Meta Data Scientist Salary Calculator

The sections below walk through every dimension of Meta Data Scientist compensation, from baseline salary ranges and entry-level expectations to location-specific pay differences and the factors that push earnings higher or lower.

1. What Are the Salary Ranges for a Meta Data Scientist?
2. What Is the Entry Level Salary for a Meta Data Scientist?
3. How Much Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn at Entry Level vs Senior Level?
4. What Are the Best Job Markets for a Meta Data Scientist?
5. Which Employers Hire Meta Data Scientists and What Do They Pay?
6. What Does a Meta Data Scientist Do Day to Day?
7. What Factors Push a Meta Data Scientist Salary Higher?
8. What Factors Lower a Meta Data Scientist Salary?
9. What Benefits Do Meta Data Scientists Typically Receive?
10. What Skills Affect a Meta Data Scientist Salary?
11. How Does Meta Data Scientist Salary Vary by Different States and Cities?

The salary calculator uses $82.25 per hour as the national median hourly reference point for a Meta Data Scientist. Under a standard full-time assumption of 40 hours per week across 52 weeks, that baseline translates to approximately $171,080 per year. However, actual compensation spans a wide range depending on the inputs you select.

These ranges shift when you adjust hours per week, toggle between full-time and part-time, or change the job market size. A Meta Data Scientist working 30 hours per week in a mid-sized metro will see proportionally lower weekly, monthly, and annual figures even if the hourly rate remains unchanged. The calculator scales all derived figures directly from the hourly estimate, making it straightforward to model different scheduling scenarios.

Entry level for a Meta Data Scientist is defined in this calculator as limited professional experience—typically zero to two years—paired with a lower education credential such as a bachelor's degree without an advanced degree or specialized certifications. When you set the experience slider to its lowest position and select a bachelor's-level education, the calculator adjusts the hourly rate downward from the $82.25 baseline.

Under these entry-level parameters with full-time hours in a large metro area, hourly estimates typically fall in the $65.00 to $75.00 range, producing annual gross pay of roughly $135,200 to $156,000. Moving the market size to a mid-sized metro or selecting part-time hours reduces these figures further. Entry-level Meta Data Scientists who hold only a bachelor's degree and lack publications or production-level ML experience will land near the low end, while those with a master's degree or relevant internship portfolio at a FAANG-tier company can push closer to the median even with limited years on the job.

After-tax estimates at the entry level depend heavily on location. Selecting California as your state, for example, applies a higher state income tax deduction than selecting Texas, which has no state income tax. The calculator reflects this automatically once you choose your filing status, state, 401(k) contribution, and W-2 or 1099 classification.

The gap between early-career and senior-level Meta Data Scientist compensation is substantial. The salary calculator models this through its experience and education inputs, which apply progressively larger upward adjustments as you increase both.

Senior-level Meta Data Scientists typically hold a Ph.D. in statistics, computer science, or a quantitative field, and have led cross-functional ML projects from research through production deployment. The calculator reflects this by applying the maximum experience and education adjustments simultaneously, often pushing hourly estimates 40–50% above the entry-level floor. When combined with a large-metro market size selection, senior figures can exceed $115 per hour. Conversely, selecting a small metro area tempers these gains, demonstrating how geographic market dynamics interact with seniority.

The strongest job markets for Meta Data Scientists cluster around Meta's office locations and major technology corridors where demand for ML and analytics talent is highest. The salary calculator's metro size adjustment means large-metro selections produce the top salary ranges, but mid-sized metros with growing tech sectors can also deliver competitive pay with lower living costs.

These ranges reflect the calculator's large-metro adjustment combined with mid-to-senior experience levels. If you select a small or mid-sized metro in the calculator, expect hourly figures 5–15% below these benchmarks.

Meta (formerly Facebook) is the primary employer for the Meta Data Scientist title, though professionals with this skill set also find comparable roles at peer companies across the technology sector.

