Data Scientists vs Software Developers
Software Developers earns $20,490 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Data Scientists | Software Developers | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2024 | $112,590 | $133,080 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $63,650 to $194,410 | $79,850 to $211,450 |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 4 | 4 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Jobs opening up each year | 23,400 | 129,200 |
| Growth by 2034 | 34% | 16% |
| People doing it now | 245,900 | 1,693,800 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $158,760 in Washington down to $69,430 in Mississippi | $170,910 in California down to $86,460 in Mississippi |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2024, and employment projections 2024-34. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.