TLDR
At Meta, a mid level software engineer and a mid level data scientist can sit at the same lunch table and differ by about $51,000 a year.
That gap is why Data Scientist vs Software Engineer: Salary searches feel so confusing. BLS says developers lead by $15,750, Levels.fyi flips the winner at Amazon and Microsoft, and Glassdoor changes with the job title. Pick the wrong source and you negotiate against the wrong number.
So I lined up BLS, Levels.fyi and Glassdoor side by side for 2026, by level and by employer. You will see who wins where and what to ask for. For more numbers like these, browse the IT salary guides at WhatIsTheSalary.
Data Scientist vs Software Engineer Salary: The 2026 Overview
Start with the government numbers because they cover every employer, not only tech giants. The BLS data scientist profile reports a May 2025 median of $120,230. The BLS software developer profile reports $135,980. Developers lead by about $15,750.
The spread is wide. The top 10 percent of developers earn more than $214,670, while the top 10 percent of data scientists earn more than $199,130.
Glassdoor’s data scientist page lists an average of $158,219 from 58,307 salaries. That runs higher than BLS because Glassdoor total pay can include bonuses and stock, which BLS wage data leaves out.
Levels.fyi shows a US median total comp of $195,400 for software engineers across 51,763 submissions. Its data scientist page shows $180,000 across 3,736. The gap is $15,400, almost the same as BLS. The data scientist sample is far smaller, so treat it as directional.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry level (0 to 2 years). Glassdoor puts entry level software engineers at $128,213 and entry level data scientists at $112,654, but the data scientist figure rests on 47 salaries. Its “Data Scientist I” title shows $142,730. Titles change the answer. At Amazon L4, data scientists report $195,621 against about $187,000 for software engineers. At Google L3 it flips: $179,938 vs $210,772. See our entry level data scientist salary guide for more.
Mid level (3 to 6 years). Meta E4 software engineers report $301,728 against $250,332 for Meta IC4 data scientists. Google L4 shows $315,693 vs $269,244. At Microsoft level 62, it is close to a tie: $208,799 vs $207,144.
Senior (7 or more years). Meta E5 software engineers report $434,195. Google L5 shows $413,555 for software engineers and $358,636 for data scientists. Glassdoor lists senior data scientists at $234,855 on average. Our data scientist career path guide maps the titles.
Staff and principal. Glassdoor lists staff data scientists at $244,497. Software ladders run longer: Amazon reaches L10 at $1.43 million, while its data scientist ladder tops out at L8 with $763,000.
Base Salary vs Total Compensation
Most people misread offers because they only look at base. Here is a made up example, not real data.
Offer A: data scientist, $140,000 base, no stock. Offer B: software engineer, $150,000 base, a $200,000 RSU grant on a four year vesting schedule, and a $30,000 signing bonus.
Offer B pays $230,000 in year one, then $200,000 a year. Offer A pays $140,000 flat. Ask every recruiter for base, bonus target, RSU grant with vesting schedule, and signing bonus.
Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft Compared
| Employer and level | Data scientist | Software engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon L4 | $195,621 | About $187,000 |
| Google L4 | $269,244 | $315,693 |
| Meta mid level (IC4 vs E4) | $250,332 | $301,728 |
| Microsoft level 62 | $207,144 | $208,799 |
| Microsoft, all levels | $255,500 | $232,000 |
| US overall median | $180,000 | $195,400 |
Median signing bonuses on Levels.fyi for software engineers run $41,857 at Meta, $33,000 at Google and $20,000 at Microsoft. Google data scientists report $30,300. Want analyst pay at the same employers? See our data analyst salary by company guide.
What Moves Your Salary More Than the Title
Industry. BLS shows data scientists in publishing and content providers earning $142,240, above developers in computer systems design at $132,050. Insurance carriers pay data scientists $108,650, while finance and insurance pays developers $135,460. Our finance vs healthcare vs retail analyst salary breakdown shows similar swings.
Education and testing roles. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as typical for both, though some data scientist employers prefer a master’s. Weigh routes with our bootcamp vs degree comparison. BLS puts software QA analysts and testers at $104,300, so an SDET should not compare pay to a full stack developer.
Location. Levels.fyi lists the Bay Area at a $295,000 software engineer median. See our data scientist salary by city guide for local numbers.
Same Employer, Four Titles: The Meta Ladder
| Role and level | Median total comp |
|---|---|
| Software engineer (E4) | $301,728 |
| Data scientist (IC4) | $250,332 |
| Data engineer (IC4) | $226,228 |
| Data analyst (IC4) | $188,741 |
The analyst sits $112,987 below the software engineer inside one company. I break down that path in Data Analyst Salary in the US 2026: Complete Guide.
Growth Rate vs Headcount
BLS projects data scientist jobs to grow 35 percent from 2025 to 2035, against 10 percent for developers. But data scientists hold 275,600 jobs and developers hold 1,717,800, so developers still add more: about 174,700 vs 95,400. Growth tells you about demand, not pay. See what data analysts earn across the US for the analyst side.
Salary Growth Timeline
Levels.fyi ladders show how fast pay climbs. Amazon software engineers move from about $187,000 at L4 (2 to 3 years in) to $273,000 at L5 (6 to 7 years) and $389,000 at L6. Meta goes from $188,883 at E3 to $301,728 at E4 and $434,195 at E5.
On the data scientist side, Glassdoor shows $112,654 at entry level, $234,855 at senior and $244,497 at staff. The biggest jumps come from level changes, not annual raises. Moving employers at the right level speeds growth. Getting leveled too low at hire slows it, and that gap can cost six figures a year.
Common Salary Myths
When to Stop Researching and Start Negotiating
Past a point, more research is just delay. If you know your level, base, bonus, RSU and signing numbers, act.
- Bring a competing offer. Meta E3 ($188,883) and Amazon L4 (about $187,000) sit close.
- Negotiate level first. The Meta E4 to E5 gap is about $132,000 a year.
- Push on RSUs and signing bonus. Signing bonuses are one time payments and often flexible.
- Ask in writing after the offer. Say you are excited, then ask if the package has room.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Do data scientists make more than software engineers?
Usually not nationally. BLS shows $120,230 vs $135,980, and Levels.fyi shows $180,000 vs $195,400. Amazon L4 and Microsoft overall favor data scientists.
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What is the average data scientist salary in 2026?
BLS reports a $120,230 median, Glassdoor an average of $158,219, and Levels.fyi a $180,000 median total comp.
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What is the average software engineer salary in 2026?
BLS reports a $135,980 median. Levels.fyi shows $195,400 in median total comp.
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Can a software engineer become a data scientist?
Yes. Both list a bachelor’s degree as typical, though some data scientist employers prefer a graduate degree. Start with our how to become a data scientist guide.
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Which role pays more at the start?
It depends on title and employer. Amazon L4 favors data scientists, while Google L3 favors software engineers.
Share Your Experience
Have you negotiated a data scientist or software engineer offer this year? Tell me in the comments what you were offered, what you asked for and what surprised you.
How This Article Was Created
Data comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (May 2025 wages, pages updated August 2026), Levels.fyi (updated August to September 2026) and Glassdoor (2026 estimates). No figure was invented, and the offer example is labeled made up. Internship pay was left out because I could not verify current numbers. This article informs job seekers and does not recruit or advertise.
Shahzada Muhammad Ali Qureshi (Leeo)
I’m Shahzada — a software engineer by education and an SEO professional by trade. I built WhatIsTheSalary.com to go beyond just showing salary numbers — every page is manually researched across sources like BLS, Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and PayScale to give you the full picture in one place. If you found what you were looking for here, that’s exactly the point.