Note that the calculator's W-2 vs 1099 toggle matters here. Most of these employers hire full-time W-2 employees, but contract data science engagements through staffing firms like Harnham or Toptal are classified as 1099, which increases gross pay requirements to offset self-employment tax. Selecting 1099 in the calculator will reflect that difference in after-tax estimates.

A Meta Data Scientist designs and executes experiments (A/B tests) across Meta's product ecosystem—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads—to measure user engagement, ad revenue impact, and content ranking algorithm performance. The role requires writing complex SQL queries against petabyte-scale data warehouses, building statistical models in Python or R, and presenting causal inference results to product and engineering leadership to influence roadmap decisions.

Day-to-day tasks include defining metrics for product launches, building dashboards in internal visualization tools, running power analyses to determine experiment sample sizes, and developing machine learning models for user segmentation or anomaly detection. Senior-level responsibilities expand to mentoring junior data scientists, establishing team-wide methodology standards, and partnering directly with VP-level product leaders on strategic analytics.

These responsibilities influence salary outcomes because the calculator's experience and education adjustments map directly to the complexity of work performed. A data scientist running basic reporting queries occupies a different pay band than one designing causal inference frameworks for Reels recommendation algorithms. When you increase the experience input in the calculator, you are implicitly modeling the transition from execution-focused work to strategic, high-impact analysis.

Several concrete factors raise salary estimates in the calculator, each mapping to a specific input or contextual variable.

Advanced degrees are the most impactful education-level adjustment. A Ph.D. in statistics, computer science, economics, or operations research pushes the calculator's hourly estimate significantly above the baseline. Meta's internal leveling system (IC4 through IC7+) correlates directly with educational credentials and research output.

Years of experience beyond the seven-year mark trigger the highest experience multiplier in the calculator. Data scientists who have shipped production ML models at scale—particularly in ads ranking, integrity (misinformation detection), or recommendation systems—command premium rates.

Large metro market size selection applies the highest geographic adjustment. Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park and major hubs in New York City and Seattle reflect this premium in real-world offers.

Specialized domain expertise in causal inference, reinforcement learning, or large language model evaluation distinguishes candidates and is reflected when users set experience to the upper range in the calculator.

Full-time hours at 40+ per week maximize weekly, monthly, and annual figures. Some senior data scientists at Meta work on-call schedules or extended hours during product launches, which the calculator can model by increasing hours per week beyond 40.

The salary calculator will produce lower estimates under several realistic scenarios.

Limited experience (0–2 years) applies the lowest experience adjustment. New graduates without internship experience at a top-tier technology company will see hourly rates well below the $82.25 median.

Bachelor's-only education without a master's or Ph.D. triggers a lower education multiplier. While Meta does hire data scientists with bachelor's degrees, these roles are typically leveled at IC3 or IC4 with correspondingly lower base compensation.

Small metro or remote locations apply reduced geographic adjustments. A Meta Data Scientist working remotely from a small city in Indiana or Ohio will receive a cost-of-living-adjusted salary that the calculator reflects through its market size setting.

Part-time hours directly reduce weekly, monthly, and annual salary outputs since all derived figures scale from hourly pay multiplied by hours worked.

1099 contractor classification does not lower gross pay but significantly reduces after-tax take-home because the contractor bears the full burden of self-employment tax (both employer and employee portions of FICA). Selecting 1099 in the calculator's after-tax section reveals this gap clearly.

High 401(k) contribution percentages reduce take-home pay in the calculator's after-tax output, although they represent deferred compensation rather than lost income.

Meta Data Scientists employed as W-2 full-time staff at Meta Platforms receive a comprehensive benefits package that substantially increases total compensation beyond base salary. This includes restricted stock units (RSUs) vesting over four years, annual performance bonuses typically ranging from 10–20% of base salary, comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, and a 401(k) plan with employer match. Meta also provides life insurance, paid parental leave (up to 20 weeks), wellness stipends, and free meals at on-site campuses.

The salary calculator's 401(k) contribution input lets you model how pre-tax retirement contributions affect your take-home pay. Setting a 6% contribution, for instance, will reduce the estimated after-tax annual figure but reflects the tax-advantaged savings benefit.

