Expert Data Engineer salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 63 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Malvern, Wilmington, Downingtown, Exton, Wayne.
Also listed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $152,818 |
| 25th | $159,954 |
| 50th (median) | $168,668 |
| 75th | $191,095 |
| 90th | $211,359 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2021 | $122,155 | $120,375 | $136,750 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $135,000 | $125,000 | $149,348 | 25 |
| FY2023 | $155,000 | $138,000 | $163,758 | 37 |
| FY2024 | $152,818 | $151,528 | $176,294 | 30 |
| FY2025 | $164,483 | $154,775 | $190,048 | 44 |
| FY2026 | $175,740 | $165,000 | $197,243 | 19 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median expert Data Engineer salary of $168,668 is worth about $164,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Architects in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $163,590 in May 2025 (1,500 employed). The H-1B median here is $168,668, 3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| The Vanguard Group | $184,710 | 16 |
| Deloitte | too few | 4 |
| IBM | too few | 4 |
| Independence Blue Cross | too few | 3 |
| Lincoln National | too few | 3 |
| Green Leaf Consulting Group | too few | 2 |
| Iqvia | too few | 2 |
| SPL Consulting | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $93,750 | 31 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $117,811 | 79 |
| Senior · Level III | $138,772 | 48 |
| Expert · Level IV | $168,668 | 63 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $79,789 | $93,750 | 31 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $117,811 | $117,811 | 79 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,482 | $138,772 | 48 |
| Expert · Level IV | $152,818 | $168,668 | 63 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.