Data Engineer salary
From 8,324 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 15-1243: Database Architects
- Also filed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 40% of Data Engineer filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Deloitte. 379 filings (5% of the total), median $135,800.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 10 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $131,990 in Philadelphia, PA to $190,140 in San Francisco, CA.
- Median up 81% since FY2020. From $78,957 in FY2020 to $142,626 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Data Engineer H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 8,324 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Data Engineer jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 15-1243, Database Architects). The median base salary is $140,000, 14% above the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $120,000 and $164,000. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 40% of filings. Dallas, TX has the most filings (995), and Deloitte is the employer that files the most (379).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Data Engineer
Deloitte379 filings · 5%$135,800
Meta291 filings · 3%$207,946
Amazon261 filings · 3%$144,000
Cognizant169 filings · 2%$140,712
Compunnel Software Group153 filings · 2%$124,000
IBM110 filings · 1%$148,061
Capgemini America93 filings · 1%$140,000
Microsoft88 filings · 1%$151,426
Virtusa74 filings · 1%$135,000
Ford72 filings · 1%$140,107
Employers with the most Data Engineer filings. Bar: share of all Data Engineer filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 11% of filings
Mid-level · 40% of filings
Senior · 24% of filings
Expert · 25% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $103,600 | 833 |
| Level II · Qualified | $124,800 | 3,022 |
| Level III · Experienced | $148,387 | 1,849 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $174,533 | 1,924 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Data Engineer pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 67 metro areas
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Data Engineer does
Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
Typical tasks
- Develop and document database architectures.
- Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- Develop database architectural strategies at the modeling, design and implementation stages to address business or industry requirements.
- Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.
- Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
- Design database applications, such as interfaces, data transfer mechanisms, global temporary tables, data partitions, and function-based indexes to enable efficient access of the generic database structure.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Database Architects (15-1243.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Database Architects), the median annual wage was $139,500 in May 2025, with 67,140 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $140,000, 0% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $102,440 | $86,240 |
| 25th percentile | $120,000 | $109,370 |
| Median | $140,000 | $139,500 |
| 75th percentile | $164,000 | $169,290 |
| 90th percentile | $191,009 | $204,000 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $102,440 |
| 25th | $120,000 |
| 50th (median) | $140,000 |
| 75th | $164,000 |
| 90th | $191,009 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $78,957 | $73,694 | $100,000 | 1,573 |
| FY2021 | $93,912 | $74,027 | $116,834 | 1,676 |
| FY2022 | $116,043 | $83,800 | $143,317 | 2,934 |
| FY2023 | $129,544 | $108,514 | $153,200 | 3,429 |
| FY2024 | $135,000 | $115,000 | $158,500 | 3,596 |
| FY2025 | $137,500 | $119,703 | $161,657 | 4,756 |
| FY2026 | $142,626 | $120,000 | $167,835 | 3,568 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Data Engineer make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Data Engineer jobs is $140,000 (8,324 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $120,000 and $164,000.
What does an entry-level Data Engineer earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $103,600. Level I accounts for 11% of Data Engineer filings.
Which city pays H-1B Data Engineers the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, San Francisco, CA has the highest median base salary for Data Engineer jobs: $190,140 (472 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Data Engineers?
Deloitte (379), Meta (291) and Amazon (261) filed the most Data Engineer LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Data Engineers earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($140,000) is 0% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($139,500, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.