As discussed, the key for succeeding as Data Scientist is passion and curiosity about the world, about the models that simulate how it is working and about the data that fills those models. Anyway, also the high level of demand for job positions and the salary lever can stimulate the interest in that specific career path.
In fact, the Data Scientist has been defined as the sexiest job of the 21st Century and, still now, there are many open positions for experts in Data Science or similar job outlets such as Data Analyst, Data Engineer, Data Architect, Data Specialist, Business Intelligence Developer, Machine Learning Scientist or Engineer, etc.
Just consider that, at the time of writing, there are:
As another example of the high level of request of Data Scientists, as a consequence of the high level on interest in the Data Management fields, Amazon.com Inc., the biggest Internet company in the world, has currently more than 200 open job positions only for the Data Science category among all the Countries and locations where it is operating.
Having said that, we can now focus on the salary levels that are typically offered for such positions.
Analyzing the Italian job market, the average annual gross salary of a base pay for a Data Scientist is about €32.000, that becomes about €42.000 for a Senior figure.
In Spain wages are a little bit higher, with an average annual gross salary for a Data Scientist of about €35.000, that becomes about €48.000 for a Senior figure.
Staying in Europe, higher salaries to Data Scientists are offered in UK, with an average annual gross salary of €50.000, and Germany, with an average annual gross salary of €60.000.
And in the rest of the world?
In the United States the average annual gross salary of a base pay for a Data Scientist is about US $113.000, while in China is the equivalent to US $50.000, about US $14.000 in Morocco and US $10.000 in Argentina.
Even if the salary is mainly affected by the location, there are many other factors that can determine it.
One of those factors is the experience: typically, the more the years of experience, higher is the salary. The highest wage is achieved by the Chief Data Scientist or the Head of Data Scientist, with an experience of at least 7 years in a data science position, preferably if as a Senior Data Scientist, that can earn more than twice than the average base salary.
Another factor that can have an influence on the salary is the education level: the higher, the better.
Finally, also the company size is affecting the salary level: higher salaries are usually achieved in the largest companies.
To sum up and conclude, if you are interested in the world of Data Science, follow your passion, and become a Data Scientist: the job market is offering many opportunities.
Written by Ing. Francesco Amendola
