Data Engineer salary (2024)

The average salary for a Data Engineer is $125,417.

Data Engineers across varying years of experience and locations around the country make an average salary of $125,417 annually. The average Dataengineer salary can fluctuate based on experience and location.

Entry-level Data Engineers on average can make nearly $81,000 per year whereas expert Data Engineers workers can make on average $215,000.

These averages are based on salary alone, not including equity or other compensation.

For a more in-depth look at salaries based on Wellfound job data, check out our unique, dynamic salary tool which allows you to customize your salary estimate based on your role, location, skills, and market.

How much do Data Engineers make?

Data Engineers pay by experience level

While pay can be influenced by education and location, the amount of time you have worked in the field is one of the top determinants of salary.

Whether you’ve just entered the job market or you’re an experienced professional, it’s expected to see fluctuations in salary based on this criteria.

• Entry-level Data Engineers can make an average salary of $81,000 annually.
• Mid-level Data Engineers can make an average salary of $115,000 annually.
• Senior-level to Expert Data Engineers can make an average salary of $160,000 annually.

The highest average salary a Data Engineer in Technology can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $215,000. This pay is 71.4% higher than the average salary in startups, which is $101,400. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.

Salary outlook

Data engineers are critical for creating and maintaining the infrastructure that collects, stores, processes, and ensures data availability for analysis and decision-making. Demand is high for expertise in technologies like Apache Spark, Hadoop, and such cloud services as AWS.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "employment for database administrators and architects is expected to grow by 8% from 2022 to 2032".

The rising salaries of data engineers further underscore the value of these roles in the tech sector. In January 2023, Glassdoor indicated an average salary of approximately $113,000, indicating a surge of $40,000 in about 1 year—marking a substantial annual growth. Given these trends, the future of data engineering is promising.

Remote data engineer salary and trends

As many positions in tech can be done entirely remotely, it comes as no surprise that 5,345 of the 14,206 data engineer positions on Wellfound offer remote options — a staggering 38%.

The benefits of being remote include flexible scheduling, saving time and money commuting and a greater pool of potential jobs, as you can apply to remote jobs all over the world.

What are the best-paying cities for Data Engineers?

Trying to decide where to pursue your next role? Look no further: Below are the top cities that pay the highest average salaries according to Wellfound data.

• New York - Average salary: $187,000 -18.9% higher than the average startup salary
• Seattle - Average salary: $170,000 -7.5% higher than the average startup salary
• Denver - Average salary: $150,000 -5.2% higher than the average startup salary
• Austin - Average salary: $140,000 -0.7% higher than the average startup salary
• Remote - Average salary: $125,000 -4.4% lower than the average startup salary

- San Francisco - Average salary: $120,000 -17.7% higher than the average startup salary

Top data engineer skills

Data Engineers are some of the most versatile software developers. Not only this, but they will often write the API code in the middle of front- and back-end operations.

This is why they have such a robust skill set, and of the top skills needed to succeed in the role, knowledge of programming languages is by far the most important.

• Python
• C++
• Java
• Machine Learning
• SQL
• MySQL
• MongoDB
• Node.js
• PostgreSQL
• Scala
• Kafka
• Deep Learning
• Docker
• AWS
• Kubernetes
• Airflow
• GCP
• PyTorch

Frequently asked questions

What do data engineers do?

Data engineers design, build, and maintain the infrastructure and systems required for collecting, storing, and analyzing large volumes of data. They work on creating and optimizing data pipelines, ensuring data quality and accessibility, and integrating various data sources to support data-driven decision-making.

Are data engineers paid well?

Data engineers generally earn competitive salaries, often comparable to or higher than other software engineering roles, due to their specialized skill set in managing complex data systems and pipelines. Their expertise in data architecture and big data technologies contributes to their higher earning potential.

What is the career path of a data engineer?

The career path of data engineers typically begins with entry-level roles in data management or software development. With experience and advanced skills, they can advance through various levels, including:

1. Data Engineer
2. Senior Data Engineer
3. Lead Data Engineer
4. Principal Data Engineer
5. Data Engineering Manager
6. Director of Data Engineering
7. Chief Data Officer (CDO)

Related job salaries

Looking to pivot in your career? Check out these related jobs and their salaries to see how they measure up.

Frontend engineer: The average salary for a frontend engineer is $97,000.
Backend engineer: The average salary for a backend engineer is $106,000.
Software engineer: The average salary for a software engineer is $108,000.

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