Your inbox is already busy. Put a price on it.
Data scientists hear from recruiters, founders validating a machine-learning idea and analysts asking how to move into data science. A quick 'is this feasible?' from you saves a team weeks. A paid message makes that answer worth giving.
You keep $17 when you reply.
- Median pay (Data Scientists)
- $57.80/hour
- A 15-minute reply
- $14.45
- Senior (75th percentile)
- $25
BLS OEWS, May 2025. Full breakdown
Messages worth being paid for
“Is our data enough to train this model?”
“Would you review our experiment design?”
“What should I learn first to switch into data science?”
Where an hour is worth the most
| City | Median hourly pay | Fair price per message |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose / Silicon Valley | $88.98 | $30 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $81.78 | $25 |
| Seattle | $79.20 | $25 |
| New York | $65.38 | $20 |
| Washington, DC | $63.56 | $20 |
Published BLS city medians for Data Scientists, mid-career, a 15-minute reply.
How it works
Paid only when you reply
A paid message is a hold on the sender's card. It is charged when you answer, or decline with a reason, inside your reply window. If you don't, the hold is released and nobody pays.
You set the price and keep 85%
Pick any price from $15. You keep 85% of every paid message you answer; the rest is the only fee.
Free to join, free to earn
There is no subscription to receive paid messages. Membership is optional and only matters if you send them.
Questions
How much should data scientists charge for a cold message?
At the U.S. median pay for Data Scientists (BLS), a considered 15-minute reply is worth about $14.45 of time, so $20 is the first familiar price at which your 85% share covers it. Senior people price from about $25.
When is the sender charged?
Only when you reply, or decline with a reason, inside your reply window. Otherwise the hold on their card is released.
Does it cost anything to join?
No. Joining and receiving paid messages are free; Introworth keeps 15% of each paid message you answer.