Data Analyst Salary Statistics 2026: By State, Industry and Level

Market research analysts and marketing specialists earned a median annual wage of $78,760 in May 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Statisticians earned a median of $105,650 in May 2025, and data scientists $120,230 in 2025. Data analyst salary figures are spread across groups like these because O*NET’s search for “data analyst” returns related occupations, not a dedicated one.

Robert Half’s 2027 Salary Guide projects a national range of $96,250 to $138,500 for data analysts. Its ranges reflect base salaries for new hires across all levels of experience. Levels.fyi lists a self-reported median total compensation of $110,000 for data analysts in the United States, based on 1,023 salary submissions. Those are employer-survey wages, projected new-hire pay, and self-reported pay.

Key Takeaways

• The 2025 BLS median for data scientists ($120,230) was $41,470 above the May 2025 median for market research analysts ($78,760).
• Robert Half’s projected 2027 High for data analysts ($138,500) is 1.44 times its Low ($96,250).
• In New York, Robert Half’s data analyst Low of $131,381 sits $7,119 below its national High of $138,500.
• Robert Half’s projected 2027 national Mid for data analysts is $118,500, against a self-reported Levels.fyi median total compensation of $110,000 from 1,023 salary submissions.
• The BLS median for market research analysts rose 15.4%, from $68,230 in May 2022 to $78,760 in May 2025.
• The statistician median rose 6.8% over the same span, from $98,920 in May 2022 to $105,650 in May 2025.
• Employment of operations research analysts is projected to grow 12% from 2025 to 2035.

Editor’s Choice

• Market research analysts’ median annual wage, May 2025: $78,760.
• Statisticians’ median annual wage, May 2025: $105,650.
• Robert Half 2027 national Mid for data analysts: $118,500 in the 2027 Salary Guide.
• Robert Half New York Mid for data analysts: $161,753, with the New York range 36.5% higher than the national average.
• Market research analysts and marketing specialists employed, May 2025: 899,580.
• Projected openings per year for market research analysts, 2025 to 2035: about 82,000 a year over the decade.
• Data scientists’ projected employment growth, 2025 to 2035: 34.6%, among the top 10 fastest-growing detailed occupations for 2025 to 2035.

Data Analyst Salary in the US

• Market research analysts and marketing specialists had a median annual wage of $78,760 in May 2025, a mean of $89,490, and a mean hourly wage of $43.03.
• Operations research analysts earned a median of $88,940 in May 2025.
• Statisticians earned a median of $105,650 in May 2025.
• Data scientists earned a median of $120,230 in 2025, $41,470 above the May 2025 median for market research analysts.
• On the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a keyword search for “data analyst” returns related occupations such as Data Scientists (15-2051.00) and Business Intelligence Analysts (15-2051.01).
• Reported job titles for Business Intelligence Analysts include Business Analyst and Business Intelligence Analyst (BI Analyst).
• At the May 2025 median, market research analysts earn $6,563 a month.
• That group includes marketing specialists, so its headcount is not a count of data analysts.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025

About This Data

• Compiled from 28 sources: 18 Bureau of Labor Statistics pages, 2 O*NET pages, 6 Robert Half salary guide pages and releases, 1 CompTIA release, and 1 self-reported salary page from Levels.fyi.
• Sources cover May 2022 wage data through October 2026.
• O*NET’s search for “data analyst” returns related occupations, not a dedicated one. Wages come from market research analysts and marketing specialists (13-1161), operations research analysts (15-2031), and statisticians (15-2041), with data scientists (15-2051) for comparison; that grouping is an editorial choice, not a BLS one.
• Figures are reviewed on a rolling basis and updated when sources publish new editions.

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Data Analyst Salary by Year

• The median for market research analysts rose 15.4%, from $68,230 in May 2022 to $78,760 in May 2025.
• The group employed 846,370 people in May 2023.
• Statisticians reached a median of $105,650 in May 2025, 6.8% above their May 2022 median.
• The operations research analyst median rose from $83,640 in May 2023 to $88,940 in May 2025, an increase of 6.3%.
• Employment of market research analysts and marketing specialists grew 12.6%, from 798,620 in May 2022 to 899,580 in May 2025.
• May 2024 is not shown.

Worth noting: According to the BLS Employment Cost Index, civilian wages and salaries increased 3.2% over the 12-month period ending in June 2026, not seasonally adjusted. That index covers all civilian workers over a different window, so it is a backdrop for the occupation medians, not a direct comparison.

