Quick answer: California employs about 39,310 data scientists (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through the institution’s accreditor. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare data science programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in California
Data science carries no state licence and no programmatic accreditor of its own. The credential that matters is the depth of the statistics sequence and a portfolio of real modelling work. Most accredited programs sit at master’s level; the bachelor’s tier is thinner.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the institution’s accreditor that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 218 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Data Scientists in California earn a median $141,590 per year, above the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Data Science Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$141,590
$120,230
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$77,480
$67,240
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$103,360
$85,660
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$186,820
$158,880
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$224,920
$199,130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
39,310
262,440
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.28
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
33.5%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $141,590 sits above the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.28 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Data science hiring follows the same technology and corporate concentrations as software, with health systems and finance adding demand in metros that are not technology hubs
Data Scientists Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), data scientists wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
10,460
$170,110
$174,830
$99,170
$272,430
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
9,850
$129,740
$136,700
$71,080
$208,280
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
6,060
$185,080
$212,760
$109,740
$282,840
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
2,830
$130,990
$134,470
$74,110
$201,190
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
2,710
$103,700
$112,740
$77,430
$160,740
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
1,000
$112,910
$125,060
$66,690
$209,100
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
460
$126,360
$138,630
$66,700
$179,470
Fresno
220
$101,250
$107,370
$53,470
$166,830
Bakersfield-Delano
200
$92,200
$106,010
$65,840
$158,350
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
190
$113,990
$125,770
$68,690
$205,040
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
130
$119,930
$122,240
$64,410
$176,510
Stockton-Lodi
100
$101,370
$112,340
$62,890
$180,600
Salinas
90
$99,850
$109,540
$59,600
$175,770
Modesto
80
$104,990
$113,750
$54,240
$189,840
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
80
$130,980
$132,800
$75,070
$211,050
Vallejo
70
$104,530
$117,210
$65,740
$169,420
Redding
60
$96,960
$102,120
$54,780
$161,420
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
60
$114,830
$128,340
$73,030
$212,260
Chico
40
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Visalia
40
$97,870
$103,110
$49,940
$162,080
Napa
30
$101,830
$124,390
$80,440
$187,450
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do data scientists make in California?
The median annual wage for data scientists in California is $141,590, above the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $103,360 at the 25th percentile to $186,820 at the 75th.
How many data scientists work in California?
California holds about 39,310 data scientist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 262,440, and BLS projects about 23,400 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a data scientist in California?
Data science carries no state licence and no programmatic accreditor of its own. The credential that matters is the depth of the statistics sequence and a portfolio of real modelling work. Most accredited programs sit at master's level; the bachelor's tier is thinner. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the institution's accreditor before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a data science degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the institution's accreditor.
What is the highest-paying area of California for data scientists?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $185,080 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for data scientists?
On pay, the state median of $141,590 sits above the national $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.28 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