For W-2 employees at other technology companies like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, benefits are broadly comparable, though RSU vesting schedules and bonus structures vary. The key distinction in the calculator arises when selecting 1099 classification. Independent contractors and consultants performing Meta Data Scientist-equivalent work through staffing agencies do not receive employer-sponsored benefits, must fund their own health insurance, and pay self-employment tax. The calculator's after-tax module captures the 1099 tax penalty, making it essential to compare W-2 and 1099 scenarios side by side before accepting a contract role.

The skills a Meta Data Scientist brings directly influence where they land on the salary calculator's experience and education spectrum.

SQL fluency at an advanced level is non-negotiable. Meta's data infrastructure runs on Presto and Spark, and data scientists write complex, performance-optimized queries daily. Proficiency here is a baseline expectation rather than a salary differentiator, but lack of it disqualifies candidates entirely.

Python statistical modeling using libraries like PyTorch, scikit-learn, and statsmodels enables production-grade machine learning and experimentation. Data scientists who can build end-to-end ML pipelines—not just prototype notebooks—are positioned at higher experience levels in the calculator.

Causal inference and experimentation design (difference-in-differences, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity) is the signature skill that separates Meta Data Scientists from general analysts. Mastery of these methods corresponds to IC5+ leveling and triggers the calculator's upper experience adjustments.

Communication and stakeholder management skills determine whether a data scientist operates in a support function or as a strategic partner to product leadership. This soft skill maps to the senior end of the calculator's experience range because it correlates with influence, scope, and leveling.

Domain knowledge in ads, integrity, or social graph analytics commands a premium because these are Meta's highest-revenue and highest-priority product areas. Specializing in one of these domains pushes salary calculator results toward the high end of the output range.

Location is one of the most impactful variables in the Meta Data Scientist salary calculator. State income tax rates, cost of living, local demand for data science talent, and the presence of Meta offices or comparable tech employers all shape the calculator's output. Below are detailed breakdowns for key states and cities.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in New York?

New York applies a state income tax that ranges from moderate to high depending on income bracket, and New York City adds its own city income tax on top. The calculator reflects both layers when you select New York as your state. Despite the tax burden, New York is one of the strongest markets for Meta Data Scientists because Meta operates a major engineering hub in Manhattan. The large-metro adjustment produces some of the highest gross salary estimates nationally, but after-tax take-home is reduced meaningfully compared to no-income-tax states.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in California?

California is the epicenter of Meta Data Scientist hiring. Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park and offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego make the state the single largest employer pool. California's state income tax is among the highest in the country, which the calculator captures when generating after-tax estimates. Gross hourly rates in California's large metros are at or near the national maximum, but high housing costs and taxes erode purchasing power. Selecting California in the calculator alongside a married filing status and moderate 401(k) contribution will show a notably lower after-tax figure than selecting Texas or Florida with identical gross inputs.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Florida?

Florida has no state income tax, which makes it an attractive base for remote Meta Data Scientists. The calculator's after-tax module produces higher take-home estimates for Florida than for most other states at the same gross pay level. Miami's growing tech scene qualifies as a large metro, though the concentration of Meta-specific roles is lower than in the Bay Area or New York. Mid-sized Florida metros like Tampa or Orlando apply a smaller market-size adjustment in the calculator.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Texas?

Texas combines no state income tax with a large and growing technology employment base. Austin hosts Meta offices and a dense cluster of tech companies, while Dallas and Houston are expanding as secondary tech hubs. The calculator produces favorable after-tax results for Texas across all filing statuses. Selecting a large metro like Austin or Dallas triggers the highest geographic adjustment, while smaller Texas cities reduce it.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Michigan?

Michigan's data science market is concentrated in the Detroit metro area and Ann Arbor, driven by the automotive industry's investment in autonomous driving and AI. The state has a flat income tax rate that the calculator applies. Market size selections for Michigan are typically mid-sized, which produces a moderate geographic adjustment. Meta does not have a major office in Michigan, so most Meta Data Scientist roles here would be remote, potentially subject to geographic pay adjustments by the employer.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Georgia?

