Last verified: February 2026. Salary figures are sourced from Salary.com, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed as of January–February 2026. Compensation data changes frequently — confirm current figures on those platforms before making career or relocation decisions.
You’ve been offered a data engineering role in Austin, Texas — but your recruiter says the same title pays 12% more in Seattle. Before you sign anything, you need to know exactly how much state of residence affects your paycheck. The gap between the lowest and highest-paying states for data engineers is more than $28,000 per year, and that number has direct consequences for your financial future.
This article breaks down verified data engineer salaries for all 50 states plus DC, ranks the highest-paying states, explains what’s actually driving the differences, and helps you figure out whether relocating (or negotiating) is worth it.
The bottom line is: Data engineers in the US earn a national median of roughly $123,000–$132,000 per year depending on the source, but top-paying states like California and DC pay $135,000+ while lower-cost states average closer to $105,000–$115,000. Highest-paying state: California/DC. National median: ~$127,000 (cross-source average). Best market for senior roles: San Francisco, Seattle, New York City.
What Is the Average Data Engineer Salary in the US Right Now?
The national average data engineer salary in the US sits between $123,054 (Salary.com) and $135,672 (Indeed) as of early 2026, depending on the platform’s methodology and data set. A reasonable working estimate — using a cross-source average — is approximately $127,000 per year.
Different platforms weight their data differently. Glassdoor reports $131,906 based on 32,352 anonymous submissions as of February 2026. ZipRecruiter shows $129,716 (February 2026). Indeed reports $135,672 from 9,200+ job postings over 36 months. PayScale’s methodology leans conservative at $99,737, partly because it skews toward self-reported base salaries from early-career respondents.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison to use as your baseline:
| Source | Avg. Annual Salary | Data Set Size | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glassdoor | $131,906 | 32,352 reports | Feb 2026 |
| ZipRecruiter | $129,716 | Active job postings | Feb 2026 |
| Indeed | $135,672 | 9,200+ job postings | Feb 2026 |
| Salary.com | $123,054 | Compensation surveys | Jan 2026 |
| Built In | $125,978 | Tech-industry focused | 2026 |
| PayScale | $99,737 | Self-reported | 2026 |
Note: PayScale figures tend to be lower because they capture more self-reported data from mid-career professionals in lower-cost markets. The Glassdoor and Indeed figures are more reflective of current job postings.
💡 Pro Tip: When negotiating salary, reference Glassdoor or Indeed figures — they reflect what employers are actually advertising, not just what workers think they earn. Saying “I’m asking for $130,000, which aligns with the current Glassdoor median for this role” is a concrete, credible anchor.
Data Engineer Salary by State 2026: The Full Breakdown
The highest-paying states for data engineers are Washington DC, California, Massachusetts, Washington State, and New Jersey — all paying $133,000+ annually. The lowest-paying states cluster in the South and Midwest, typically between $105,000 and $115,000.
The figures below are sourced from Salary.com (January 2026), which provides one of the most comprehensive state-level datasets available for this role.
Top 15 Highest-Paying States for Data Engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Annual Salary | Difference vs. National Avg. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $136,245 | +$13,191 |
| 2 | California | $135,729 | +$12,675 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $133,920 | +$10,866 |
| 4 | Washington | $133,427 | +$10,373 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $133,378 | +$10,324 |
| 6 | Alaska | $133,206 | +$10,152 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $131,508 | +$8,454 |
| 8 | New York | $130,819 | +$7,765 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $128,616 | +$5,562 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $127,582 | +$4,528 |
| 11 | Maryland | $126,881 | +$3,827 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $125,921 | +$2,867 |
| 13 | Colorado | $125,552 | +$2,498 |
| 14 | Illinois | $125,429 | +$2,375 |
| 15 | Oregon | $124,961 | +$1,907 |
Source: Salary.com, January 2026. National average used: $123,054.
Mid-Range States: $118,000–$125,000
| State | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Delaware | $124,617 |
| New Hampshire | $124,400 |
| Virginia | $123,915 |
| Pennsylvania | $122,500 |
| Nevada | $121,787 |
| North Dakota | $121,553 |
| Michigan | $121,184 |
| Wisconsin | $121,048 |
| Vermont | $120,778 |
| Texas | $120,027 |
| Maine | $119,978 |
| Arizona | $119,904 |
| Ohio | $119,818 |
| Georgia | $118,686 |
| Indiana | $118,120 |
| Wyoming | $118,009 |
Lower-Paying States: Below $118,000
| State | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Utah | $117,837 |
| Iowa | $117,763 |
| Kansas | $117,172 |
| Louisiana | $117,000 |
Note: States not individually listed (e.g., Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas) are estimated by Salary.com to fall below $115,000. Exact figures vary — check salary.com/research/salary/listing/data-engineer-salary for the most current state-level data.
