Median salary: $120K (Software Engineer) vs $115K (Data Scientist). Salary ranges overlap between 80K–200K and 75K–180K. The take-home difference depends on state taxes, cost of living, and where in the salary range you fall.
At the national median, Software Engineers earn $120K and Data Scientists earn $115K. After federal taxes and FICA (calculated without state tax to isolate the salary effect), Software Engineers take home $93,195 vs $89,678 for Data Scientists.
The $5K salary advantage for Software Engineers doesn’t translate dollar-for-dollar to take-home. Because of progressive federal tax brackets, the Software Engineer’s higher salary is taxed at a higher marginal rate. Of the $5K gross difference, only $3,518 reaches the Software Engineer’s pocket — the rest goes to taxes.
Software Engineers face an effective tax rate of 22.3% at median, while Data Scientists pay 22.0%. The higher rate for Software Engineers reflects more income being pushed into higher federal brackets.
The best states differ for each profession because salary adjustments vary by state cost index and interact differently with tax brackets. A state that’s great for a $120K earner may not be optimal for a $115K earner.
All 50 states showing estimated salary and take-home for both professions. Sorted by which states give Software Engineers the largest take-home advantage over Data Scientists.
| State | Software Engineer Salary | Software Engineer Take-Home | Data Scientist Salary | Data Scientist Take-Home | Difference | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $230K | $153,689 | $221K | $148,424 | +$5,265 | Software Engineer |
| California | $170K | $112,725 | $163K | $108,545 | +$4,179 | Software Engineer |
| Alaska | $152K | $115,118 | $146K | $111,017 | +$4,101 | Software Engineer |
| New Hampshire | $130K | $100,081 | $124K | $95,980 | +$4,101 | Software Engineer |
| Virginia | $124K | $91,346 | $118K | $87,378 | +$3,968 | Software Engineer |
| Massachusetts | $142K | $101,183 | $136K | $97,382 | +$3,801 | Software Engineer |
| New Jersey | $138K | $95,906 | $132K | $92,225 | +$3,682 | Software Engineer |
| New York | $150K | $100,874 | $144K | $97,288 | +$3,586 | Software Engineer |
| Florida | $120K | $93,195 | $115K | $89,678 | +$3,518 | Software Engineer |
| Nevada | $121K | $93,899 | $116K | $90,381 | +$3,518 | Software Engineer |
| Texas | $112K | $87,567 | $107K | $84,050 | +$3,518 | Software Engineer |
| Wyoming | $113K | $88,271 | $108K | $84,753 | +$3,518 | Software Engineer |
| Washington | $132K | $101,448 | $127K | $98,031 | +$3,418 | Software Engineer |
| Mississippi | $100K | $75,875 | $95K | $72,520 | +$3,355 | Software Engineer |
| West Virginia | $100K | $75,797 | $95K | $72,446 | +$3,351 | Software Engineer |
| Iowa | $107K | $79,984 | $102K | $76,656 | +$3,328 | Software Engineer |
| North Carolina | $114K | $84,425 | $109K | $81,107 | +$3,318 | Software Engineer |
| Pennsylvania | $118K | $86,395 | $113K | $83,106 | +$3,289 | Software Engineer |
| Missouri | $107K | $79,106 | $102K | $75,820 | +$3,287 | Software Engineer |
| Maine | $118K | $86,304 | $113K | $83,019 | +$3,285 | Software Engineer |
| Utah | $119K | $86,958 | $114K | $83,673 | +$3,285 | Software Engineer |
| Alabama | $106K | $78,311 | $101K | $75,031 | +$3,280 | Software Engineer |
| Illinois | $112K | $82,023 | $107K | $78,753 | +$3,270 | Software Engineer |
| Wisconsin | $112K | $81,998 | $107K | $78,729 | +$3,269 | Software Engineer |
| Georgia | $112K | $81,754 | $107K | $78,496 | +$3,258 | Software Engineer |
| Rhode Island | $126K | $92,441 | $121K | $89,187 | +$3,254 | Software Engineer |
| Idaho | $114K | $82,932 | $109K | $79,680 | +$3,253 | Software Engineer |
| Colorado | $126K | $91,803 | $121K | $88,575 | +$3,229 | Software Engineer |
| Delaware | $122K | $87,538 | $117K | $84,310 | +$3,228 | Software Engineer |
| Minnesota | $119K | $84,873 | $114K | $81,675 | +$3,197 | Software Engineer |
| Connecticut | $133K | $96,089 | $128K | $92,898 | +$3,190 | Software Engineer |
| Vermont | $126K | $90,181 | $121K | $87,017 | +$3,164 | Software Engineer |
| Maryland | $134K | $95,797 | $129K | $92,641 | +$3,156 | Software Engineer |
| Oregon | $132K | $90,974 | $127K | $87,953 | +$3,021 | Software Engineer |
| South Dakota | $110K | $86,160 | $106K | $83,346 | +$2,814 | Software Engineer |
| Tennessee | $108K | $84,753 | $104K | $81,939 | +$2,814 | Software Engineer |
| North Dakota | $110K | $84,766 | $106K | $82,002 | +$2,763 | Software Engineer |
| Arizona | $116K | $87,481 | $112K | $84,767 | +$2,714 | Software Engineer |
| Arkansas | $103K | $78,624 | $99K | $75,912 | +$2,713 | Software Engineer |
| Louisiana | $109K | $82,445 | $105K | $79,742 | +$2,704 | Software Engineer |
| Nebraska | $109K | $82,233 | $105K | $79,537 | +$2,696 | Software Engineer |
| Oklahoma | $104K | $78,728 | $100K | $76,038 | +$2,691 | Software Engineer |
| Montana | $116K | $86,121 | $112K | $83,454 | +$2,667 | Software Engineer |
| Kansas | $108K | $80,752 | $104K | $78,086 | +$2,666 | Software Engineer |
| New Mexico | $109K | $81,276 | $105K | $78,616 | +$2,661 | Software Engineer |
| South Carolina | $110K | $81,584 | $106K | $78,936 | +$2,648 | Software Engineer |
| Ohio | $108K | $80,163 | $104K | $77,519 | +$2,644 | Software Engineer |
| Indiana | $108K | $79,947 | $104K | $77,311 | +$2,636 | Software Engineer |
| Kentucky | $108K | $79,353 | $104K | $76,739 | +$2,614 | Software Engineer |
| Michigan | $109K | $79,189 | $105K | $76,605 | +$2,584 | Software Engineer |
Job Security & Demand: Both Software Engineers and Data Scientists benefit from strong demand in the technology sector, though the specific skills in demand shift rapidly. Software Engineers may find more stability in larger enterprises, while Data Scientists often see high demand at startups and data-driven companies. Automation risk is relatively low for both, as these roles create the automation rather than being replaced by it.
Growth & Advancement: The tech industry continues to grow, but the trajectory differs. Software Engineer roles are well-established with clear career ladders (junior to senior to staff to principal). Data Scientist positions have seen explosive growth as companies invest in AI and analytics, though the field is still defining senior-level career paths. Both careers offer strong six-figure earning potential within 5–10 years.
Work-Life Balance & Lifestyle: Work-life balance varies more by company culture than by job title. Both Software Engineers and Data Scientists benefit from remote work flexibility — a significant tax optimization opportunity since you can live in a no-tax state. On-call expectations and deadline pressure can be intense at high-growth companies for either role.