Recent Developments

• October 13, 2026: Levels.fyi listed a self-reported median total compensation of $110,000 for data analysts in the United States, based on 1,023 salary submissions.
• October 1, 2026: Robert Half released its 2027 Salary Guide, with projected salaries for hundreds of positions across 7 professional fields; its national data analyst range runs from $96,250 to $138,500.
• September 2026: Employers posted 272,040 new openings for IT occupations, and active job postings climbed to 625,633, according to CompTIA analysis.
• August 27, 2026: In its Employment Projections release, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that the US economy will add 5.9 million jobs from 2025 to 2035, with total employment growing 3.5%.
• August 27, 2026: To complement the 2025 to 2035 projections, BLS created four high-level AI exposure categories from theoretical AI exposure and observed AI usage measures.

Data Analyst Salary by Experience Level

• Robert Half’s Low of $96,250 applies to a data analyst who is new to the role or has limited experience and is still developing core skills.
• Robert Half’s Mid covers candidates with moderate experience who meet most requirements, and its High of $138,500 covers extensive experience, advanced skills, and often specialized certifications.
• Robert Half’s High is 1.44 times the Low.
• The benchmarks are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has placed nationwide, along with third-party job posting data from Textkernel.
• Robert Half says the ranges reflect base salaries for new hires across all levels of experience.

How does experience affect salary?

Experience moves Robert Half’s projected 2027 data analyst salary from $96,250 at the Low level to $138,500 at the High level, a gap of $42,250. Robert Half’s Mid of $118,500 applies to candidates with moderate experience who meet most requirements. Robert Half bases its benchmarks on actual compensation for professionals it has placed nationwide.

Data Analyst Salary Percentiles

• BLS percentiles rank all workers in an occupation by pay, so a low percentile is not the same thing as entry-level pay.
• Market research analysts earned $43,390 at the 10th percentile and $155,480 at the 90th percentile in May 2025.
• That 90th percentile is 3.58 times the 10th.
• Operations research analysts ranged from $57,060 at the 10th percentile to $159,910 at the 90th percentile in May 2025.
• Statisticians ranged from $64,000 to $174,050 across the same percentiles in May 2025.
• Data scientists ranged from $67,240 at the 10th percentile to $199,130 at the 90th percentile in May 2025.

At the 75th percentile, operations research analysts earned $125,990 and statisticians $141,490 in May 2025. The table below sets the three side by side.

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

How much do data analysts make an hour?

Market research analysts had a median hourly wage of $37.87 in May 2025. Operations research analysts earned a median of $42.76 an hour, statisticians $50.79, and data scientists $57.80. At the 90th percentile, market research analysts earned $74.75 an hour, and at the 10th percentile, $20.86.

BLS vs Salary Guide vs Self-Reported Pay

• Levels.fyi’s self-reported median total compensation for data analysts in the United States is $110,000, with $85,000 at the 25th percentile, $145,000 at the 75th, and $188,000 at the 90th.
• Levels.fyi breaks pay down by base, stock, and bonus and draws on 1,023 salary submissions.
• Robert Half’s projected Mid of $118,500 is $8,500 above the Levels.fyi median.
• It is also $39,740 above the May 2025 BLS median for market research analysts.
• Robert Half’s salary benchmarks come from a multistep process designed to reflect projected market trends for 2027.

Source: BLS (May 2025), Robert Half (2027 Salary Guide, 2026), Levels.fyi (self-reported, October 2026)

Key finding: The BLS median for market research analysts was $78,760 in May 2025, Robert Half’s data analyst Mid is $118,500 and Levels.fyi’s self-reported median total compensation is $110,000. They measure employer-reported wages, projected new-hire base pay and self-reported pay with stock and bonus, so the gaps are not disagreements.

Data Analyst Salary by City

• Robert Half’s New York, NY range for data analysts runs from $131,381 to $189,053, with a Mid of $161,753, and is 36.5% higher than the national average.
• In Los Angeles, CA, the range runs from $126,088 to $181,435, 31% higher than the national average.
• In Raleigh, NC, the range runs from $103,950 to $149,580, 8% higher than the national average.
• Huntsville, AL, is equal to the national average, at $96,250 to $138,500.
• In New York, the Low sits $7,119 below the national High.

By the numbers: Robert Half’s Low for a New York data analyst is $131,381, while its national High is $138,500. In New York, the Mid of $161,753 is $43,253 above the national Mid. A newcomer in New York is projected close to an experienced analyst’s national pay.

Highest-Paying States for Data Analyst Proxy Occupations

• Massachusetts had the highest annual mean wage for market research analysts in May 2025, at $108,600.
• For statisticians, New York led at $146,430, followed by California at $140,780 and the District of Columbia at $137,760 in May 2025.
• Maryland ($133,370) and New Jersey ($126,370) complete the statistical top five.
• For operations research analysts, Virginia’s mean of $130,720 and Colorado’s $130,610 top the list, ahead of Alabama at $117,850 in May 2025.
• These are annual means from BLS top-five lists, so states outside the lists are not ranked here.

