Career change to data scientist
Data Scientists earn a median of $120,230 a year (BLS, May 2025). Below: the jobs whose skills carry over best, what you need to get in, and pay.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025 and BLS CPS 2025 · How we match careers
- Median pay
- $120,230
- Usual preparation
- A bachelor's degree
- Workers 45 or older
- 28%
- U.S. jobs
- 262,440
The best jobs to switch from
Jobs whose skills carry over best into data scientists, by our career-change match score, with the skills people in that job usually need to build.
| If you are now… | Match | Your median pay now | Skills to build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | 88% | $81,100Broader BLS group | Programming |
| Statistical Assistants | 88% | $50,330 | Programming, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control |
| Data Warehousing Specialists | 87% | $139,500Broader BLS group | Management of Personnel Resources |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 86% | $61,990 | Programming, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making |
| Database Architects | 85% | $139,500 | Programming |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | 84% | $99,070 | Programming, Quality Control Analysis |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | 84% | $98,920Broader BLS group | Programming |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | 84% | $140,300 | None big |
| Survey Researchers | 83% | $69,460 | Programming, Operation and Control |
| Computer Programmers | 81% | $100,390 | Instructing, Service Orientation |
Skills to build: skills that are at least 0.25 points more important in the new career (O*NET 31.0 importance, 1–5). How we match careers
What you need to get in
Education
O*NET does not publish an education breakdown for this career.
Usual preparation: A bachelor's degree (O*NET 31.0 Job Zone). Most common on-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Similar careers to consider
The careers most like data scientists by skills and daily work (O*NET 31.0).
- Statisticians84% similar · $105,650 · A graduate degree
- Mathematicians81% similar · $126,710 · A graduate degree
- Biostatisticians81% similar · $105,650 · A graduate degree
- Financial Quantitative Analysts81% similar · $81,100 · A graduate degree
- Bioinformatics Technicians80% similar · $81,490 · A bachelor's degree
- Data Warehousing Specialists80% similar · $139,500 · A bachelor's degree
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Questions about switching to data scientist
What jobs make it easiest to switch to data scientist?
By our skill match, people working as Financial Quantitative Analysts (88%), Statistical Assistants (88%) and Data Warehousing Specialists (87%) have the most transferable experience.
What education do you need for data scientist?
Usual preparation for data scientists: a bachelor's degree (O*NET 31.0 Job Zone).
Is it too late to switch to data scientist at 40?
28% of data scientists are 45 or older and their median age is 38.4 (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025, broader occupation group).
How much do data scientists make?
The national median is $120,230 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). Highest-paying states: Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370).