NOC 21211: Data scientists
What data scientists do
Data scientists use advanced analytics technologies, including machine learning and predictive modelling, to support the identification of trends, scrape information from unstructured data sources and provide automated recommendations. They are employed by consulting firms, universities, banks and information technology departments in the public and private sectors.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Implement cutting-edge techniques and tools in machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence to make data analysis more efficient
- Perform large-scale experimentation to identify hidden relationships between variables in large datasets
- Create advanced machine learning algorithms such as regression, simulation, scenario analysis, modeling, clustering, decision trees and neural networks
- Prepare and extract data using programming language
- Implement new statistical, machine learning, or other mathematical methodologies to solve specific business problems
- Visualize data in a way that allows a business to quickly draw conclusions and make decisions
- Develop artificial intelligence models and algorithms and implement them to meet the needs of the organization
- Coordinate research and analysis activities using unstructured and structured data and use programming to clean and organize data
Job titles under NOC 21211
20 job titles are classified here, including data scientist, machine learning engineer, machine learning specialist.
- artificial intelligence (AI) analyst
- artificial intelligence (AI) consultant
- artificial intelligence (AI) designer
- artificial intelligence analyst
- artificial intelligence consultant
- big data analyst
- big data developer
- big data engineer
- data analytics consultant
- data analytics specialist
- data architect
- data engineer
- data miner
- data mining analyst
- data modeler
- data scientist
- lead data scientist
- machine learning engineer
- machine learning specialist
- quantitative analyst
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics, computer science, computer systems engineering or a related discipline or completion of a college program in computer science is usually required.
- A master's or doctoral degree in machine learning, data science, or a related quantitative field is usually required.
- Experience in programming is usually required.
- Experience in statistical modelling and machine learning is usually required.
Data scientists wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $30.00/hr | $46.15/hr | $69.74/hr |
Toronto ON | $32.00/hr | $46.33/hr | $71.79/hr |
Montréal QC | $31.73/hr | $45.64/hr | $96.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $32.45/hr | $48.08/hr | $88.94/hr |
Calgary AB | $31.55/hr | $46.29/hr | $72.05/hr |
Edmonton AB | $28.00/hr | $43.27/hr | $57.69/hr |
Ottawa ON | $30.00/hr | $48.21/hr | $69.74/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $29.09/hr | $45.00/hr | $60.10/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $31.73/hr | $46.00/hr | $64.84/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $31.25/hr | $47.69/hr | $71.79/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $24.73/hr | $44.62/hr | $65.38/hr |
London ON | $26.58/hr | $49.14/hr | $65.22/hr |
Halifax NS | $24.09/hr | $44.06/hr | $65.75/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $32.69/hr | $42.05/hr | $57.69/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $20.00/hr | $41.76/hr | $66.67/hr |
Nova Scotia | $24.09/hr | $44.06/hr | $65.75/hr |
New Brunswick | $20.80/hr | $39.32/hr | $82.42/hr |
Quebec | $31.73/hr | $46.00/hr | $64.84/hr |
Ontario | $31.25/hr | $47.69/hr | $71.79/hr |
Manitoba | $29.09/hr | $45.00/hr | $60.10/hr |
Saskatchewan | $32.69/hr | $42.05/hr | $57.69/hr |
Alberta | $28.00/hr | $43.27/hr | $57.69/hr |
British Columbia | $32.45/hr | $48.08/hr | $88.94/hr |
Using NOC 21211 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 20 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Computer and information systems managers (NOC 20012)
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (NOC 21311)
- Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 21223)
- Information systems specialists (NOC 21222)
- Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries (NOC 21210)
- Software engineers and designers (NOC 21231)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for data scientists?
Data scientists are NOC 2021 unit group 21211. Example job titles in this group include data scientist, machine learning engineer, machine learning specialist, quantitative analyst.
What TEER is NOC 21211?
NOC 21211 is TEER 1 (University degree). Usually requires a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate), or experience from a related TEER 2 occupation. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do data scientists earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $46.15/hr, about $90,000 a year full-time, with a range of $30.00/hr to $69.74/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.