Housing
Housing dominates Durham's monthly budget at $1,756, with a city center one-bedroom apartment costing $1,550. Basic utilities add $136 and internet runs $65, making housing roughly 83% of total living expenses for tech professionals.
Data Scientist Salary in Durham
Market ranges & how to evaluate your offer
$0k – $0k/yr
Most offers in Durham fall between $0k–$0k depending on seniority, location, and role scope.
Last updated: March 2026Self-reported salaries + labor statisticsDurhamConfidence: High
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Local vs National
Durham$0k
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Durham
Salary data is self-reported and varies by scope, company, and location. Use ranges, not single numbers.
Offer sanity-check
Compare your total comp for Data Scientist — pick seniority, enter an offer, and preview the layout. Percentiles use your selected seniority when market data is available.
Cost of Living in Durham, NC
Cost of living breakdown for Durham, NC market.
86avg = 100
Estimated monthly costs for this basket are about 86% of our comparable national baseline—day-to-day spending tends to go further here.
Overall COL Index
HOUSING+25%
National avg (100)
FOOD-51%
National avg (100)
TRANSPORT-90%
National avg (100)
LIFESTYLE-62%
National avg (100)
Monthly cost breakdown
How the estimated monthly cost bundle splits across categories for a typical Data Scientist earner.
$2,107.18/ mo
HOUSING
$1,755.87 USD (83.3% of est. monthly costs)
FOOD
$207.64 USD (9.9% of est. monthly costs)
TRANSPORT
$36.00 USD (1.7% of est. monthly costs)
LIFESTYLE
$107.67 USD (5.1% of est. monthly costs)
+25%
Food & dining
Food costs remain modest at $208 monthly, with restaurant meals averaging $15 and grocery staples like chicken fillets at $14 per kg. Durham's food expenses are notably affordable compared to major tech hubs, leaving room for dining flexibility.
Transportation
Public transit costs just $36 monthly for a regular pass, making Durham extremely commuter-friendly. The low transportation overhead makes this market attractive for professionals seeking cost-effective mobility options.
Lifestyle & leisure
Leisure spending totals $108 monthly, with gym memberships at $39 and movie tickets at $12. Coffee runs $4.45 per cappuccino, keeping discretionary entertainment costs reasonable and well below housing expenses.
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Remote Pay Bands Explained
Data Scientist remote compensation varies significantly between location-adjusted and national pay bands. Companies like Netflix and GitLab offer location-agnostic salaries, paying San Francisco rates ($180K-250K) regardless of residence. However, most tech firms apply geographic multipliers - a Data Scientist earning $200K in San Francisco might receive $160K when relocating to Austin or $140K in smaller markets.
The hybrid work trend has created tiered compensation structures for Data Scientists. Many companies now offer 'hub premiums' for proximity to major offices, with full remote positions typically paying 10-15% less than hybrid roles. When negotiating, emphasize your ability to collaborate across time zones and your track record of delivering results independently - skills particularly valuable for distributed ML teams.
Moving from expensive metros can dramatically improve purchasing power for Data Scientists. A $180K salary in San Francisco has similar buying power to $120K in Denver or $110K in Nashville. Factor in state tax differences - Texas and Florida's lack of income tax can add $10K-15K annually to your effective compensation compared to California or New York.
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How to Negotiate Your Offer
Practical steps that move the number without damaging the relationship.
Start your ask above the median. You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down.
Stronger approach:
- Start your ask above the median
- You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down
Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'. External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations.
Stronger approach:
- Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'
- External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations
When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants. Total comp has more levers than base alone.
Stronger approach:
- When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants
- Total comp has more levers than base alone
Ask for 48 hours to review. This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain.
Stronger approach:
- Ask for 48 hours to review
- This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain
Negotiate Salary
Generate an aware negotiation email using Google market positioning data.
Practice Interviews
Mock interviews tailored to Google's process and evaluation criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Data Scientist compensation.
Data Scientist salaries range from $95K-130K for entry-level positions to $180K-280K for senior roles. Total compensation including equity can reach $350K+ at top tech companies.
Your next move starts here
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