The 48 Best-Paying Cities for Data Engineers in the United States
The world increasingly runs on data, and data engineers help businesses make sense of it.
Data engineers often work in analytics or insights teams and collect, store, manage and monitor data. These software engineers can also build data pipelines and support data scientists or analysts by making data more accessible and ready for analysis.
The average total compensation of a data engineer in the United States is $94,000 to $403,612, according to data from the professional social network Blind.
These are the top 48 best-paying cities for data engineers in the United States ranked by average total compensation, according to the more than 5 million verified professionals on Blind. Total compensation includes cash salary and any stock-based compensation or bonus offered.
1. Santa Monica, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $403,612
- Median total compensation: $442,000
- Average salary: $168,312
- Median salary: $180,000
2. Menlo Park, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $253,645
- Median total compensation: $250,000
- Average salary: $169,198
- Median salary: $165,000
3. Cupertino, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $230,421
- Median total compensation: $245,000
- Average salary: $163,395
- Median salary: $160,000
4. San Francisco
- Average total compensation: $225,935
- Median total compensation: $193,000
- Average salary: $158,190
- Median salary: $156,000
5. Mountain View, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $220,913
- Median total compensation: $204,000
- Average salary: $162,674
- Median salary: $160,000
6. Santa Clara, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $212,642
- Median total compensation: $194,337
- Average salary: $161,705
- Median salary: $162,500
7. Sunnyvale, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $209,477
- Median total compensation: $197,000
- Average salary: $154,546
- Median salary: $155,000
8. Palo Alto, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $205,613
- Median total compensation: $183,000
- Average salary: $152,780
- Median salary: $167,000
9. San Jose, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $200,281
- Median total compensation: $172,200
- Average salary: $148,171
- Median salary: $135,500
10. Seattle
- Average total compensation: $196,013
- Median total compensation: $180,000
- Average salary: $130,761
- Median salary: $133,000
11. Oakland, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $189,083
- Median total compensation: $176,000
- Average salary: $146,916
- Median salary: $144,750
12. San Mateo, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $185,611
- Median total compensation: $178,500
- Average salary: $144,833
- Median salary: $143,500
13. Austin, Texas
- Average total compensation: $180,999
- Median total compensation: $142,500
- Average salary: $140,968
- Median salary: $125,000
14. Portland, Ore.
- Average total compensation: $175,620
- Median total compensation: $142,870
- Average salary: $138,000
- Median salary: $130,000
15. Los Angeles
- Average total compensation: $174,917
- Median total compensation: $159,750
- Average salary: $146,966
- Median salary: $140,000
16. Irvine, Calif.
- Average total compensation: $171,100
- Median total compensation: $147,550
- Average salary: $136,833
- Median salary: $140,500
17. San Diego
- Average total compensation: $170,755
- Median total compensation: $160,450
- Average salary: $136,157
- Median salary: $132,000
18. New York
- Average total compensation: $170,219
- Median total compensation: $155,000
- Average salary: $137,773
- Median salary: $137,000
19. Philadelphia
- Average total compensation: $169,114
- Median total compensation: $160,000
- Average salary: $133,966
- Median salary: $130,000
20. Bellevue, Wash.
- Average total compensation: $163,050
- Median total compensation: $160,000
- Average salary: $125,500
- Median salary: $125,000
21. Newark, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $160,160
- Median total compensation: $152,421
- Average salary: $125,057
- Median salary: $130,000
22. Redmond, Wash.
- Average total compensation: $158,750
- Median total compensation: $163,000
- Average salary: $121,500
- Median salary: $120,000
23. Tysons Corner, Va.
- Average total compensation: $158,650
- Median total compensation: $142,750
- Average salary: $128,066
- Median salary: $131,000
24. Washington, D.C.
- Average total compensation: $155,507
- Median total compensation: $138,100
- Average salary: $131,823
- Median salary: $125,500
25. Kansas City, Mo.
- Average total compensation: $153,700
- Median total compensation: $132,000
- Average salary: $126,900
- Median salary: $120,000
26. Boston
- Average total compensation: $151,932
- Median total compensation: $145,000
- Average salary: $126,302
- Median salary: $125,000
27. Dallas
- Average total compensation: $142,544
- Median total compensation: $137,000
- Average salary: $123,334
- Median salary: $125,000
28. Charlotte, N.C.
- Average total compensation: $141,913
- Median total compensation: $130,000
- Average salary: $121,400
- Median salary: $120,000
29. Denver
- Average total compensation: $136,728
- Median total compensation: $122,500
- Average salary: $113,357
- Median salary: $112,500
30. Arlington, Texas
- Average total compensation: $136,538
- Median total compensation: $137,438
- Average salary: $115,770
- Median salary: $110,000
31. Chicago
- Average total compensation: $134,698
- Median total compensation: $128,000
- Average salary: $116,466
- Median salary: $120,000
32. Jersey City, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $134,000
- Median total compensation: $119,000
- Average salary: $116,000
- Median salary: $110,000
33. Cincinnati
- Average total compensation: $133,975
- Median total compensation: $126,500
- Average salary: $125,441
- Median salary: $113,500
34. Houston
- Average total compensation: $132,146
- Median total compensation: $115,000
- Average salary: $116,607
- Median salary: $115,000
35. Phoenix
- Average total compensation: $131,610
- Median total compensation: $128,000
- Average salary: $112,375
- Median salary: $116,000
36. Atlanta
- Average total compensation: $130,746
- Median total compensation: $134,500
- Average salary: $110,042
- Median salary: $117,500
37. Raleigh, N.C.
- Average total compensation: $125,814
- Median total compensation: $105,600
- Average salary: $101,814
- Median salary: $96,100
38. Minneapolis
- Average total compensation: $121,471
- Median total compensation: $119,200
- Average salary: $110,478
- Median salary: $114,000
39. McLean, Va.
- Average total compensation: $120,248
- Median total compensation: $120,000
- Average salary: $112,563
- Median salary: $114,000
40. Tampa, Fla.
- Average total compensation: $116,579
- Median total compensation: $110,000
- Average salary: $100,810
- Median salary: $100,000
41. Hartford, Conn.
- Average total compensation: $115,325
- Median total compensation: $125,000
- Average salary: $103,692
- Median salary: $106,000
42. Plano, Texas
- Average total compensation: $114,829
- Median total compensation: $110,950
- Average salary: $105,329
- Median salary: $108,450
43. Madison, Wisc.
- Average total compensation: $113,780
- Median total compensation: $98,600
- Average salary: $101,600
- Median salary: $88,000
44. San Antonio, Texas
- Average total compensation: $111,518
- Median total compensation: $112,258
- Average salary: $98,530
- Median salary: $98,808
45. Bentonville, Ark.
- Average total compensation: $111,021
- Median total compensation: $111,746
- Average salary: $89,921
- Median salary: $90,613
46. Detroit
- Average total compensation: $107,363
- Median total compensation: $98,000
- Average salary: $96,454
- Median salary: $92,000
47. Salt Lake City
- Average total compensation: $100,714
- Median total compensation: $100,000
- Average salary: $97,857
- Median salary: $90,000
48. Columbus, Ohio
- Average total compensation: $94,000
- Median total compensation: $91,000
- Average salary: $88,333
- Median salary: $86,500
Methodology
Blind analyzed the base salaries and total compensation of data engineers in the United States on its platform. Cities were ranked by the average total compensation, including cash salary and any stock-based compensation and cash bonuses. All data is self-reported by verified professionals on the professional social network Blind.