Pay by Role
Technology · China

Data Scientist Salary in Shanghai, CN

The average data scientist in Shanghai, CN earns $80,384 per year — about $5,693 /mo after a simplified national tax estimate. Data scientists turn raw data into insight using statistics, machine learning, and clear communication.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is CNY). FX as of Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

After tax?

$68,326/yr

~15% effective national income tax on the median. Excludes most payroll/social levies and local taxes.

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Afford rent?

$1,650/mo 1BR

About 29% of estimated take-home — ~$2,195 leftover /mo after modeled costs. Modeled, not a listing.

Cost of living calculator →

Compared with…?

% vs Shanghai median (FX-adjusted abroad).

Average salary
$80,384
gross / year
Est. take-home
$68,326
~15% effective tax
Hourly equivalent
$38.20
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs. China avg
-19%
below average

Gross salary figures come from public labour-market data. Take-home, rent, savings, inflation, and trends are simplified models for research — not payroll, listings, or immigration advice. Methodology.

Data Scientist salary range in Shanghai

Pay varies with experience, employer, and specialization. Here is the typical distribution for this role in Shanghai, CN.

$52,06510TH$64,01225TH$80,384MEDIAN$101,18175TH$124,33790TH
Estimated pay distribution — the curve peaks at the median and widens with the pay range.
PercentileAnnual salary
10th percentile (entry)$52,065
25th percentile$64,012
Median (50th)typical$80,384
75th percentile$101,181
90th percentile (senior)$124,337

How does your salary compare?

Enter what you earn (or an offer) to see where it ranks for a data scientist in Shanghai, CN.

Your percentile
50th

$80,384 puts you in the 50th percentile. You earn more than about 50% of data scientists in Shanghai, CN. That’s right around the typical pay for this role.

$52,065$80,384$124,337

Salary insights

A typical data scientist in Shanghai, CN earns about ¥545,000 a year and pays about 19% below the China average. Living costs sit near the global baseline (COL index 100). After a simplified tax estimate, typical rent, and everyday costs, a median earner might keep around ¥14,880 per month. Relative to the national median (a common remote/location-flexible benchmark), this city pays less by about 19%. An illustrative model tied to local inflation and the role’s outlook suggests pay has risen about 18% over the last few years. Treat every figure as an estimate for research — not a personal offer or immigration advice.

Data-grounded summary from this page’s pay, COL, tax, and trend models — not a generative essay unrelated to the figures.

Cost of living, rent & savings

Shanghai’s cost of living is 100 vs. a baseline of 100 (US national average). After adjusting for local prices, the median data scientist salary is worth about $80,384 in baseline-priced terms.

Est. rent (1BR)
$1,650/mo
Other living costs
$1,850/mo
Savings potential
$2,195/mo after tax & costs

Rent and leftover use a COL-scaled single-adult model and the same simplified tax estimate as above (Flat ~15% effective-rate estimate. Rough national income-tax estimate; excludes social security, local taxes, and credits.). Adjust assumptions in the COL calculator.

Inflation

Approximate recent consumer-price inflation in China is about 0.8% per year. Use the inflation calculator to adjust a past salary or offer for purchasing power.

Remote equivalent

The China national median for this role is about $98,821— a common benchmark for remote or location-flexible offers. Local Shanghai pay is 19% lower.

Historical trend

Illustrative median pay over the last few years — about +18% across the window.

$67,921
2022
$70,841
2023
$73,894
2024
$77,065
2025
$80,384
2026

Illustrative model based on approximate inflation and the role’s long-term outlook — not a surveyed year-by-year history.

Visa information

Employer-sponsored work visa

Skilled foreign workers usually need a job offer and an employer-sponsored work authorisation. Rules, quotas, and salary thresholds change often — confirm on the official government immigration site before relocating.

Difficulty for typical skilled hires: moderate. General orientation only — confirm on the official China immigration site before relocating or accepting an offer.

Compare Data Scientist pay

See how a data scientist stacks up against similar technology roles in China.

What’s your take-home?

Calculator opens with this page’s median ($80,384) and China tax model — tweak hours, period, or offer amount.

Data Scientist salary in other China cities

Same role, different city — % gap is vs Shanghai.

CityMedian
Tianjin, CN$98,821/yr
Wuhan, CN$98,821/yr
Dongguan, CN$98,821/yr
Xi’an, CN$98,821/yr
Nanjing, CN$98,821/yr
Foshan, CN$98,821/yr
Beijing, CN$75,074/yr
Shenzhen, CN$69,764/yr

Data Scientist salary in other countries

Capital/largest city sample for each market. % gap converts foreign medians into CNY before comparing with Shanghai.

CountryLocal median
Israel flagIsraele.g. Jerusalem$191,266/yr
Switzerland flagSwitzerlande.g. Zürich$172,991/yr
United States flagUnited Statese.g. Los Angeles$168,000/yr
Vietnam flagVietname.g. Hanoi$16,683/yr
Argentina flagArgentinae.g. Buenos Aires$17,989/yr
India flagIndiae.g. Mumbai$21,153/yr
Indonesia flagIndonesiae.g. Jakarta$23,270/yr
Denmark flagDenmarke.g. Copenhagen$130,406/yr
Philippines flagPhilippinese.g. Quezon$30,706/yr
Thailand flagThailande.g. Bangkok$31,494/yr

Related Technology jobs in Shanghai

Job openings & next moves

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Calculators and comparisons to dig into take-home pay, living costs, and period conversions.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average data scientist salary in Shanghai, CN?
The average data scientist salary in Shanghai, CN is about ¥545,000 per year, or roughly ¥259.00 per hour.
What is the salary range for a data scientist in Shanghai, CN?
Most data scientist salaries in Shanghai, CN fall between ¥353,000 (entry level) and ¥843,000 (senior level). The 25th–75th percentile band is ¥434,000 to ¥686,000.
How much does a data scientist make per month in Shanghai, CN?
A typical data scientist in Shanghai, CN earns about ¥45,400 per month before tax, based on the annual median of ¥545,000.
How does Shanghai, CN pay compare to the China average?
Shanghai, CN pays about 19% below the China average for a data scientist.
What is the cost-of-living-adjusted data scientist salary in Shanghai, CN?
After adjusting for local prices (cost-of-living index 100, where 100 is the US baseline), the median data scientist salary in Shanghai, CN is worth roughly ¥545,000 in US-baseline terms.
What skills do data scientists need?
Common skills for a data scientist include Python, SQL, Statistics, Machine learning, Visualization. Actual requirements vary by employer and seniority.
Is data scientist a growing career?
Employment for data scientist roles is projected to change by about +35% over the next decade. Local demand in Shanghai, CN can differ from the national outlook.
What is take-home pay for a data scientist in Shanghai, CN?
A simplified national income-tax estimate puts median take-home near ¥463,250 per year (about ¥38,600 per month), or roughly 15% effective tax on the gross median. Real net pay varies with local taxes, benefits, and filing status.
How much rent might a data scientist pay in Shanghai, CN?
A modeled modest 1-bedroom runs about ¥11,190 per month in Shanghai, CN, scaled from a US baseline by the local cost-of-living index (100). Actual listings vary by neighborhood and size.
Where do these Shanghai, CN salary figures come from?
Figures on Pay by Role are aggregated from public labour-market salary APIs, shown in CNY, and refreshed periodically. They are estimates for informational purposes only and are not a guarantee of individual pay.