Maryland is becoming a national focal point for cybersecurity and information technology, making it an ideal place for data scientists looking to secure six-figure salaries.
According to the Maryland Department of Commerce, in 2014 the cybersecurity and IT industries employed nearly 140,000 workers and paid out $14.35 billion in total wages. It is also home to 11,480 IT businesses, the United States Cyber Command, Lockheed Martin’s NexGen Cyber & Innovation Center, and the NIST’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
In 2015, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation ranked Maryland as the #1 state for:
- Academic research and development intensity
- High-tech share of all businesses
- S. advanced placement scores
- STEM job concentration
Although high salaries certainly keep data scientists working in Maryland, it is the state’s rising employment opportunities that attract them here in the first place. In fact, Forbes named Maryland as the #8 fastest-growing state for tech jobs in 2015. In that same year, Cybersecurity Ventures also named 14 Maryland-based businesses in its Cybersecurity 500 list of the world’s hottest, most innovative companies including:
- Lockheed Martin
- Arxan
- ZeroFox
- Tenable Network Security
- Sonatype
- Hexis
- Triumfant
- Patriot
- KEYW Corporation
- Aspect Security
- Saint Corporation
- RedOwl
- Portnox
- Light Point Security
Maryland’s prestigious institutions of higher learning also help to prepare data scientists to land high-salaried positions. For instance, the Maryland Department of Commerce reports that the University of Maryland College Park ranks #3 in nanotechnology-specific research. And in 2015, the U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Maryland Baltimore County as #1 “up and coming” school in the nation.
Starting Salary Ranges for Data Scientist in Maryland’s Major Cities
In a 2013 interview with Government Technology Magazine, Maryland’s chief innovation officer (CIO) Michael Powell announced his vision to make big data, open data, and common data platforms his top priorities. This type of advocacy has helped the dedicated professionals working in this exciting field gain access to more high-salaried jobs in recent years.
Robert Half Technology, a leading IT staffing company, released the following starting salary ranges for data scientists working in Maryland’s largest cities in 2016. The company determined these salary figures by looking at job placements over the course of recent years. These ranges do not include incentives and other bonuses.
Baltimore Area
- Baltimore: $112,000-$158,000
- Towson: $116,000-$164,000
Silver Spring Area
- Silver Spring: $144,000-$203,000
- Alexandria: $144,000-$203,000
Fredrick Area
- Fredrick: $84,000-$118,000
- Hagerstown: $84,000-$118,000
Other Cities
- Gaithersburg: $144,000-$203,000
- Hagerstown: $84,000-$118,000
- Cumberland: $78,000-$111,000
- Annapolis: $112,000-$158,000
- Salisbury: $78,000-$109,000
Salaries for Data Scientists in Maryland According to Industry
To show the differences in salaries for data scientists in different roles and industries in Maryland, the United States Department of Labor released the following salary statistics in 2014:
Statistical Modeling
- $131,000
Computer and Information Research Science
- $157,100
Operations Research
- $144,100
Financial Services Industry
- $142,500
Public Health
- $102,600
Survey Researchers
- $119,100
Salaries in Maryland for Data Scientists in Operations Research
Salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that data scientists in operations research working in the Baltimore-Towson area earned a higher average salary than in any other part of Maryland as of 2014:
- Baltimore-Towson – $147,290
- Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick MD Metropolitan Division – $138,240
- Hagerstown-Martinsburg – $100,420
- St. Mary’s County Maryland nonmetropolitan area – $141,670
Salaries for Statistical Modelers in Maryland
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that the state’s Bethesda-Rockville-Fredrick metropolitan division employed over 25% of the statistical modeling specialists in Maryland:
- Baltimore-Towson – $127,510
- Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick MD Metropolitan Division – $138,150
- Hagerstown-Martinsburg – $125,250
Salaries for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Maryland
In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that data scientists working in computer and information research throughout Maryland earned the following:
- Baltimore-Towson – $153,780
- Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick MD Metropolitan Division – $157,530
- St. Mary/s County Maryland nonmetropolitan area – $138,140
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 90th percentile salaries to reflect the fact that data scientists are recognized as the top earners within each classification.