Georgia's tech hub is Atlanta, which qualifies as a large metro in the calculator. The state has a graduated income tax, and Atlanta's lower cost of living relative to the Bay Area or New York means the same gross salary stretches further. Meta has invested in Atlanta-area data center operations, and the broader fintech and logistics ecosystem (Home Depot, Cox Enterprises, NCR Voyix) sustains demand for data scientists with transferable skills.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Ohio?

Ohio's primary data science markets are Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. These cities are generally mid-sized in the calculator's framework, applying a moderate adjustment. Ohio's state income tax is graduated, and cost of living is well below the national average for tech hubs. Meta Data Scientists working remotely from Ohio benefit from lower housing and living expenses, though gross salary offers may be geographically adjusted downward by employers.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in North Carolina?

North Carolina's Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham) is a strong and growing tech market with a flat state income tax rate. The calculator applies a mid-sized to large metro adjustment depending on the specific area. Apple, Google, and Meta have all expanded their presence in the Triangle, increasing local demand for senior data scientists. Charlotte also provides opportunities in the financial analytics sector.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Illinois?

Illinois salary estimates are primarily driven by the Chicago metro area, the third-largest in the country. The calculator applies a large-metro adjustment for Chicago. Illinois has a flat state income tax, and Chicago's diversified economy—spanning finance, advertising technology, and healthcare analytics—creates sustained demand. After-tax estimates for Illinois fall between high-tax states like California and no-tax states like Texas.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Maryland?

Maryland benefits from its proximity to Washington, DC, and the federal government's investment in data science and cybersecurity. The state has a graduated income tax and some counties add local taxes. The calculator captures this when you select Maryland. The Baltimore-Washington corridor functions as a large metro, and employers like Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, and Booz Allen Hamilton hire data scientists at competitive rates, making the region relevant for Meta Data Scientists exploring adjacent opportunities.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Indiana?

Indiana has a flat state income tax that is among the lowest of states that levy one. Indianapolis is the primary metro, classified as mid-sized in the calculator. The data science market in Indiana is smaller and driven by healthcare (Eli Lilly, Anthem), manufacturing analytics, and Salesforce's Indianapolis hub. Gross salary estimates from the calculator will be lower than coastal tech hubs, but after-tax take-home is comparatively strong due to low taxes and cost of living.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Virginia?

Northern Virginia (Arlington, Tysons Corner, Reston) is a major technology and government contracting corridor. The calculator applies a large-metro adjustment for the DC-adjacent Virginia suburbs. Virginia's graduated state income tax is moderate, and the concentration of Amazon (HQ2), cloud infrastructure companies, and defense analytics firms creates strong demand for data scientists. Meta Data Scientists in Northern Virginia benefit from high gross pay and reasonable state tax rates.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Connecticut?

Connecticut's data science market is driven by insurance (Hartford), hedge funds (Stamford/Greenwich), and proximity to New York City. The state has a graduated income tax that reaches relatively high marginal rates for top earners. The calculator reflects this in after-tax estimates. Stamford-area roles may pay near New York City levels while avoiding the NYC city income tax surcharge, making it an interesting comparison to run in the calculator.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in New Jersey?

New Jersey has some of the highest state income tax rates in the country for high earners, which the calculator applies directly to after-tax estimates. However, the state's proximity to New York City and Philadelphia means data scientists can access two major job markets. Meta Data Scientists living in New Jersey and working remotely or commuting to Meta's NYC office should compare after-tax estimates for both New York and New Jersey in the calculator to determine the more favorable scenario.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Chicago?

Chicago is the largest tech market in the Midwest and qualifies for the calculator's large-metro adjustment. The city's diversified economy supports data science roles across finance (Citadel, Jump Trading), advertising technology (Groupon, Sprout Social), and healthcare. Illinois's flat income tax keeps after-tax estimates more predictable than in states with graduated brackets. A Meta Data Scientist in Chicago can expect gross hourly estimates of $80 to $108, with annual figures ranging from approximately $166,400 to $224,640.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles is a large metro with growing tech employment beyond entertainment. Meta operates offices in the LA area, and the city's media, gaming, and e-commerce sectors employ data scientists extensively. California's high state income tax applies, but gross salary offers in LA are competitive. The calculator shows hourly estimates of $86 to $116 for mid-to-senior roles, with after-tax figures reduced by California's top marginal rates.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in New York City (NYC)?

