Oregon has gained a reputation for offering some of the best employment and salary conditions for data science professionals. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported on some salary and employment highlights for data scientists in the silicone forest:
- Oregon was the highest paying state for computer and information research scientists in the country.
- Data scientists working in survey research were recognized as the third fastest growing occupational classification in Oregon for the ten-year projection period from 2012 through 2022. During this projection period, the number of jobs for data scientists in survey research is expected to increase by 45%.
Starting Salary Ranges for Data Scientist in Oregon’s Major Cities
There is such a high concentration of high-tech startups and entrepreneurial activity in the Portland metropolitan area that the region is now being dubbed the “Silicon Forest.” The area not only contains Intel Corporation’s largest facility in the world but also satellite offices for eBay, Airbnb, and Google.
In fact, Google recently launched a new $600 million expansion to its data center located on 74 acres of The Dalles in 2016. This sprawling facility brings Google’s total investment into the area to an impressive $1.8 billion. This expansion is expected to add 50 new jobs to the data center’s 200-person workforce in the coming years.
According to an article published in The Oregonian in 2016, Oregon is among the most coveted places to build large data centers due to the state’s local tax breaks. In effect, computers used within local data centers are exempt from property taxes. As a result, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook are opening sizeable facilities in central and eastern Oregon.
To encourage the creation of tech startups and stimulate job growth in the state, each year the Technology Association of Oregon presents awards recognizing the state’s best and brightest. In 2015, the winners of the Oregon Technology Awards included:
- Skyward IO
- Cloudability
- Cedexis
- Puppet Labs
- Qorvo
- Salesforce
- Lumen Learning
In 2016, the IT staffing company Robert Half Technology looked at recent job placements to determine the following starting salary ranges for data scientists in Oregon’s major cities. These figures do not include bonuses and other incentives:
Portland Area
- Portland: $116,000-$164,000
- Beaverton: $111,000-$156,000
- Salem: $83,000-$118,000
- Gresham: $111,000-$157,000
- Hillsboro: $111,000-$156,000
Eugene Area
- Eugene: $83,000-$117,000
- Springfield: $83,000-$117,000
- Corvallis: $100,000-$141,000
Other Cities
- Medford: $81,000-$114,000
- Bend: $83,000-$117,000
- Hermiston: $99,000-$140,000
Salary Expectations for Data Scientists in Oregon According to Industry and Professional Role
Salaries for data scientists in Oregon differ significantly according to the professional’s role and the industry in which they work. All statistics were provided by the United States Department of Labor in 2014:
Statistical Modeling
- $91,100
Computer and Information Research Science
- $187,200+
Operations Research
- $97,600
Financial Services
- $157,700
Survey Research
- $105,300
Portland Offers Great Employment Opportunities and High Salaries for Statistical Modeling Specialists
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area has established itself as a regional employment hub for statistical modeling specialists. In fact, the United States Department of Labor reported that this area was home to more than half of all data scientists specializing in statistical modeling in Oregon as of 2014. That year they earned an average of:
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro – $96,540
High Salaries Await Computer and Information Research Scientists in Portland Metro
According to the United States Department of Labor, the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area was the second highest paying metropolitan area for computer and information research scientists nationwide in 2014. Employers in this region generously compensated computer and information research scientists an average annual salary of over $187,199*
*These salaries are equal to or greater than $90 an hour or $187,199 a year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report salary data beyond this level.
Top Salaries for Data Scientists in Operations Research in the Portland Area
The United States Department of Labor found that data scientists working in the area of operation research in Salem and the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area earned an average annual salary of:
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro – $101,090
- Salem – $101,920
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.