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What is theData Scientist salary in India?
Salary range: ₹18 LPA to ₹80 LPA
Data Scientist salaries in India range from ₹5 LPA to ₹80 LPA or more in 2026. The gap between those two numbers is almost entirely explained by one variable: company type.
Quick salary snapshot
- IT services and analytics firms: ₹5 to 28 LPA across all levels
- Product companies, FAANG labs, and unicorns: ₹14 to 80 LPA for the same experience
- Moving from entry to mid-level alone doubles average pay
- Senior professionals with 8 or more years can earn more than 5x an entry-level salary
- Top 10% earners at lead level: ₹80 LPA, driven by RSU vesting and ESOPs
- Top-paying companies: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Uber, Walmart Global Tech, Razorpay, and PhonePe
What moves the number
- Company type is the dominant driver. SaaS and product companies pay the steepest premiums because data science directly drives product decisions, revenue models, and user retention. These are core business functions, not support roles
- The 2 to 5 year mark is where pay doubles fastest, especially for those who combine technical depth with demonstrated business impact and team leadership
- Risk and fraud specialists in fintech often match SaaS compensation at the ₹40 LPA or more band. Domain expertise in a high-stakes vertical is a real premium
- Remote roles are benchmarked to the hiring company's headquarters location, not the candidate's city
City
Bengaluru leads on data science pay. Top data scientists at FAANG or unicorns in principal and lead roles in Bengaluru reach ₹70 to 90 LPA including base, bonus, and ESOPs. Entry-level at IT services or analytics firms in Tier-2 cities typically start at ₹5 to 7 LPA.
What Affects Pay
What influences anData Scientist salary
Six factors explain most of the variance inData Scientist in India. Mix matters more thanany single one.
Relevant Industry Experience
Moving from two to five years of experience typically doubles base pay, especially when combined with demonstrated business impact and team leadership.
Company Type
Product and FAANG-equivalent companies pay 2-3x more than IT services firms for comparable data science experience levels across all roles.
City and Location
Bangalore and Hyderabad pay 15-25% above the national average, driven by high concentration of product and FAANG-equivalent company offices.
Technical Specialization
Specialists in generative AI, computer vision, or MLOps command 20-40% salary premiums over generalist data scientists at every experience band.
Education Credentials
An M.Tech or M.S. in Statistics, CS, or a related field carries real weight here. Data Science is one role where a postgrad degree still commands a measurable salary premium.
Equity Component
ESOPs are increasingly common at product startups and unicorns hiring Data Scientists, often adding ₹5–20 LPA in notional value at mid-to-senior levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
The average Data Scientist salary in India is approximately ₹13-15 LPA across all experience levels and company types. At product and FAANG-equivalent companies, mid-to-senior levels typically range from ₹25-60 LPA.
Top data scientists at FAANG or unicorns in principal and lead roles in Bangalore can earn 70-90 LPA, including base, bonus, and ESOPs.
Entry-level data scientists at IT services or analytics firms in tier-2 cities typically start at 5-7 LPA.
Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Uber, Walmart Global Tech, Razorpay, and PhonePe consistently pay the highest data science salaries in India.
Remote roles are benchmarked to the hiring company's HQ city band, often Bangalore-equivalent, making remote salary-neutral or a positive outcome.
Entry-level Data Scientists earn ₹45,000–₹75,000 per month. Mid-level professionals with 2–5 years at product companies earn ₹1,00,000–₹2,33,000 per month. At the senior level (5–8 years), monthly salaries range from ₹2,67,000 to ₹3,75,000+ before equity and bonuses.

