as natural language processing or predictive modeling. Employers filing here expect the candidate to exercise significant professional judgment.
Fully competent senior Data Scientists recognized as subject-matter authorities. Scope typically includes setting technical direction, mentoring junior staff, and driving organization-wide data strategy with minimal oversight from others.
Prevailing Wage for Data Scientists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Data Scientists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing between SOC codes
Roles posted as 'ML Engineer' or 'Data Analyst' sometimes get filed under different SOC codes with lower wage floors. Confirm your offer letter and LCA both reference SOC 15-2051 and the Data Scientists wage schedule before signing.
Account for RSU vesting schedules in total comp
FAANG and late-stage startup offers for this occupation often front-load equity. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base salary alone; unvested RSUs and annual bonuses do not count toward satisfying the wage floor on your LCA.
Check sponsorship history for data science teams specifically
Many employers sponsor engineers regularly but have sparse LCA history for Data Scientists specifically. Migrate Mate shows each employer's historical sponsorship counts by role, so you can distinguish active data science sponsors from one-off filings.
Compare metro wages before relocating for a remote role
DOL requires the LCA to list the actual worksite address. If your employer lists San Jose on the LCA, the San Jose wage floor applies, which runs substantially higher than national figures. Remote workers assigned to lower-cost metros face a different floor entirely.
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Find Jobs for Data ScientistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 15-2051.00 alongside Data Scientists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Analytics Consultant Prevailing Wage
Analytics Consultant Prevailing Wage
Analytics Consultant positions fall under SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Applied Scientist Prevailing Wage
Applied Scientist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Applied Scientist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Data Analyst Prevailing Wage
Data Analyst Prevailing Wage
Data Analyst is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Data Analytic Scientist Prevailing Wage
Data Analytic Scientist Prevailing Wage
Data Analytic Scientist positions fall under SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Data Analytics Manager Prevailing Wage
Data Analytics Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Data Analytics Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Data Analytics Scientist Prevailing Wage
Data Analytics Scientist Prevailing Wage
Data Analytics Scientist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Data Analytics Specialist Prevailing Wage
Data Analytics Specialist Prevailing Wage
Data Analytics Specialist positions fall under SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Data Architect Prevailing Wage
Data Architect Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Data Architect for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Data Consultant Prevailing Wage
Data Consultant Prevailing Wage
Data Consultant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Data Economist Prevailing Wage
Data Economist Prevailing Wage
Data Economist positions fall under SOC 15-2051.00 (Data Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Data Scientists?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage data is collected by metropolitan area and occupation code. For Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051), OFLC publishes four wage levels annually through its wage library. Employers sponsoring this role must pay at least the level that matches the position's actual duties and required experience.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience, complexity, and autonomy. Level 1 covers entry-level positions under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified practitioners working with moderate independence, which is the most common filing level for Data Scientists; Level 3 reflects experienced professionals leading complex analytical work; Level 4 applies to fully competent senior practitioners setting technical direction. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision structure described in the job offer, not just the title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Data Scientists role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates wages from regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions rather than a national average. The LCA rule requires employers to list the actual worksite, and the prevailing wage for that specific metro applies. Cities with dense concentrations of data science employers, such as San Jose and San Francisco, show substantially higher floors than lower-cost metros because local competition for this talent drives regional wage data upward.
What happens if a sponsored job offer falls below the prevailing wage?
USCIS can deny the H-1B or other sponsored visa petition if the offered wage does not meet the certified LCA wage level. DOL can also investigate and require back pay for any underpayment during employment. Employers who file an LCA at a lower level than the role's actual duties warrant face compliance exposure during audits. The offer must cover the prevailing wage for the worksite city and the correct experience level before the LCA is certified.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Data Scientists in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up current DOL wage levels by SOC code and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 15-2051 and the worksite metro to see all four levels. You can also review recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have actually certified for this role. For identifying which companies have sponsored Data Scientists and in which locations, Migrate Mate filters sponsored listings by role and geography using DOL-backed sponsorship history.
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