The Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics expects the number of jobs for statistical modeling specialists in the state to increase by 35.5% between 2012 and 2022. This rate of increase is slightly higher than the national average for data scientists specializing in this role.
Projections also indicate that the number of jobs for data scientists in the field of computer and information research science will increase twice as fast in Arizona as it will nationally, with a projected job growth rate of 21.4% over this same ten-year period.
Arizona is home to a large number of data scientists that specialize in predictive modeling working in the area of operations research. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Arizona had the 5th highest concentration of jobs in the country for data scientists working in operations research as of 2014. While Arizona had the highest concentration of these specialists that year, the Phoenix area specifically had the distinction of having the 5th highest number of jobs of any metro area in the nation for these data scientists.
Starting Salary Ranges for Data Scientists in the Largest Cities in Arizona
While Arizona has not traditionally been known as a center for high-tech industries, this situation has changed so dramatically over the past ten years that VentureBeat ran an article in late 2014 describing how “Arizona is becoming a hotbed for tech startups.” Incubators such as Arizona State University’s SkySong Innovation Center in Scottsdale helped to spur tech R&D efforts in Arizona.
As such tech incubators and startup competitions emerged in Arizona over the past few years, perceptions about the value of the tech industry have been evolving in the state. Arizona’s local leaders now realize the value of the startup community when it comes to creating jobs.
Phoenix in particular is becoming known as a hub for technological innovation. In early 2015, GeekWire described how interviews revealed that local entrepreneurs, investors, and others in the region refer to the local tech scene as “Silicon Desert.”
Companies like GoDaddy and InfusionSoft became giant businesses that employ hundreds of people, and a number of smaller ventures are taking off. The economic development executive officer for the city of Phoenix, Hank Marshall, was quoted as saying that “A lot of people feel that we are on the cusp of a really big breakout.”
Given the preponderance of successful technology firms in Phoenix, it is not surprising that data scientists in this city earned higher starting salaries than those in Arizona’s other major cities according to Robert Half Technology (2016). This tech industry staffing firm places thousands of jobseekers each year, providing the firm with highly detailed information on the starting salaries of data scientists throughout the country. These salary figures do not include relocation assistance or bonuses, which are common in the tech industry.
More than 60% of firms surveyed in 2011 provided relocation bonuses to employees according to a US News & World Report summary of the 45th Annual Corporate Relocation Survey provided by Atlas Van Lines. With the dramatic increase in the number of data scientists over the past several years, it is likely that this figure has grown even higher.
Robert Half draws from US Bureau of Labor Statistics research on geographical variation throughout Arizona to present a complete and up-to-date picture of the ranges of starting salaries for data scientists in this state:
- Phoenix: $122,000 – $172,000
- Scottsdale: $118,000 – $166,000
- Tucson: $113,000 – $159,000
- Mesa: $104,000 – $147,000
- Flagstaff: $84,000 – $119,000
- Prescott: $77,000 – $109,000
Salaries for Arizona’s Data Scientists According to Industry and Job Focus
The Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics provides salary information for the state’s data scientist according to key industries and areas of specialization as of 2014:
Operations Research – $109,157
Computer and Information Research Science – $169,479
Statistical Modeling – $113,693
A Look at Salaries for Data Scientists Working in the Area of Operations Research in Phoenix and Tucson
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides starting salaries for data scientists working in the area of operations research within the Phoenix and Tucson areas as of 2014:
- Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale – $107,680
- Tucson – $116,260
Salaries for Statistical Modeling Specialists in the Phoenix and Tucson Areas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides starting salaries for statistical modeling specialists in Arizona’s major metropolitan areas as of 2014:
- Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale – $113,490
- Tucson – $117,940
Salaries for Data Scientists Working in Computer and Information Research Science in Tucson and Nonmetropolitan Southeast Arizona
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the starting salaries for data scientists working in computer and information research science in Arizona’s major metropolitan areas as of 2014:
- Tucson – $147,730
- Southeast Arizona – $132,610
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.