Connecticut is home to top earning professionals in the field of data science. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that data scientists in the field of operations research working in the Norwich-New London area earned the 6th highest average salary of any metro area in the country for their profession. In addition, data scientists in operations research in Springfield earned the 7th highest average salary for their profession among all metro areas nationwide.
Data Science Starting Salary Ranges in Connecticut’s Largest Cities
Connecticut has been a hotbed of startup activity since Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, and the state continues to be a center of innovation for a variety of different types of technology.
Both power house established data science companies and local tech startups make their home in Connecticut. Weston’s Synerscope ranks as one well-known example with its specialty in working with Dark Data in addition to more commonly available datasets.
Several of Connecticut’s cities are making waves in the press as tech centers. In fact, Stamford made Entreprenuer’s 2012 list of cities that people wouldn’t expect to be a hub for tech startups. In a bold more, Stamford transformed its city hall into the Stamford Innovation Center which is backed by Sikorsky and lures entrepreneurs to the city.
New Haven is another of Connecticut’s cities with a number of homegrown startups. These include such successful tech companies as Priceline, Kayak, and SeeClickFix. In addition to its active tech scene, New Haven offers a big advantage to entrepreneurs with its proximity to New York and Boston.
The starting salaries for data scientists are extremely high throughout Connecticut and greatly exceed the national average for these professionals according to Robert Half Technology (2016). This tech staffing firm places thousands of jobseekers throughout the US each year, giving them access to detailed salary information for data scientists. These salary figures do not include bonuses or assistance with relocation, which can be substantial in the tech world.
A number of companies provide full relocation assistance according to Atlas Van Lines which surveyed such entities for its 45th Annual Corporate Relocation Survey. As far back as 2011, nearly two-thirds of the firms surveyed fully reimbursed the moving costs for relocated employees. Given the dramatic increase in the demand for data scientists in recent years, this figure is likely to be even higher for these tech professionals.
By using US Bureau of Labor Statistics research to account for geographical variation in Connecticut, Robert Half provides an up-to-date and complete picture of starting salary expectations in the state:
- Stamford – $142,000 – $201,000
- Norwalk – $143,000 – $201,000
- Bridgeport – $143,000 – $201,000
- Hartford – $127,000 – $179,000
- New Haven – $122,000 – $172,000
A Look at Data Science Salaries in Connecticut by Industry and Job Role
The Connecticut Department of Labor provides detailed information on employment levels and salaries for data scientists in operations research across a number of industries in Connecticut. The data shown below is current as of 2015:
The median salary among data scientists in operations research in Connecticut as a whole was $88,130 in 2015. Data scientists working in operations research with salaries that fell within the 90th percentile earned an average of $138,486 that year.
According to the Connecticut Department of Labor, the financial services industry was the top-paying employment sector for data scientists:
- All industries $114,234
- Financial Activities $118,144
- Information $101,504
Salaries for Statistical Modeling Specialists in Connecticut’s Major Cities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an analysis of the salaries for statistical modeling specialists in the major metropolitan areas of Connecticut as of 2014. Those in New Haven earned a higher average salary than those in Connecticut’s other major cities:
- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford – $120,640
- New Haven – $136,700
- Norwich-New London – $136,010
Salaries for Data Scientists in Operations Research in Connecticut’s Major Metropolitan Areas
According to salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, data scientists in operations research working in the Norwich-New London area earned a substantially higher average salary than those in the other major cities in Connecticut as of 2014:
- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk – $142,810
- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford – $127,510
- New Haven – $138,060
- Norwich-New London – $149,660
Computer and Information Research Scientists Salaries in the Hartford Area
Shown below is the salary for CIR scientists in East and West Hartford (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014):
- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford – $15,6460
The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics information shown here reflects salary data for broad occupational classifications that include data scientists. These estimates are expressed as the 90th percentile average to reflect the fact that data scientists are recognized as the top earners within each classification.