Best cities for a data engineer
The best cities for data engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Fremont, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for data engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for data engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a data engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for data engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for data engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a data engineer. While the absolute best city for data engineers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for data engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a data engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for data engineers in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Data engineer jobs in San FranciscoTotal data engineer jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $132,082 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000 Location quotient: 6.07 2. Seattle, WA
Data engineer jobs in SeattleTotal data engineer jobs: 229 Average annual salary: $110,694 Lowest 10 percent warn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location quotient: 10.42 3. Fremont, CA
Data engineer jobs in FremontTotal data engineer jobs: 190 Average annual salary: $131,461 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000 Location quotient: 2.73 4. Oakland, CA
Data engineer jobs in OaklandTotal data engineer jobs: 83 Average annual salary: $131,788 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000 Location quotient: 2.51 5. San Jose, CA
Data engineer jobs in San JoseTotal data engineer jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $131,315 Lowest 10 percent warn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000 Location quotient: 2.30 6. Detroit, MI
Data engineer jobs in DetroitTotal data engineer jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $88,010 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location quotient: 3.65 7. Scottsdale, AZ
Data engineer jobs in ScottsdaleTotal data engineer jobs: 116 Average annual salary: $94,743 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location quotient: 3.22 8. Raleigh, NC
Data engineer jobs in RaleighTotal data engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $91,649 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location quotient: 2.87 9. Durham, NC
Data engineer jobs in DurhamTotal data engineer jobs: 154 Average annual salary: $91,584 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location quotient: 2.74 10. Islip, NY
Data engineer jobs in IslipTotal data engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $106,226 Lowest 10 percent warn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 17.20
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Best cities for data engineers
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Fremont, CA
- Oakland, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Detroit, MI
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Raleigh, NC
- Durham, NC
- Islip, NY
Detailed list of the best cities for a data engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $132,082 | $94,000 | 870,887 | 52 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $110,694 | $80,000 | 704,352 | 229 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $131,461 | $94,000 | 233,136 | 190 |
| 4 | Oakland, CA | $131,788 | $94,000 | 420,005 | 83 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $131,315 | $93,000 | 1,025,350 | 52 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $88,010 | $66,000 | 672,795 | 11 |
| 7 | Scottsdale, AZ | $94,743 | $69,000 | 246,645 | 116 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $91,649 | $68,000 | 458,880 | 3 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $91,584 | $68,000 | 263,016 | 154 |
| 10 | Islip, NY | $106,226 | $79,000 | 335,543 | 3 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $95,280 | $71,000 | 1,567,872 | 92 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $87,449 | $66,000 | 298,800 | 167 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $91,368 | $67,000 | 947,890 | 156 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $88,957 | $66,000 | 860,090 | 49 |
| 15 | Madison, WI | $87,731 | $66,000 | 252,551 | 187 |
| 16 | Sacramento, CA | $130,092 | $92,000 | 495,234 | 115 |
| 17 | Plano, TX | $88,719 | $66,000 | 286,057 | 54 |
| 18 | Irvine, CA | $118,083 | $85,000 | 266,122 | 193 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $94,858 | $69,000 | 1,615,017 | 197 |
| 20 | Winston-Salem, NC | $90,572 | $68,000 | 242,203 | 40 |
| 21 | Irving, TX | $89,158 | $66,000 | 238,289 | 172 |
| 22 | Chandler, AZ | $94,589 | $69,000 | 247,477 | 72 |
| 23 | Charlotte, NC | $89,544 | $67,000 | 842,051 | 74 |
| 24 | Los Angeles, CA | $119,863 | $86,000 | 3,976,322 | 7 |
| 25 | Cleveland, OH | $91,552 | $68,000 | 385,809 | 69 |
| 26 | Boston, MA | $99,677 | $75,000 | 673,184 | 184 |
| 27 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,359 | $69,000 | 303,625 | 147 |
| 28 | San Antonio, TX | $91,424 | $67,000 | 1,492,510 | 227 |
| 29 | Dallas, TX | $89,201 | $66,000 | 1,317,929 | 21 |
| 30 | Las Vegas, NV | $97,188 | $70,000 | 632,912 | 106 |
| 31 | Glendale, AZ | $94,908 | $69,000 | 245,895 | 15 |
| 32 | New York, NY | $105,966 | $79,000 | 8,537,673 | 17 |
| 33 | San Diego, CA | $116,177 | $84,000 | 1,406,630 | 59 |
| 34 | Nashville, TN | $82,040 | $62,000 | 660,388 | 248 |
| 35 | Henderson, NV | $96,634 | $69,000 | 292,969 | 6 |
| 36 | Toledo, OH | $89,949 | $67,000 | 278,508 | 13 |
| 37 | Milwaukee, WI | $88,351 | $67,000 | 595,047 | 130 |
| 38 | Long Beach, CA | $118,795 | $86,000 | 470,130 | 20 |
| 39 | Portland, OR | $99,843 | $72,000 | 639,863 | 209 |
| 40 | Chicago, IL | $87,133 | $66,000 | 2,704,958 | 240 |
| 41 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $85,344 | $63,000 | 260,999 | 96 |
| 42 | Atlanta, GA | $86,943 | $65,000 | 472,522 | 50 |
| 43 | Reno, NV | $101,895 | $72,000 | 245,255 | 10 |
| 44 | Gilbert, AZ | $94,532 | $69,000 | 237,133 | 8 |
| 45 | Santa Ana, CA | $118,342 | $85,000 | 334,217 | 10 |
| 46 | Greensboro, NC | $90,908 | $68,000 | 287,027 | 25 |
| 47 | Minneapolis, MN | $86,533 | $66,000 | 413,651 | 41 |
| 48 | Newark, NJ | $96,243 | $71,000 | 281,764 | 102 |
| 49 | Lincoln, NE | $82,719 | $62,000 | 280,364 | 88 |
| 50 | Bakersfield, CA | $125,194 | $89,000 | 376,380 | 4 |
Highest paying cities for data engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. data engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $132,082 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $110,694 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $105,966 |
| 4 | Beaverton, OR | $99,941 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $99,677 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $98,430 |
| 7 | Washington, NJ | $95,778 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $95,280 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $94,858 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $93,798 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $92,887 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $91,649 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $91,424 |
| 14 | Portland, ME | $89,796 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $88,957 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $88,010 |
| 17 | Madison, WI | $87,731 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $87,133 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $86,943 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $86,533 |
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Updated January 8, 2025