Data Science Salaries in Biotech and Pharma Job Postings (2026)

Comprehensive analysis of data science salaries in biotech and pharma job postings. See median pay by experience level, top hiring companies, and market trends based on real job postings.

Last updated: August 24, 2026 | Data from Feb 2026 - Aug 2026
$166,050
Median Salary
468
Job Postings
84%
Include Salary
22
Median Days Posted
PharmaPayWatch closely tracks industry job postings, monitoring job boards as much as 3x daily and performing detailed analysis on the Pharma and Biotech Job market. This is one of a series of salary guides that we update every quarter so you have an up-to-date reference. This guide focuses on Data Science in biotech and pharma.

Data scientists in biotech and pharma command competitive salaries, with significant variation based on experience level and company. This guide analyzes real salary data from hundreds of recent job postings to show what companies are actually paying.

Key Findings

  • Entry-level range: $73K - $101K
  • Senior-level range: $91K - $433K
  • Management premium: 23% higher than IC roles
  • Market demand: Roles stay open for an average of 23 days

Salary Offers by Level

Junior Data Science professionals typically start around $81K, while senior practitioners command $180K+. Management roles show a notable premium, with median salaries reaching $189K.

Highest Paying Companies

Among companies with multiple Data Science postings, Genentech offers the highest median salary at $253K , followed by Pfizer ($192K) and Novartis ($180K) .

Highest paying companies for Data Science

Hiring Trends

Data Science hiring trend over past year

Top Hiring Companies

Top companies hiring Data Science professionals
Companies actively hiring:Johnson and Johnson (129), AbbVie (77), Merck (50), Amgen (32), Genentech (28), Novartis (19), Eli Lilly (16), Caris Life Sciences (13), Bristol Myers Squibb (12), AstraZeneca (11)

Salary Distribution by Experience Level

Data Science salary distribution by experience level

Salary by Experience Level

LevelPostingsMedianRange
Junior5$81,078$72,550 - $100,853
Mid71$122,178$82,550 - $269,350
Senior318$180,250$91,450 - $433,000

Individual Contributor vs. Management

Individual contributor roles make up 48% of Data Science postings, with 52% in management positions. Management roles command a median of $189K compared to $155K for ICs.

Individual Contributor

$154,500
Median salary from 172 postings

Management

$189,290
Median salary from 222 postings
IC vs Management role distribution

Pharma & Biotech Industry Intelligence

Weekly analysis of job postings, compensation data, and hiring patterns across the pharmaceutical industry.

See previous newsletters here

Methodology

This analysis is based on 468 Data Science job postings from February 2026 through August 2026 (6-month rolling window).

Data is collected from pharmaceutical and biotechnology company career pages, updated every 3-6 hours. Salary information is available for 84.2% of postings. All figures represent US-based positions only.

This page is updated quarterly to reflect current market conditions. Next scheduled update: November 2026.

Questions about this data? Contact us.

View Our Other Salary Guides →