💡 Pro Tip: Alaska ranks #6 nationally — but that $133,206 average salary doesn’t account for Alaska’s high cost of living index (roughly 25–30% above the national average). Before relocating for a salary bump, use a cost-of-living calculator to compare real purchasing power, not just nominal salary.
✅ Action Step: Step 1: Note your target state from the table above. Step 2: Go to nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator and compare your current state to the target state using the salary figures above. Step 3: Check Salary.com’s state-specific page (salary.com/research/salary/listing/data-engineer-salary/[state abbreviation]) for the most current number. Takes: about 10 minutes.
Which States Pay the Most Per Dollar Spent? (Cost-of-Living Adjusted)
On a cost-of-living-adjusted basis, states like Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina often outperform California and New York — because the nominal salary difference doesn’t compensate for the extreme cost gap in housing, taxes, and daily expenses.
This is the question most salary articles skip. A data engineer earning $135,729 in California (median) might take home less in real purchasing power than one earning $120,027 in Texas — because Texas has no state income tax, and California’s top state income tax bracket reaches 13.3%.
Here’s a simplified comparison for illustrative purposes:
| State | Avg. Salary | State Income Tax | Relative Cost of Living | Real Value Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $135,729 | Up to 13.3% | ~40% above US avg | Lower than it looks |
| Texas | $120,027 | 0% | ~5% above US avg | Strong value |
| New York | $130,819 | Up to 10.9% | ~30% above US avg | Moderate real value |
| Washington State | $133,427 | 0% | ~20% above US avg | Very competitive |
| Georgia | $118,686 | 5.75% | ~5% below US avg | Excellent value |
| Colorado | $125,552 | 4.4% | ~10% above US avg | Good value |
Tax brackets simplified. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation. Cost of living estimates sourced from MIT Living Wage data and US Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities.
Washington State stands out as one of the best combinations: above-average salary ($133,427), no state income tax, and a cost of living that — while high in Seattle — is lower than San Francisco or Manhattan.
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re choosing between Seattle and San Francisco for a data engineering role, check whether the employer offers equity compensation. At tech companies like Amazon (Seattle) or Google (SF), total compensation including RSUs can differ by $50,000+, which matters far more than the state salary average.
How Does Experience Level Affect Data Engineer Pay in 2026?
Experience has a meaningful but surprisingly compressed effect on base data engineer salaries according to Salary.com’s January 2026 data — entry-level roles start at $119,161 and expert-level professionals earn $128,167, a gap of only about $9,000 in base salary.
That compression in base pay is real — but it doesn’t tell the full story. Senior data engineers command significantly more total compensation through bonuses, equity grants, and profit-sharing. Here’s the breakdown:
| Experience Level | Avg. Base Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (<1 year) | $119,161 | Competitive starting point |
| Early Career (1–2 years) | $119,437 | Modest initial bump |
| Mid-Level (2–4 years) | $120,543 | Pipeline and platform ownership |
| Senior (5–8 years) | $125,610 | Team leadership, architecture |
| Expert (8+ years) | $128,167 | Principal/Staff-level roles |
Source: Salary.com, January 2026.
For senior-level data engineers, Motion Recruitment’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide reports $147,000–$179,000 nationally in base pay, with top markets like San Francisco reaching $148,000–$186,000. That’s a significantly wider range than what Salary.com shows for base salary alone, because it includes total compensation.
The salary range from Glassdoor (February 2026) tells a similar story: top earners in this field report up to $212,724 annually (90th percentile), while entry-level sits around $103,287 (25th percentile).
✅ Action Step: Step 1: Identify your current experience bracket from the table above. Step 2: Check what the 75th percentile earns in your state (Glassdoor’s state filter works well for this). Step 3: If you’re below the 50th percentile for your experience level, research which skills command premiums (see next section). Takes: 15–20 minutes.
What Skills Push Data Engineer Salaries Higher in 2026?
Specialization in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), real-time streaming frameworks (Apache Kafka, Spark), and modern data platforms (Snowflake, Databricks) are the highest-leverage skills for salary growth in 2026.
