PublicPay

Data Science Series federal salary series 1560

Full-time federal employees in the Data Science Series series earned a median of $143,305 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 31% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $121,785 and $166,197.

Median pay
$143,305
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$121,785–$166,197
25th–75th percentile
Employees
1,250
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+6.8%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Data Science Series
All federal (full-time)

What shapes data science series pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (297 employees, median $129,904). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Health and Human Services (147 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($158,306) and lowest in Colorado ($137,102), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 40% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Data Science Series pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Data Science Series pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-12 95 $106,698 $102,415–$112,954
GS-13 297 $129,904 $121,785–$133,964
GS-14 289 $158,306 $148,711–$170,750
GS-15 55 $191,850 $180,787–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Data Science Series pay by agency

Data Science Series pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Health and Human Services 147 $142,412 $125,742–$168,970
Department of Veterans Affairs 116 $133,794 $118,655–$150,724
Department of Commerce 66 $125,845 $102,805–$142,084
Department of Homeland Security 62 $143,732 $125,793–$161,904
Department of Transportation 52 $157,604 $127,969–$181,389
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 33 $195,153 $163,006–$218,232

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Data Science Series pay by state

The 5 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Data Science Series pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
District of Columbia 204 $158,306 $129,818–$180,696
Maryland 153 $148,711 $129,282–$172,700
California 45 $144,148 $119,356–$162,187
Virginia 34 $148,711 $127,874–$165,503
Colorado 33 $137,102 $130,543–$154,268

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare data science series pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +6.8% from $134,240 in September 2025 to $143,305 in September 2026. Headcount went from 1,245 to 1,250 (+0.4%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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