Data Scientist Salary in India: What Sources Show (2026)

Last updated: 21 September 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

What is the data scientist salary in India?

The sources we could open disagree by several lakh rupees a year, so there is no single figure to trust. Indeed, Payscale and Glassdoor each publish a data scientist salary for India, built from different data.

This guide puts them side by side with their samples, dates and limits, and shows how to use them for a fresher or experienced offer. It quotes only figures we read on the pages themselves.

What do Indeed, Payscale and Glassdoor show for data scientists?

Their averages range from about Rs 10 lakh to Rs 17 lakh. The table lists what each page reported for India as a whole.

Glassdoor's average is about Rs 6,82,000 above Payscale's. That is a bigger gap than the fresher salary itself in several sources.

The obvious question is which one to believe. The safest reading is to give more weight to the larger samples and to treat the Glassdoor figure as a small-sample signal.

We could not open AmbitionBox or SalaryExpert data scientist pages, and we did not read any Naukri salary page, so we do not quote them.

Why is the sample size such a big deal for data scientist pay?

Because a small sample can be moved by a few high salaries. Glassdoor's data scientist page reports 50 submissions, while Payscale shows 1,267 profiles and Indeed 428 salaries.

Title-level averages inside a source can be noisy too. Indeed's page lists a lead data scientist average of Rs 21,27,670 and a principal data scientist average of Rs 14,48,851, so the more senior title shows the lower figure.

Neither number is wrong. They are averages of very different small groups, and Indeed does not show the sample behind each title.

What do sources show for fresher and junior data scientists?

They show a lower band, and the pages define it differently. The table lists each figure as shown.

The fresher figures from Indeed and Payscale are close to each other, at about Rs 5.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. Payscale's early-career figure is almost double its entry-level figure, which shows how quickly pay moves in the first few years.

For what employers ask of freshers in this field, see data science jobs for freshers in India.

Does city change data scientist pay?

Indeed's page lists five cities with small gaps between them. Pune and Mumbai are almost level, and Bengaluru sits about Rs 1.1 lakh below Pune.

Given the gaps and the postings-based method, the order is a hint at best. Read current openings in your city before drawing a conclusion.

How does data scientist pay compare with data analyst pay?

Indeed shows a higher average for data scientists, but the roles are not like-for-like. Its data scientist page shows Rs 12,09,022 a year, and its data analyst page shows Rs 6,50,900.

The two pages have different samples, and job titles vary between employers. Compare the skills and scope in each posting, not just the title. Our guides on data analyst salary in India and the data scientist roadmap explain both paths.

How do you judge a data scientist offer with these numbers?

Match the level, check the sample, and get the breakup. Follow these steps.

1. Ask for a written breakup. None of the pages we read says whether its figure is CTC or in-hand, so ask for fixed, variable and monthly in-hand pay.
2. Match your level. Use the junior, entry-level or early-career rows and not the all-level average.
3. Check the sample. Give more weight to figures with hundreds or thousands of entries.
4. Look for the overlap. Find where at least two sources agree, and treat outliers with caution.
5. Read live postings. Compare the offer with fresher and junior data science roles in your city.
6. Check the work. Some roles titled data scientist are closer to analytics, and that changes what pay is fair.

Our guide to how to research salary in India gives the wider method.

What does a worked example look like?

This is an illustration with an invented offer, not real data. Kabir receives an offer of Rs 8,00,000 a year as a junior data scientist.

He compares it with the fresher figures above. It is higher than Indeed's junior title (Rs 5,49,710) and Payscale's entry level (about Rs 5,95,255), and lower than Indeed's overall average (Rs 12,09,022).

Because the offer sits between the entry-level and all-level figures, he asks what the job involves, how much is fixed, and what his monthly in-hand pay will be. An offer above the fresher band is only good news if the role and the breakup match.

What do most guides on data scientist salary get wrong?

Most give one high average. These gaps cause the most confusion.

• They quote a figure with no sample. A number based on 50 submissions and one based on 1,267 profiles look the same on a chart.
• They hide the disagreement. Sources differ by lakhs, and averaging them would only create a number that no source reported.
• They use all-level averages for freshers. A first offer sits in a lower band than the overall average.
• They ignore CTC versus in-hand pay. A yearly package is not what reaches your account each month.

FAQ

What is the average data scientist salary in India?

Sources disagree widely. Indeed (updated 14 August 2026) shows Rs 12,09,022 a year, Payscale shows Rs 10,17,652 from 1,267 profiles, and Glassdoor shows Rs 17,00,000 from 50 submissions. Sample size, method and date differ, so treat each as one input.

How much does a fresher data scientist earn in India?

Sources give different entry-level figures. Indeed shows Rs 5,49,710 for a junior data scientist, and Payscale shows about Rs 5,95,255 in total compensation at entry level. Glassdoor's page states no fresher figure that we could read, so compare live fresher postings for your city.

Why does Glassdoor show a higher data scientist salary than Indeed and Payscale?

We cannot say for certain. Glassdoor's data scientist page rests on 50 submissions, while Payscale shows 1,267 profiles and Indeed 428 salaries, and their methods differ. A small sample can be pulled up by a few high salaries, so weigh the larger samples more.

Which city pays data scientists the most in India?

Indeed lists Pune first at Rs 13,66,162 a year, then Mumbai at Rs 13,63,855 and Gurgaon at Rs 13,29,632. The gaps between cities are small and come from job postings, so treat the order as a hint, and read current openings in each city.

Do data scientists earn more than data analysts in India?

Indeed's pages show a higher average for data scientists (Rs 12,09,022) than for data analysts (Rs 6,50,900). The roles, samples and seniority differ, so the gap is not like-for-like. Compare the skills a posting asks for, not only the title.

Is a data scientist salary quoted as CTC or in-hand pay?

The pages we read do not say clearly. Payscale says its data includes base salary plus bonuses, profit sharing and commissions, and Glassdoor shows base and additional pay separately. Ask an employer for a written breakup of fixed pay, variable pay and monthly in-hand pay.

Do data science interns get a stipend in India?

Indeed's data scientist page shows Rs 25,209 a month for data science interns, based on job postings. That is one source, and stipends vary by employer and city, so confirm the amount in a written offer. Our stipend guide explains how to check one.

Final thoughts

A data scientist salary is best read as a band from several dated, sized sources, matched to your level and city. The disagreement between sources is itself information, because it tells you how much room your own research needs.

To see how your resume reads against a data science job description, try the AI resume reviewer on asuraa.in and then compare live openings. The figures here were read on 21 September 2026 and will change as the sources update. For stipends, see our internship stipend guide.