Data Engineer Salaries Around the World: How Much Do Data Engineers Make?

Data engineering is a relatively new discipline, yet it’s one that’s in huge demand at the moment. Named as the fastest-growing tech occupation in 2020’s DICE Tech Job Report, this role has grown significantly as we’ve become a more data-focused world. Clearly, this is an in-demand career, but what is a data engineer salary like? 

If you want to become a data engineer, salary is an important factor to consider. Data engineers are typically well-paid compared to many other jobs. However, actual salaries can vary significantly depending on the specific industry, the size of the organization, and the level of experience of the data engineer. Here, we explore how much data engineers can expect to earn based on various factors. 

A Note on Salary Information

Throughout this article, we’ll look at data from various sources, including PaySacle, Glassdoor, Indeed, and various others. However, it can be difficult to gain an accurate picture of what an ‘average’ salary is. There are several reasons for this. 

• Salaries can vary widely based on factors such as the industry, organization size, location you’re applying to, and your experience level.
• Not everyone who works in a particular field will earn the same salary. Education, experience, and other factors can all play a part in determining your salary. 
• The method used to calculate the average salary can impact its accuracy.
• The data used in the calculation may not represent the overall population.
• The data may not be collected and analyzed properly, leading to inaccurate results.

We’ll give our sources for the figures we outline here, but it’s important to bear in mind these factors as we explore data engineer salaries. 

Average Salary for Data Engineers Worldwide 

Let’s start by looking at average salaries worldwide. We’ll cover several countries across the globe and look at various data sources. All figures are in local currencies. 

We’ve compiled Glassdoor data engineer salary data and other statistics to compare average salaries in this industry compared to the rest of the country:

As you can see from the table above, on the whole, data engineer salaries are significantly above the national average in a range of different countries. Let’s look at these stats in more detail. 

United States

Let’s look at some annual salary averages from different sources:

• PayScale. $94,262 based on 4,962 salary profiles 
• Glassdoor. $114,564 based on 11,715 salaries
• Indeed. $112,703 based on 5,200 salaries 
• Salary.com. $112,896  with no sample size given.

These figures are largely consistent, which is quite different from what we saw with data analyst salaries, which varied quite a lot. Furthermore, these figures will differ depending on where in the country you’re working. So, for example, according to Glassdoor, the average base data analyst salary in New York is $120,637, while in California, it’s $113,610, and in Houston, it’s $94,416. 

United Kingdom 

We’ll look at a similar range of sources for data engineer salaries in the UK: 

• PayScale. £40,979 based on 544 salary profiles 
• Glassdoor. £49,556 based on 2,139 salaries
• Indeed. £60,556 based on 6,700 salaries
• Reed. £65,033 based on 1,835 job listings.

Unlike in the United States, the data here ranges quite significantly from source to source. Similarly, Glassdoor data around the country shows quite a spread. For example, the average annual base data engineer salary in London is £52,775, while only £44,170 in Edinburgh, £40,482 in Belfast, and £43,708 in Cardiff.

Canada

We’ve used the same method to look at data engineer salaries in Canada: 

• PayScale. $83,438 based on 588 salary profiles
• Glassdoor. $91,455 based on 888 salaries
• Indeed. $102,984 based on 207 salaries reported 
• Talent.com. $115,440 based on 408 salaries

When looking at how salaries compare across Canada, we’ll use Glassdoor data once again. The average data analyst salary in Toronto is $92,150, while in Vancouver, it’s $95,192, and in Edmonton $88,247. However, the sample sizes outside of Toronto are much smaller, which could explain why there is little difference in salaries. 

Australia 

In Australia, we can see the average salary data below: 

• PayScale. $98,014 based on 341 salary profiles
• Glassdoor. $110,000 based on 232 salaries
• Indeed. $132,833 based on 540 salaries reported
• Talent.com. $123,117 based on 629 salaries.

We can see from the data that data engineer salaries in Australia can vary significantly. We can also see that in Sydney, the average annual salary for a data analyst is $115,000, while in Brisbane, it’s $110,000, and in Adelaide, it’s only $92,300.

Germany

There is slightly less data available for data analyst salaries in Germany, but we can see that:

• PayScale. €58,332 based on 329 salary profiles 
• Glassdoor. €65,000 based on 529 salaries. 

Based on what we’ve seen in other countries, it’s also highly likely that these figures will vary across the country, with the highest salaries being found in cities such as Munich. 

