Data Engineer Salaries & Wage Percentiles
Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Methodology
Build and optimize large-scale data pipelines, ETL workflows, data warehousing architectures, and real-time streaming infrastructure.
National Wage Percentile Spectrum
Empirical distribution from entry-level apprentice (10th percentile) to senior principal / master tier (90th percentile).
Nationwide State Salary Rankings
State-by-state empirical labor compensation benchmarked against local cost of living and purchasing power.
| Rank | State | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | CoL Adjusted Real Wage | Total Employed | Top Metro in State | CoL Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Nevada NV | $170,390 | $81.92/hr | $153,366 | 80 | Reno, NV | 111.1 |
| #2 | District of Columbia DC | $162,870 | $78.30/hr | $102,498 | 4,740 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 158.9 |
| #3 | Massachusetts MA | $158,106 | $76.01/hr | $118,609 | 2,340 | Springfield, MA | 133.3 |
| #4 | California CA | $157,855 | $75.89/hr | $100,608 | 5,200 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 156.9 |
| #5 | Illinois IL | $154,440 | $74.25/hr | $139,891 | 1,380 | Bloomington, IL | 110.4 |
| #6 | Wisconsin WI | $151,590 | $72.88/hr | $145,340 | 300 | Madison, WI | 104.3 |
| #7 | Connecticut CT | $149,347 | $71.80/hr | $117,135 | 630 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 127.5 |
| #8 | Pennsylvania PA | $145,937 | $70.16/hr | $140,730 | 2,430 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 103.7 |
Top Metropolitan Areas for Maximum Earnings
High-yield metros commanding premier compensation, rent affordability, and living wage coverage.
Career Ladder & Progression Stages
Typical milestones from entry level to senior roles.
Python, SQL, ETL scripting, data warehouse basics
Spark, Kafka, dbt, columnar storage optimization, orchestration
Real-time stream architecture, lakehouse design, data quality frameworks
Enterprise data platform strategy, distributed storage scaling
Skill-Adjacent Career Opportunities
Direct lateral transitions capitalizing on shared occupational competencies and BLS wage differentials.
Data Engineer: Career Ladder, Industry Hub & Regional Parity
Navigate parent industry benchmarks, lateral career progressions, and cross-pillar living cost calculators.
Technology Directory
Compare wage percentiles, required certifications, and senior salary caps across all Technology occupations.
Adjacent Career Paths
Living Cost & Tax Parity
Occupational Labor Economics & Frequently Asked Questions
Explore national wage percentiles (10th to 90th), top-paying metropolitan areas, and career ladder progression for Data Engineer. Official 2026 economic data for Data Engineer compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
National compensation benchmarks for Data Engineer range across the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles based on BLS OEWS labor market statistics.
Data Engineer: Where the Pay Is Highest
The national median for Data Engineer is $139,500 per year ($67.07/hour). BLS OEWS publishes this occupation in 132 metropolitan areas, where median pay ranges from $98,890 in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR to $197,960 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
Top-paying metropolitan areas for Data Engineer
| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Vs national |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $197,960 | +41.9% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $175,860 | +26.1% |
| Reno, NV | $170,390 | +22.1% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $169,310 | +21.4% |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $168,390 | +20.7% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $163,590 | +17.3% |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $163,350 | +17.1% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $162,870 | +16.8% |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $162,640 | +16.6% |
| Springfield, MA | $161,730 | +15.9% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $161,650 | +15.9% |
| Bloomington, IL | $161,430 | +15.7% |