Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Data Scientists prevailing wage in North Florida nonmetropolitan area
Short answer
For data scientists in North Florida nonmetropolitan area, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $27.99 an hour at Level 1 ($58,219 a year) to $46.13 an hour at Level 4 ($95,950 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $34.04 ranks 435 of 530 areas and is 13% below the median area ($39.14).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.99 | $58,219 | $4,852 | $1,120 |
| Level 2 | $34.04 | $70,803 | $5,900 | $1,362 |
| Level 3 | $40.08 | $83,366 | $6,947 | $1,603 |
| Level 4 | $46.13 | $95,950 | $7,996 | $1,845 |
| Published average | $40.14 | $83,491 | $6,958 | $1,606 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$34.04/hr
Prevailing wage for data scientists in North Florida nonmetropolitan area
Cost with payroll costs
$36.64/hr
$34.04 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$43.11/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How North Florida nonmetropolitan area compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for data scientists has a median of $39.14 an hour. North Florida nonmetropolitan area is at $34.04, which is 13% below that median and ranks 435 of 530. Inside FL, it ranks 23 of 24 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 65% ($18.14 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $37,731 a year.
Other FL areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $38.64 | $52.84 | $81.25 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $32.03 | $45.79 | $73.30 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $37.68 | $45.20 | $60.25 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $32.92 | $45.10 | $69.46 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $33.31 | $44.82 | $67.84 |
| South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $32.50 | $44.43 | $68.28 |
Reading the four levels
In North Florida nonmetropolitan area, moving a data scientists role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $6.05 an hour (22%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $6.04 (18%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $6.05 (15%). The biggest steps come at the senior end, so a role filed one level too low saves more on paper than it would at the entry end. At Level 1 the minimum is $4,852 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $7,996.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $34.04
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose data scientists Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $34.04 | +$0.00 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $33.99 | -$0.05 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $33.97 | -$0.07 |
| Owensboro, KY | $34.19 | +$0.15 |
| Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $33.88 | -$0.16 |
| Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $34.20 | +$0.16 |
FL and this occupation
FL has 24 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for data scientists is $42.89 an hour, and North Florida nonmetropolitan area is below it. The highest area in FL is Naples-Marco Island, FL at $52.84, and the lowest is Tallahassee, FL at $33.99.
Among IT occupations here
In North Florida nonmetropolitan area, data scientists ranks 11 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is software developers at $54.08 an hour and the lowest is computer user support specialists at $21.58.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $70,803 a year, or $5,900 a month gross, for work in North Florida nonmetropolitan area.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $34.04 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in North Florida nonmetropolitan area
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $24.18 | $34.24 | $54.35 |
| Information Security Analysts | $28.35 | $37.48 | $55.73 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $37.26 | $45.22 | $61.15 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $22.89 | $28.23 | $38.90 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $17.25 | $21.58 | $30.23 |
| Computer Network Architects | $39.87 | $49.66 | $69.23 |
| Database Administrators | $26.99 | $36.03 | $54.10 |
| Database Architects | $41.51 | $52.88 | $75.62 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $25.54 | $34.18 | $51.47 |
| Computer Programmers | $25.47 | $32.69 | $47.14 |
| Software Developers | $37.89 | $54.08 | $86.46 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $29.93 | $37.93 | $53.94 |
| Web Developers | $22.54 | $30.26 | $45.69 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $19.90 | $29.03 | $47.28 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $31.14 | $41.09 | $61.00 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for data scientists in North Florida nonmetropolitan area?
$27.99, $34.04, $40.08 and $46.13 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $40.14, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in North Florida nonmetropolitan area?
$18.14 more an hour, or $37,731 more a year (65% above Level 1).
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