August 10, 2026

Where you hire your US data team matters as much as what you pay. The US data science market clusters in specific cities, at salary levels that vary by up to 30% between markets. This guide covers every major US hiring hub with verified 2026 salary data and a full city comparison.

Most European companies that fail in the US make the same mistakes. They enter with the wrong assumptions, the wrong leader, and not enough runway. Then they cut before the market has had a chance to respond. Here are nine lessons drawn from the companies that got it wrong.