How much will a Data Scientist earn in Spain in 2025?

If you are thinking of becoming a Data Scientist or already work in technology and want to make the leap into data science, one of the first questions you ask yourself is: how much will I earn? The answer is not unique, but it is accurate if you know where to look. In this guide you will find the updated figures for 2025, the factors that move your salary upwards and a clear roadmap to reach the top band in less time than you think. 

If you're just starting out on your journey, UDIT's Bachelor's Degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence offers you a solid technical background with real projects from the first year. If you already have experience in technology and are looking to specialise in AI and production, UDIT's Master's in Artificial Intelligence prepares you to consolidate that leap with immediate impact on your career. 

The salary of a Data Scientist in Spain: real figures for 2025 

According to the most recent and reliable market data (Indeed, Glassdoor...), the average salary for a Data Scientist in Spain in 2025 is between €38,000 and €48,000 gross per year.  The most representative figure is around €43,000 gross per year when considering total remuneration (base salary plus variable). 

This range responds to a diverse reality: your experience, the company you work for, your ability to take models to production and the measurable impact of your work are the factors that move the needle. A junior profile in a traditional SME is not the same as a senior Data Scientist in a fintech with a mature data culture. 

Quick breakdown: base salary, variable and total  compensation 

• Average base salary: €40,000 gross per year 
• Average variable: €3,000 gross per  annum
• Estimated total compensation: ~€43,000 gross per annum 
• Benchmark percentiles: P25: €33,875 € | P75: €55,075 € | P90: €67,850 € .

These figures come from a panel of approximately 2,800 salaries declared in 2025, which gives a realistic picture of the Spanish market. The percentiles allow us to understand the distribution: 25% of Data Scientists earn less than €33,875, while the top 10% earn more than €67,850. 

Salary by experience: from junior to senior, what to expect at each stage 

The biggest factor in your salary is undoubtedly your level of experience. But we're not just talking about years in the sector, but your ability to solve business problems with data and take solutions to production. Here is an indicative table for Spain in 2025: 

How fast can you move up the bandwidth? 

With a solid technical foundation and exposure to real projects, the leap from junior to mid is typically between 18 and 36 months. The key is to demonstrate measurable impact: it's not enough to train models, you have to be able to explain what business metrics you improved and by how much. If you master this, you can negotiate a band review before the two-year mark. 

UDIT's Bachelor's Degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence prepares you for that first leap with supervised practice on real projects right from the start. If you're already in the market and looking to consolidate your move to senior, UDIT's Master's in Artificial Intelligence gives you the advanced tools and professional network to accelerate the process. 

The 5 factors that have the biggest impact on your salary as a Data  Scientist 

1. Type of company and sector 

Not all companies pay the same. Product-first companies (product startups, digital platforms, fintechs) and data-critical sectors (finance, insurance, healthcare, e-commerce at scale) tend to offer higher salary bands. A traditional consulting firm does not pay the same as a digitally native company with a mature data culture. 

Real example: A mid-level Data Scientist in a fintech based in Madrid can earn between €45,000 and €55,000, while the same profile in a generalist consultancy can be in the €38,000 - €42,000 range. 

2.  Technicalstack and specialised  skills

Python and SQL are the minimum base.  What makes the difference is your ability to work with cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP), master MLOps/LLMOps (model versioning, reproducible deployment, drift monitoring) and handle orchestration tools like Airflow or Prefect. 

In 2025, the market especially rewards those who know how: 

• Deploy models in production with robust APIs
• Monitor model performance in real time
• Implement automatic re-training pipelines
• Calculate the ROI of their ML solutions. 

3. Measurable impact on business metrics

This is where you separate the wheat from the chaff. The market doesn't pay for pretty models; it pays for tangible results. If you can demonstrate that your model increased conversion by 15%, reduced churn by 200 customers per month or saved €50,000 per year on infrastructure, you have ammunition to negotiate at the high end of your bracket. 

Tip: Always document the before and after of your projects. A well-explained use case is worth more than ten notebooks without context. 

4. Negotiate the  totalcompensation, not just the fixed  fee.

Many professionals make the mistake of negotiating only the base salary.Total compensation " includes bonuses, variables, RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) and benefits such as ongoing training, hardware, health insurance or R&D time. Two offers with the same fixed amount can be separated by more than €10,000 per year when you add everything up. 

Always ask: What is the target bonus, what criteria are used to calculate it, is there an annual salary review tied to targets? 

5. Visibility and  seniority signals 

Your technical presence counts. Talks at meetups, contributions to open source repositories, technical articles or mentoring are clear signs of professional maturity. They build your personal brand and help you defend a bandwidth review in 6-12 months. 

Don't underestimate the power of an active GitHub or a well-curated technical blog. Companies that pay well look for profiles that not only execute, but also share knowledge and elevate the team. 

Does the city influence the salary of a Data Scientist? 

Less and less. Until a few years ago, Madrid and Barcelona marked a clear difference compared to other cities. In 2025, teleworking and hybrid models have diluted these differences. Many companies apply national salary bands with minimal cost-of-living adjustments. 

What matters is the type of company and your ability to add value, not your postcode. A company with a remote-first culture can pay you €50,000 from Valencia or Seville without a problem, while a local SME can offer you €35,000 in Madrid. 

Recommendation: When negotiating, prioritise the type of company, technical team and growth opportunities over the city. 

How to reach the top band in about 1 year:  practical roadmap

If you want to accelerate your salary progression, you need a concrete plan. Here's a quarterly roadmap that works: 

Quarter 1: Consolidate the fundamentals 

• Applied statistics: Cross-validation, sampling errors, bias and variance. 
• Clean pipelines: Learn how to build reproducible data flows with version control. 
• Testing and documentation: Refactor a project so that anyone can run it without friction. 

Quarter 2: Take a model to production .

• Deployment: Learn to serve models with FastAPI or Flask. 
• Monitoring: Implement observability to detect drift and latency. 
• Re-training: Build an automated pipeline that updates the model without manual intervention. 

Quarter 3: Optimise and demonstrate impact 

• Cost and performance: Apply compression, caching and resource management techniques. 
• Business metrics: Calculate the ROI of your solution and present it clearly. 
• Communication: Document your use case so that the business understands it without friction. 

This plan does not work in a vacuum. You need a structured learning environment, real projects and continuous feedback. UDIT's Bachelor's Degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence offers you just that from the first year. On the other hand, if you already have experience and are looking to make the leap to senior with a specialisation in AI, UDIT's Master's in Artificial Intelligence gives you the context and advanced projects to consolidate it. 

How to negotiate your salary as a Data Scientist: strategies that work 

Before the interview 

1. Research the company's salary bands. Use LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed and your professional network. 

2. Prepare your impact narrative: Three use cases where you demonstrate measurable value. 

3. Define your salary anchor: Based on your experience, the market and the value you bring. 

During the negotiation 

1. Ask for total compensation, not just the fixed amount. 

2. Ask for clarity on review criteria: Is there a bonus, how is it calculated, is there an annual review? 

3. Propose a 6-12 month review tied to measurable targets. 

4. Use other offers as context (no threats, but transparency). 

After the offer 

1. Don't accept the first offer without checking with the market. 

2. Negotiate additional benefits if the fix is locked in: training, hardware, telework days, extra holiday days. 

3. Agree clear targets for the next review. 

Conclusion

The salary for a Data Scientist in Spain in 2025 is between €38,000 and €48,000 gross per year, with a solid average of around €43,000 when considering total remuneration. But that figure is just the starting point. Your progression depends on your ability to bring models to production, demonstrate measurable impact and communicate your value clearly. 

If you are starting out, build a solid technical foundation, assemble a portfolio of real projects and learn to explain your work in business terms. UDIT's Bachelor's Degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence gives you that starting point with internships from the first year. 

If you are already in the market and want to consolidate your next leap, specialise in the areas that the market rewards: MLOps, cloud, observability and impact calculation. UDIT's Master's in Artificial Intelligence prepares you for this level with advanced projects and direct connection with leading companies. 

The market rewards execution, impact and clarity. Your salary is not an accident: it is the result of the decisions you make today. Build your technical base, demonstrate value in production and negotiate with confidence. The next salary leap is closer than you think. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does a  juniorData Scientistearn  in Spain in 2025? 

A junior Data Scientist (0-3 years of experience) in Spain earns between €26,500 and €33,900 gross per year. The exact figure depends on your technical proficiency, your portfolio and the type of company. If you have a solid background in Python, SQL, applied statistics and a portfolio with 2-3 well-documented projects, you can aim for the high end. UDIT's Data Science and Artificial Intelligence degree prepares you to reach that level with real-world practice from the first year. 

2. Which skills  willmost increase the salary of a Data Scientist in 2025? 

Besides Python and SQL (which are mandatory), the skills that impact your salary the most are: 

• Cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP ). 
• MLOps/LLMOps: Deployment, versioning and monitoring of models 
• Orchestration: Airflow, Prefect 
• Observability: Prometheus, Grafana, drift detection  tools
• Calculation of business impact: ROI, conversion metrics, cost  saving

UDIT's Master in Artificial Intelligence covers all these areas with projects applied in real production environments. 

3. What is the difference between base salary and total compensation? 

Base salary is your guaranteed fixed annual salary. Total compensation is the sum of base salary plus variables: annual bonuses, RSUs (company shares), benefits such as health insurance, training or hardware. Two offers with the same base can differ by more than €10,000 per year when you consider the whole package. Always ask about both and the criteria for reaching the variable part. 

4. How long does it take to go from junior to mid-level Data Scientist? 

With a solid technical background and exposure to production projects, the jump usually takes between 18 and 36 months. Your speed depends on three factors: 

1. Company context: Are there ML projects in production? Is there mentoring? 

2. Your ability to demonstrate impact: Can you explain what business metrics you improved? 

3. Your technical stack: Are you proficient in MLOps, cloud and deployment models? 

If you study on UDIT's Data Science and Artificial Intelligence degree, you'll hit the market with that background from day one, which will accelerate your progression. 

5. Is it worth studying a master's degree in Artificial Intelligence to increase my salary? 

A specialised Master's degree provides structure, advanced projects and external validation. If your goal is to consolidate your practice in production, specialise in high-value areas (LLMOps, computer vision, advanced NLP) and accelerate your salary review, it can be a powerful accelerator. But choose wisely: look for programmes that prioritise real projects, collaboration with companies and continuous feedback. UDIT's Master's in Artificial Intelligence meets these criteria and connects you directly with companies in the sector from day one.