Buffalo · Occupational wage benchmark
Data Scientists Salary in Buffalo
What Data Scientists actually earn in the Buffalo metro area — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against other major metros.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro estimates for SOC 15-2051; cost-of-living adjustment from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Median annual wage
- $102,250
- Data Scientists in Buffalo
- Adjusted for cost of living
- $106,684
- Buffalo price level 95.8 (U.S. = 100)
- Rank among metros
- #38 of 46
- #33 after cost of living
- Workers employed
- 840
- in metro Buffalo
What Data Scientists earn in Buffalo, adjusted for what it costs to live there
A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Once local prices are accounted for, Buffalo moves up 5 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
| Metro | Median (nominal) | Adjusted for cost of living |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $185,080 | $167,610 |
| San Francisco | $170,110 | $147,137 |
| Seattle | $164,740 | $148,237 |
| New York | $135,980 | $120,803 |
| Baltimore | $134,320 | $128,552 |
| Charlotte | $132,460 | $136,069 |
| Washington DC | $132,200 | $121,414 |
| Boston | $132,040 | $121,959 |
| San Diego | $130,990 | $117,073 |
| Minneapolis | $129,780 | $123,810 |
| Los Angeles | $129,740 | $114,242 |
| Portland | $129,600 | $122,936 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $127,750 | $123,921 |
| Miami | $127,450 | $111,646 |
| Austin | $127,360 | $129,872 |
| Hartford | $126,340 | $122,963 |
| Jacksonville | $122,680 | $123,316 |
| Richmond | $122,510 | $125,192 |
| Raleigh | $120,710 | $122,976 |
| Salt Lake City | $114,990 | $114,000 |
Nominal medians: BLS OEWS, May 2024 estimates (published April 2025) — occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes. Adjusted column: SalaryMBA estimate, computed as nominal ÷ (metro RPP ÷ 100) using BEA MARPP 2024 regional price parities.
The national pay range for Data Scientists
BLS publishes the full percentile distribution nationally. The spread within the occupation is usually far wider than the gap between metros.
| Percentile (national) | Annual wage | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $67,240 | Entry / early-career end |
| 25th percentile | $85,660 | |
| Median (50th) | $120,230 | |
| 75th percentile | $158,880 | |
| 90th percentile | $199,130 | Senior / top-market end |
Other MBA-relevant roles in Buffalo
How to read the Buffalo number
The $102,250 median means half of Data Scientists in the Buffalo area earn less and half earn more. It is measured across everyone in the occupation — every experience level, industry, and level of education. It is not the salary of a recent MBA graduate, and it is not a starting salary.
BLS counts roughly 840 people in this role in the Buffalo area. To compare against the state and national picture, see Data Scientists nationally or model your own economics with the MBA ROI calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Data Scientists make in Buffalo?
Data Scientists in the Buffalo metro area earn a median of $102,250 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is -15.0% vs national, ranking Buffalo #38 of 46 major metros we track for this role. This is an occupational wage benchmark across all workers in the metro, not an MBA-graduate-specific salary.
Is $102,250 a good salary in Buffalo?
It depends on local prices. The Buffalo area price level is 95.8 against a U.S. average of 100, so $102,250 there carries roughly the purchasing power of $106,684 nationally — about $4,434 more than the headline number implies. Once local prices are accounted for, Buffalo moves up 5 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
Do Data Scientists in Buffalo need an MBA?
These BLS figures cover everyone in the occupation regardless of degree, so they cannot isolate what an MBA adds. Data Scientists is a role MBA graduates commonly target, and an MBA can affect where you land within the range through network, function, and seniority — but any precise MBA premium for this role in Buffalo would not be supported by this data.
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Every figure on SalaryMBA is source-labeled. See our methodology for how we source and gate data.