Market Intelligence — updated Aug 2026
Data Scientist in Austin
What it pays: $124,000-$190,000/yr per year (USD) — $124k to $190k. Demand: Very High. Growth: +18% YoY.
Austin's data science market is booming, driven by major tech campuses including Apple's 3-million-square-foot campus in North Austin, Meta, and Google. Financial services firms like Dimensional Fund Advisors and healthcare tech companies are also aggressively recruiting data scientists. The University of Texas at Austin's data science programs feed a strong local talent pipeline.
Market signals
Surging Demand from Tech Giants
Apple, Meta, and Google's expanding Austin campuses are creating hundreds of data science roles annually, pushing salaries above national averages for senior talent.
Fintech & Healthcare Growth
Austin's growing fintech sector (Visa, Dimensional Fund Advisors) and health-tech companies are diversifying data science demand beyond pure tech, adding stability to the job market.
UT Austin Pipeline Advantage
Proximity to UT Austin's top-ranked statistics and CS programs gives Austin employers a consistent pipeline of graduate-level talent, keeping the ecosystem self-sustaining.
Who's hiring
- Apple
- Meta
- Deloitte
- Accenture
Where this role is heading
- AI/ML Research Scientist building foundation models
- MLOps Engineer automating model deployment pipelines
- Generative AI Data Strategist designing LLM training datasets
In-demand skills
Python, Machine Learning, SQL, TensorFlow/PyTorch, Statistical Modeling, Data Visualization, Cloud Platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure), NLP
What Austin costs
1-BR apartment: $1,490/mo. Total monthly: $3,200/mo.
Neighborhoods: Downtown Austin, $2,100+/mo; East Austin, $1,600/mo; North Austin (Domain area), $1,500/mo
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Market estimates, not guarantees. Compiled with AI-assisted research from public sources, refreshed quarterly. Approximate amounts converted to USD; actual compensation varies. Not career, financial, or relocation advice.