States With the Most Analyst Jobs

• California employed 119,070 market research analysts and marketing specialists in May 2025, ahead of New York at 80,500 and Texas at 63,350.
• Texas led operations research analyst employment with 11,890 jobs in May 2025, ahead of California (10,620) and Florida (9,120).
• Virginia (6,980) and New York (5,890) complete that list.
• Washington employed 2,960 statisticians in May 2025, Maryland 2,730, and Massachusetts and California 2,480 each.
• Massachusetts tops the market research analyst pay list but is not among the top five employers of market research analysts.

Data Analyst Salary and Jobs by Metro Area

• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest annual mean wage for statisticians in May 2025, at $182,700.
• The same metro area led for market research analysts at $154,130, ahead of San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $130,760.
• For operations research analysts, the Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area topped the list at $151,540, and Huntsville, AL appeared at $130,920.
• New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest employment of market research analysts and marketing specialists, at 79,290, ahead of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at 39,390.

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

Data Analyst Salary by Industry

• Market research analysts in the information industry had a median annual wage of $102,670 in May 2025.
• Their median was $99,850 in management of companies and enterprises and $94,330 in finance and insurance in May 2025.
• Statisticians in computer systems design and related services had a median of $167,180 in May 2025, against $132,620 in the federal government.
• Operations research analysts earned a median of $139,980 in the federal government and $108,120 in manufacturing in May 2025.
• Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services had the highest annual mean wage for market research analysts, at $156,900.

Why it matters: Market research analysts earned a median of $102,670 in information but $77,820 in management, scientific, and technical consulting services in May 2025. That is a $24,850 gap within one occupation. The employer’s industry belongs in any pay comparison alongside the job title.

What do healthcare data analysts earn?

Statisticians in healthcare and social assistance had a median annual wage of $100,900 in May 2025. Healthcare is not among the top industries BLS lists for market research or operations research analysts, so statisticians give the closest BLS reading.

Data Analyst vs Related Data Roles

• Robert Half’s projected Mid for data architects, $172,000, is $53,500 above the data analyst Mid of $118,500, the widest gap among the related roles it lists.
• The data engineer Mid is $42,000 above the data analyst Mid.
• The business intelligence analyst Mid is $10,500 above the data analyst Mid.
• BLS puts the 2025 median for data scientists at $120,230.

Data Analyst Job Outlook

• Data scientists rank among the top 10 fastest-growing detailed occupations from 2025 to 2035, with projected growth of 34.6%.
• About 82,000 openings for market research analysts are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
• About 7,500 openings a year are projected for operations research analysts and about 2,000 for mathematicians and statisticians.
• Computer and mathematical occupations are projected to be the fifth fastest-growing major occupational group, at 7.3%.
• Total US employment is projected to increase from 170.3 million to 176.2 million from 2025 to 2035.

What is the job outlook for data analysts?

Employment of market research analysts is projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. Operations research analysts are projected to grow 12% and mathematicians and statisticians 10% over the same decade. Total US employment is projected to grow 3.5%.

AI Skills and Analyst Pay

• 72% of managers are increasing pay for relevant AI skills, and 42% offer more for AI-related expertise than for other technical skills, according to Robert Half.
• 57% of managers say they’re offering higher-than-planned salaries to attract new talent, citing specialized skills as the top reason.
• Robert Half’s 2027 Salary Guide covers hundreds of positions across 7 professional fields, not data analysts alone.
• BLS expects fast job growth in computer and mathematical occupations to largely stem from the continued proliferation of digital tools and AI solutions across the economy.
• BLS combined theoretical AI exposure and observed AI usage measures to create four high-level AI exposure categories.

Source: Robert Half, 2027 Salary Guide release, October 2026

The takeaway: Nearly three-quarters of managers (72%) say they are increasing pay for relevant AI skills, and BLS ties fast growth in computer and mathematical occupations to digital tools and AI solutions. Robert Half’s figure covers all of its fields, so it points to a direction for analyst pay without measuring it.

How much do data analysts make?

The median annual wage for market research analysts was $78,760 in May 2025. Operations research analysts earned $88,940 and statisticians $105,650. Robert Half projects a 2027 national data analyst Mid of $118,500. Which figure fits a given job depends on its tasks, its employer, and its city.

What is an entry-level data analyst salary?

Robert Half’s Low of $96,250 is its national figure for a data analyst who is new to the role or has limited experience. In New York, the Low is $131,381. BLS percentiles describe all workers in an occupation rather than new hires, so they do not give an entry-level figure.

Conclusion

The median annual wage for market research analysts was $78,760 in May 2025. Robert Half’s projected 2027 national data analyst range runs from $96,250 to $138,500. They answer different questions: what related occupations earn, what employers expect to pay new hires, and what analysts report taking home.

Readers comparing offers get the clearest read from the occupation and the city, not one national number. BLS projects about 82,000 openings a year for market research analysts over the decade, and each source will move as it publishes a new edition.