SalaryByCity

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks vs Data Scientists: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

$49,210

Median annual salary

1,455,770 employed nationally

Data Scientists

$112,590

Median annual salary

233,440 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Data Scientists professionals earn $63,380 more per year than Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks professionals — that's 128.8% higher. At the 90th percentile, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks earns $72,660 compared to $194,410 for Data Scientists.

Salary Range Comparison

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$34,600 – $72,660
Data Scientists$63,650 – $194,410
$34,600$194,410

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileBookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksData ScientistsDifference
10th Percentile$34,600$63,650$-29,050
25th Percentile$41,390$82,630$-41,240
Median (50th)$49,210$112,590$-63,380
75th Percentile$60,220$155,810$-95,590
90th Percentile$72,660$194,410$-121,750
Mean (Average)$52,020$124,590$-72,570

Employment Numbers

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

1,455,770

employed nationwide

Data Scientists

233,440

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

CityMedian
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$64,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$64,340
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$59,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$58,400
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,390

Best Cities for Data Scientists

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$173,160
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$166,300
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$157,290
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$135,190
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$131,830

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks or Data Scientists?
Data Scientists professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $63,380 (128.8% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salaries range from $34,600 (10th percentile) to $72,660 (90th percentile), with a median of $49,210.
What is the salary range for Data Scientists?
Data Scientists salaries range from $63,650 (10th percentile) to $194,410 (90th percentile), with a median of $112,590.
How many Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks and Data Scientists jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,455,770 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks positions and 233,440 Data Scientists positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Data Scientists to Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks has a median salary of $49,210 while Data Scientists earns $112,590. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS