Data Scientist salary in the UAE
A data scientist in the UAE earns between AED 27,000 and AED 49,500 a month, with a midpoint of AED 38,250. That midpoint sits at the 95.9th percentile of all UAE workers, and the top 19% of white-collar professionals.
What a data scientist earns in the UAE
Across the 2 data scientist entries in our dataset, drawn from published recruiter salary guides and reduced by 10% because those guides describe packages rather than base pay, the range runs AED 27,000 to AED 49,500 a month. The midpoint is AED 38,250 a month, or AED 459,000 a year.
| Monthly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom of range | AED 27,000 | AED 324,000 |
| Midpoint | AED 38,250 | AED 459,000 |
| Top of range | AED 49,500 | AED 594,000 |
These figures cover the title Data Scientist, across technology.
Where that ranks in the UAE
A data scientist on the midpoint of AED 38,250 sits at the 95.9th percentile of all UAE workers, putting the role in the top 4.1% of everyone employed in the country. Against white-collar professionals only, the same salary lands in the top 19%.
A data scientist comfortably clears the national median while sitting in the lower half of the professional cohort. If you benchmark against national averages you will conclude you are doing well; if you benchmark against colleagues in similar white-collar roles you will conclude the opposite. The second comparison is the one that matters when you negotiate.
By experience
Recruiter guides quote a band rather than a point. Early-career hires land near the bottom of it and people with twelve or more years land near the top. Placing experience inside this role's range gives:
| Experience | Expected monthly | Expected annual |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 years | AED 30,198 | AED 362,379 |
| 3–5 years | AED 34,393 | AED 412,714 |
| 6–10 years | AED 39,986 | AED 479,829 |
| 11–15 years | AED 46,977 | AED 563,721 |
| 16+ years | AED 48,375 | AED 580,500 |
Treat this as the centre of a wide distribution. Pay for the same title varies substantially by employer, sector and how tight the hiring market is when you negotiate.
By emirate
Dubai and Abu Dhabi pay within a couple of percent of each other for most professional roles. The northern emirates run roughly 8 to 12% below Dubai, which is partly offset by much lower rent.
| Emirate | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | AED 27,000 – AED 49,500 | AED 38,250 |
| Abu Dhabi | AED 26,460 – AED 48,510 | AED 37,485 |
| Sharjah | AED 25,650 – AED 47,025 | AED 36,338 |
| Ajman | AED 24,300 – AED 44,550 | AED 34,425 |
| Ras Al Khaimah | AED 24,840 – AED 45,540 | AED 35,190 |
| Fujairah | AED 23,760 – AED 43,560 | AED 33,660 |
| Umm Al Quwain | AED 23,760 – AED 43,560 | AED 33,660 |
What it actually affords
There is no personal income tax on salaries in the UAE, so gross pay is close to take-home. Rent is the cost that eats it. A typical one-bedroom in Dubai runs about AED 68,000 to AED 82,000 a year against an annual midpoint of AED 459,000 for this role. At roughly 18% of gross, a Dubai one-bedroom is a comfortable share of a data scientist's income, and this role has genuine room for saving or for a larger place.
Related
See the full salary guide by role for other job titles, pay and wealth by emirate for the geographic picture, or the percentile calculator to check your own figure.
How we know
Every number above is generated directly from the dataset behind the interactive tool, so it cannot drift from it. Sources, calibration and known limitations are set out in full on the about page and the methodology.
Check your own percentile on the interactive dashboard →Frequently asked questions
- How much does a data scientist earn in Dubai?
- Between AED 27,000 and AED 49,500 a month, with a midpoint around AED 38,250, based on published recruiter salary guides reduced by 10% to strip out package inflation. That is AED 459,000 a year at the midpoint.
- Is AED 38,250 a month a good salary in the UAE?
- It places you at the 95.9th percentile of all UAE workers, so in the top 4.1% of everyone employed in the country. Among white-collar professionals specifically it is the top 19%. Whether it feels good depends heavily on rent: a Dubai one-bedroom costs AED 68,000 to AED 82,000 a year.
- How much experience do you need to earn the top of the data scientist range?
- Roughly twelve years or more. Recruiter guides place early-career hires near AED 30,198 and people with 16 or more years near AED 48,375 for this role.
- Do data scientists earn more in Dubai or Abu Dhabi?
- Almost the same. Abu Dhabi runs about 2% below Dubai on our emirate index for professional roles, which is well within the variation between individual employers. The northern emirates run 8 to 12% lower.