Based on analysis of 943 data engineer job postings from Glassdoor US conducted by 365 Data Science (2025), here’s what employers are actually requiring:
| Skill | % of Job Postings Requiring It |
|---|---|
| Python | 70% |
| SQL | 69% |
| Java | 32% |
| Scala | 25% |
| Apache Kafka | 24% |
| Apache Spark | 38.7% |
| Snowflake | 29.2% |
| Databricks | 16.8% |
| Amazon Redshift | 21.8% |
Source: 365 Data Science analysis of 943 Glassdoor US job postings, 2025.
Salary.com notes that machine learning skills can increase a data engineer’s salary by up to 2%. That sounds modest, but applied to a $130,000 base, that’s $2,600/year — and the real premium kicks in when you move to ML Engineer or Data Platform Engineer titles, where salaries jump noticeably.
Which Cities Pay Data Engineers the Most in 2026?
San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, and Washington DC are the top-paying metro areas for data engineers in 2026. San Francisco mid-level data engineers earn $148,000–$186,000, significantly above the national range.
City-level data matters more than state-level data for actual job searches, because most tech jobs concentrate in specific metros. Here’s what Motion Recruitment’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide shows for key markets:
| City | Mid-Level Salary Range | Senior Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $148,000–$186,000 | $175,000–$220,000+ |
| Seattle, WA | $130,000–$165,000 | $155,000–$195,000 |
| New York City, NY | $130,000–$160,000+ | $150,000–$190,000 |
| Boston, MA | $125,000–$155,000 | $148,000–$185,000 |
| Austin, TX | $115,000–$145,000 | $140,000–$170,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $118,000–$148,000 | $140,000–$175,000 |
| Denver, CO | $115,000–$145,000 | $135,000–$165,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $112,000–$140,000 | $130,000–$160,000 |
Source: Motion Recruitment 2026 Tech Salary Guide. Ranges reflect base salary; total compensation with equity and bonuses will be higher at large tech companies.
ZipRecruiter’s city-level data (February 2026) notes that within states, cities like Cupertino and Berkeley in California, and Nantucket in Massachusetts, report the highest concentrations of premium data engineering roles — often tied to specific tech campuses or financial firms.
Is the Data Engineering Job Market Growing in 2026?
Yes — data engineering remains one of the stronger hiring markets in tech. The US data engineering workforce now employs over 150,000 professionals, with more than 20,000 new positions added in the past year, according to a StartUs 2025 industry report cited by 365 Data Science.
The broader context matters here. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 34% employment growth for data scientists through 2034 — one of the fastest growth rates of any occupation tracked. Data engineers, who build the infrastructure data scientists depend on, share this tailwind. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report placed data roles among the top 15 fastest-growing job categories globally.
That said, the 2026 job market is more competitive than it was in 2021–2022. A 2025 Greenhouse study found that 66% of job seekers spent three months or more finding a role. Entry-level positions are particularly competitive because the supply of data professionals — from bootcamps, online certifications, and university programs — has grown faster than junior-level job openings.
Senior and mid-level roles (3–8 years of experience) remain strong. Companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Meta were actively hiring data engineers in Fall 2025, driven by AI infrastructure and cloud expansion initiatives.
Who Should NOT Relocate Just for a Higher Data Engineer Salary?
If you’re early-career (less than 2 years of experience), relocating to a high-cost state for a salary bump often doesn’t pay off financially — housing, transportation, and state taxes can easily erase the nominal salary gain.
Here’s who should think carefully before chasing the highest state salary:
Early-career engineers with student debt. Moving from Atlanta ($118,686 avg) to San Francisco ($135,729 avg state average, but $148,000+ in city) sounds like a $30,000 raise. In practice, San Francisco median 1-bedroom rent exceeds $3,100/month — that’s $37,200/year just in rent. The math often doesn’t work for someone paying off loans.
Engineers who value remote work flexibility. If your employer lets you work fully remote, your geographic location is irrelevant to your paycheck. Optimize for cost of living, not for proximity to a tech hub.
Engineers in specialized industries outside tech. If you work in oil and gas data engineering in Houston, or healthcare data in Nashville, your local salary market may be more relevant than national tech-hub benchmarks. Naukri and industry-specific salary surveys are better references in that case.
Alternatives to geographic relocation for salary growth:
- Add cloud certifications (AWS Certified Data Engineer, Google Professional Data Engineer) — both demonstrate platform expertise that appears in 70%+ of premium job postings
- Move from IC (individual contributor) to a team lead or principal role within your current employer
- Target industries paying above-average for data engineers: Glassdoor (February 2026) reports Energy/Mining/Utilities ($142,293 median), Financial Services ($138,738), and Media/Telecom ($138,000–$140,000+) as top-paying sectors
FAQ
Q: What is the highest-paying state for data engineers in 2026?
