Data Engineer salary in United States
Data Engineer roles in United States span technology teams from startups to enterprise employers. Below are entry, junior, mid, senior and lead gross salary bands for Data Engineer positions—each links to a dedicated page with tax and FAQ detail.
Figures use Toolminator's static salary model (ranges for comparison, not job listings). Methodology & limitations.
Role benchmark (model)
Data Engineer sits in our Technology category. The US reference midpoint for mid-level gross pay is about $122,000 before country and seniority adjustments.United States pages apply cost-of-living, FX, and level multipliers on top of that anchor.
- Demand signal
high
- Pay trend
rising
- Model multiplier
1.10×
Hiring demand and pay growth are modeled as above average for this role family.
Not a live job board or employer survey. See methodology & limitations.
Directional trend (estimated model)
Growth-leaningData Engineer
Our static model weights this role family with above-average demand and pay momentum—useful for negotiation prep, not a hiring forecast.
Directional only—not historic BLS/payroll data or a prediction of future offers. Derived from role demand multipliers and growth tags in our static catalog.
View Data Engineer global country ranking →
Junior vs mid vs senior
Data Engineer salaries in United States
US employers quote base salary separately from annual bonus and equity refresh grants, so headline ranges on job boards understate total compensation at larger companies. Our 2026 model places Data Engineer at a mid-level reference of $122,000 before country and cost-of-living adjustments, with demand marked rising. In practice the local band is set by which employers you target — typically startups, big tech and tech.
How we build the Data Engineer band for United States
Data engineering is consistently paid above analytics because the role owns pipelines that other teams depend on. The three level bands below apply a fixed multiplier to a country-adjusted reference, then narrow the range with level-specific spreads. What moves a data engineer offer up inside a band is SQL, dbt and Spark, and what moves it down is local comp quirks.
Similar jobs in United States
Data Engineer salaries in other countries
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Data Engineer make in United States?
- A mid-level Data Engineer (3–6 years experience) in United States typically earns $120,780 to $150,304 gross per year, with a midpoint near $135,542, according to our 2026 model.
- What is the average Data Engineer salary in United States for mid-level roles?
- Our 2026 model shows a typical range of $120,780 to $150,304, with a midpoint near $135,542 gross per year before tax. Actual offers vary by city, employer, and skills.
- What salary range should a Data Engineer with 3–6 years experience expect?
- Our model puts 3–6 years experience (mid-level level) at $120,780 to $150,304 gross per year in United States. Total compensation can run higher once bonus or equity is included at larger employers.
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