India

We’ve highlighted some average data engineer salaries in India based on several sources: 

• PayScale. ₹8,74,901 based on 1,931 salary profiles
• Glassdoor. ₹8,00,000 based on 4,987 salaries 
• Indeed. ₹13,37,808 based on 1,400 salaries reported.

Again, we see a fair amount of variation here, despite relatively high amounts of data. We also expect such a broad range when looking at data across different cities in India. 

Singapore

Sites for data engineer salaries in Singapore tend to give figures on a monthly, rather than an annual basis, with average as follows: 

• PayScale. $5,078 per month, based on 129 salary profiles
• Glassdoor. $6,000 per month, with no info provided on the sample size
• Indeed. $7,007 per month, based on 1,700 salaries.

Factors Influencing Data Engineer Salaries

As we’ve seen, location can make a significant difference to data engineer salaries, both between countries and within them. However, there are other factors that can impact your salary as a data engineer, including: 

• Industry. Data engineers working in industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology may earn higher salaries than those working in other industries.
• Experience. Data engineers with more experience tend to earn higher salaries than those with less experience.
• Education. Data engineers with advanced degrees or specialized training in data engineering may be able to command higher salaries.
• Company size. Data engineers working for larger companies may earn higher salaries than those working for smaller companies.
• Skills. Data engineers with a strong skill set, including programming languages such as Python and SQL. Those with a broader skill set, as well as experience with data management tools like Hadoop and Spark, may be able to command higher salaries.

Data Engineer Salaries By Experience

Experience is one of the deciding factors in how much data engineers get paid. Let’s take a look at various stages of career development and the salary that comes with it. Again, we’ll use Glassdoor data for the US to demonstrate this point, but the usual caveats apply. 

A junior data engineer salary is around $75,898, usually for those with 0-1 years of experience. For those in a standard data engineer role with 2-4 years of experience, the base pay increases to around $94,462. 

A senior data engineer salary (base pay) is around $125,000 per year, while a lead data engineer can expect to earn around $167,181. 

Data Engineer Salaries at Top Companies

As with many jobs, data engineers tend to get paid more at large companies. So what are data engineer salaries like at MAANG companies? (Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google, the tech giants known worldwide). 

Again, we’ve tried to find accurate data wherever possible, but the usual caveats apply. 

Meta

According to Glassdoor data, the average base pay for a Meta data engineer salary is $164,113. Additional benefits are also quite generous, with an average $17,090 cash bonus, $43,000 stock bonus, and $12,753 profit share reported. 

Amazon

Again, using Glassdoor data, the average Amazon data engineer salary is $134,976 with a reported cash bonus of $25,883 and a stock bonus of $25,140. 

Apple

Salaries for data engineers at Apple are closer to those at Meta, with the average being $164,725. Bonuses are also generous, with a $13,375 cash bonus and $47,500 stock bonus on offer. 

Netflix

At Netflix, Glassdoor reports that the estimated base pay is $130,576, with additional pay being around $44,785. 

Google

At Google, the data shows an average base salary of $125,000 per year, with a cash bonus of $20,224 and a stock bonus of $46,160. 

Ways to Increase Your Salary as a Data Engineer

If you’re looking at data engineer job descriptions and wondering how you can meet the higher bracket of the salary spectrum, there are several ways you can work towards increasing your worth as a data engineer: 

Acquire new skills and knowledge

You can increase your value as a data engineer by learning new technologies and improving the skills that are in high demand in the job market. This could include things like machine learning or big data technologies like Hadoop and Spark

Get certified

Earning a professional certification in data engineering, such as the Certified Data Engineer (CDE) from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) or the Certified Big Data Engineer (CBDE) from the Big Data Institute, can demonstrate your expertise and increase your salary potential.

Gain experience

As with most jobs, the more experience you have, the more valuable you are to potential employers. Focus on gaining experience working on complex data engineering projects, and consider taking on additional responsibilities or seeking out new challenges in your current role to increase your experience level.

Negotiate your salary

When it comes time to negotiate your salary, be sure to do your research and have a good understanding of what data engineers with similar experience and skills are earning in your area. Come prepared with data to support your request for a higher salary, and be confident but flexible in your negotiations.

Conclusion

So, how much do data engineers get paid? As we’ve seen, this is a role in high demand worldwide and one that is well-compensated based on the skills needed. You’ll find that salaries differ quite a lot based on all kinds of factors. However, hopefully, you now have the information to approach your data engineer role with the right salary expectations in mind.