Washington DC leads at $136,245 annually (Salary.com, January 2026), followed closely by California at $135,729. Among states (not DC), California ranks #1. However, total compensation including equity is often highest at large tech employers in Washington State and New York.
Q: Do remote data engineers earn the same salary regardless of state?
Not always. Some employers (particularly large tech companies like Google and Meta) pay based on your work location and apply geographic multipliers. Others pay a flat national rate. If you’re negotiating a remote role, ask explicitly whether salary is location-adjusted — it can mean a $15,000–$30,000 difference at the same company.
Q: How much do senior data engineers earn in 2026?
Senior data engineers earn $147,000–$179,000 in base pay nationally, according to Motion Recruitment’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide. In San Francisco, senior roles reach $175,000–$220,000+. Glassdoor’s 90th percentile for the title overall (all experience levels combined) is $170,195 as of February 2026.
Q: What’s the starting salary for entry-level data engineers in the US?
Entry-level data engineers (less than 1 year experience) earn approximately $119,161 on average nationally (Salary.com, January 2026), with Glassdoor’s 25th percentile at $103,287. In tech hubs, entry-level offers at major companies often exceed $110,000 including base salary alone.
Q: Which industries pay data engineers the most?
According to Glassdoor (February 2026), the top five paying industries for data engineers are: Energy/Mining/Utilities ($142,293 median), Agriculture ($140,565), Media & Communication ($140,288), Financial Services ($138,738), and Telecommunications ($138,231).
Conclusion
Three factors determine your data engineering salary more than anything else: state, experience level, and industry.
If you’re in the first two years of your career, focus on building core skills (Python, SQL, Spark, a cloud platform) before chasing geographic salary premiums — the cost of living math rarely works in your favor. If you have 4+ years of experience, moving to or negotiating for roles in DC, California, Washington State, or Massachusetts has a real financial payoff, particularly in financial services or tech.
Here’s a simple decision framework:
- If you’re entry-level and remote-capable → Stay where you are, reduce cost of living, build certifications
- If you’re mid-level (3–6 years) and targeting big tech → Washington State (no income tax, strong Amazon/Microsoft market) or California (Google, Meta, Apple) make financial sense
- If you’re senior and industry-agnostic → Energy/Mining/Utilities or Financial Services pay a consistent premium over pure tech regardless of location
- If you’re evaluating any specific offer → Use the state-level data above as a benchmark, then adjust for your city and industry
Your next step: Cross-reference your current salary against the state table above, identify your percentile, and use that as your baseline in your next performance or job negotiation conversation.
Sources
- Salary.com — Data Engineer Salary by State, January 2026. https://www.salary.com/research/salary/listing/data-engineer-salary
- Glassdoor — Data Engineer Salary, February 2026. https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm
- ZipRecruiter — Data Engineer Salary, February 2026. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Data-Engineer-Salary
- Indeed — Data Engineer Salary in United States, February 2026. https://www.indeed.com/career/data-engineer/salaries
- PayScale — Average Data Engineer Salary, 2026. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Data_Engineer/Salary
- Built In — 2026 Data Engineer Salary in US. https://builtin.com/salaries/us/data-engineer
- Motion Recruitment — 2026 IT Salary Guide: Data Engineering. https://motionrecruitment.com/it-salary/data-engineering
- 365 Data Science — Data Engineer Job Outlook 2025, May 2025. https://365datascience.com/career-advice/data-engineer-job-outlook-2025/
- Coursera Staff — Data Engineering Salary: Your 2026 Guide, November 2025. https://www.coursera.org/articles/data-engineer-salary
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Computer and Information Technology Occupations, Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm
- Randstad / Staffing Industry Analysts — Data scientist and data engineer among top tech roles for 2025, October 2024. https://www.staffingindustry.com/news/global-daily-news/data-scientist-and-data-engineer-among-top-tech-roles-for-2025
- Analythical (Stephen Tracy) — Data Job Market 2026: Why It’s Harder to Get Hired, February 2026. https://analythical.com/blog/the-data-job-market-in-2026
This article was researched using live web data from Salary.com, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Indeed, Motion Recruitment, and 365 Data Science. All statistics are cited with sources and dates. If you find outdated information, please contact us or leave a comment below.