New York City produces the highest gross salary estimates in the calculator due to the large-metro adjustment and intense employer competition. Meta's NYC office at Hudson Yards employs a large data science team. The combined state and city income taxes make NYC the most tax-impacted location in the calculator. After-tax estimates for a single filer at $100 per hour will differ dramatically from the same hourly rate in Houston or Seattle. Running both scenarios in the calculator reveals the precise dollar difference.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Houston?

Houston is a large metro with no state income tax, making it one of the most favorable after-tax locations in the calculator. The city's data science market is anchored by energy (ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell), healthcare (MD Anderson, Memorial Hermann), and a growing tech presence. Meta does not have a major Houston office, so roles would be remote. Gross hourly estimates apply the large-metro adjustment, and the zero state tax produces strong after-tax figures.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Phoenix?

Phoenix is a rapidly growing large metro with moderate state income taxes. The cost of living is well below California or New York, and the tech sector is expanding with investments from companies like Intel, Microchip Technology, and numerous startups. The calculator produces mid-range gross estimates for Phoenix, but the combination of moderate taxes and lower living costs makes after-tax purchasing power relatively strong.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Atlanta?

Atlanta combines large-metro status with Georgia's moderate graduated income tax. The city is a southeastern tech hub with a deep talent pipeline from Georgia Tech. Meta Data Scientists in Atlanta benefit from lower cost of living than coastal peers while accessing a competitive job market. The calculator's gross estimates for Atlanta range from $78 to $105 hourly, and after-tax figures benefit from Georgia's comparatively moderate tax structure.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in San Diego?

San Diego is a large metro with a strong biotech and defense analytics sector. Qualcomm, Illumina, and numerous defense contractors employ data scientists, and Meta-adjacent roles exist throughout the region. California's high state income tax applies equally to San Diego as to the Bay Area, so after-tax estimates are reduced compared to no-tax states. Gross hourly rates in the calculator typically range from $82 to $112 depending on experience and education inputs.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Washington, DC?

Washington, DC applies its own income tax (separate from Maryland and Virginia), and the calculator captures this when DC is selected. The metro area is a large market with heavy demand for data scientists in government analytics, cybersecurity, and policy research. Meta Data Scientists in DC benefit from the large-metro adjustment and a diverse employer mix. After-tax estimates are moderate, falling between high-tax states like California and no-tax states like Florida.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Boston?

Boston's concentration of universities (MIT, Harvard), biotech firms, and tech companies like HubSpot and Wayfair creates intense demand for data scientists. Massachusetts has a flat state income tax, and the calculator applies it to after-tax estimates. The large-metro adjustment applies to the greater Boston area, producing gross hourly estimates of $85 to $115. Meta has recruited heavily from Boston's academic pipeline, making the city a top-tier market for this role.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Dallas?

Dallas is a large metro with no state income tax, combining strong gross salary estimates with favorable after-tax outcomes. The city's financial sector (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase campuses), telecom industry (AT&T), and growing tech presence support data science demand. The calculator produces hourly estimates of $78 to $106 for Dallas, and the zero state tax means after-tax figures rank among the highest nationally for equivalent gross pay.

What Does a Meta Data Scientist Earn in Seattle?

Seattle is a premier tech market with no state income tax. Meta operates a significant engineering office in the Seattle area, and Amazon, Microsoft, and numerous startups compete aggressively for data science talent. The calculator's large-metro adjustment and zero state income tax combine to produce some of the highest after-tax estimates of any location. Gross hourly rates of $88 to $118 paired with no state tax make Seattle one of the most financially advantageous cities for a Meta Data Scientist, a result the calculator demonstrates clearly when compared side by side with equivalent gross pay in California or New York.