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Job outlook for data engineers in the United States
Data engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected data engineer job growth rate is 21% from 2018-2028.
About 284,100 new jobs for data engineers are projected over the next decade.
Data engineer salaries have increased 10% for data engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 10,573 data engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 303,105 active data engineer job openings in the US.
The average data engineer salary is $109,675.
Are data engineer jobs in demand?
Data engineer job and salary trends over time
Data engineer jobs over time
Data engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,573 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 10,099 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 9,765 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 13,611 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 12,846 | 0.00% |
Average data engineer salary over time
Data engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $109,675 | $52.73 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $106,062 | $50.99 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $103,660 | $49.84 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $101,830 | $48.96 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $100,119 | $48.13 | +1.9% |
Data engineer jobs by state
Most common states for data engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 943 | 136% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 5,265 | 71% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 3,974 | 58% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 484 | 50% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 4,082 | 48% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,832 | 47% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,413 | 46% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 477 | 45% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,841 | 44% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 276 | 44% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 553 | 41% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 2,201 | 39% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,030 | 36% |
| 14 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 378 | 36% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 13,637 | 34% |
| 16 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 253 | 33% |
| 17 | Alaska | 739,795 | 241 | 33% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 605 | 32% |
| 19 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 184 | 32% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1,101 | 31% |
Most common cities for data engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 97 | 246% | $95,224 |
| 2 | Dover | 67 | 177% | $93,167 |
| 3 | Hartford | 113 | 92% | $98,430 |
| 4 | Lansing | 97 | 84% | $87,082 |
| 5 | Atlanta | 183 | 39% | $86,943 |
| 6 | Tallahassee | 70 | 37% | $84,624 |
| 7 | Baton Rouge | 81 | 36% | $82,907 |
| 8 | Des Moines | 71 | 33% | $81,630 |
| 9 | Boston | 200 | 30% | $99,677 |
| 10 | Washington | 131 | 19% | $93,798 |
| 11 | Sacramento | 79 | 16% | $130,092 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 92 | 11% | $80,302 |
| 13 | Denver | 76 | 11% | $84,439 |
| 14 | San Francisco | 79 | 9% | $132,082 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 122 | 8% | $94,858 |
| 16 | Chicago | 137 | 5% | $87,133 |
| 17 | Los Angeles | 70 | 2% | $119,863 |
| 18 | New York | 122 | 1% | $105,966 |
Data Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of data engineer experts
Kennesaw State University
University of California - Davis
Mississippi College
Ohio State University
Montclair State University
Seattle University
University of Illinois at Chicago
Adelphi University
University of Maryland - College Park
San Francisco State University
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Yipeng Yang: Logic and critical thinking, mathematical modeling, computer programming, data analytics, and communication.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yipeng Yang: Get to know clearly the job duties quickly. Make good connections with colleagues and listen to their advices.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Yipeng Yang: Enhance problem-solving ability. Keep learning and improving new skills in your field.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joseph Spivey: I think technology, especially artificial intelligence, provide increasingly important tools. Mathematics graduates will need to understand how to use technology in all kinds of new ways to improve their output and efficiency. Math graduates will need to be able to identify the best technological tools for a given task and critically interpret the output. As with most technological tools, people will be best served by using technology to augment, rather than replace, their efforts.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Joseph Spivey: My first piece of advice is to recognize that you have achieved something hard and worthwhile by completing a mathematics major. There are not many people on this planet who have the knowledge and skills that you have developed! By completing a math major, you have proven that you have excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and these abilities and confidence in your abilities will pay off. I also think it’s worthwhile to identify a mentor early on who can help guide you to be successful.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Dr. Partha Sengupta: Data processing and data science have a rapid growth in job market about 35% which is faster in growth than any other streams of Computer Science. Data is the new petroleum of the modern age. Data storage and management in cloud-based infrastructure, understanding data storage in relational and non-relational databases and secure catching configuration, global accessibility and collaboration of data, data privacy and security, preprocessing and using advanced algorithms to analyze data is the current and future requirement. You are going to take center stage in all other end software applications which will need a robust and secure data workflow for successful implementation of the process.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Partha Sengupta: Skills of data privacy like anonymization, aggregation, user-centric privacy control, homomorphic encryption, and federated learning algorithms. Database security that protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of an organization. Using adaptive security systems in this field is very important for automation of data storage and accessibility. Understanding data privacy laws like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) used in Europe, USA laws like California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) etc. and more cybersecurity laws and ethics to evolve in the future for dynamic nature of data workflow, such that the students understand compliance with myriads of data protection regulations as per individual country, continents, and global data protection and privacy laws. Students should also be aware of quantum computing mechanisms and post-quantum encryption process. Another important aspect is edge computing which involves data processing at the edge, real-time decision-making, optimized data transmission, distributed architecture, and scalability and flexibility. Understanding A.I. models used in multimodal learning process like audio, video, images, 3D maps, natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning algorithms, generative transformer models which correlated relation between words in a sentence using a technique called self-attention, local training of data using A.I models in a distributive network called Federated learning.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Partha Sengupta: Fit to jobs like Data Controllers and Data Processors understanding both USA and International data privacy and protection laws, implementing data protection into system and processes, auditing, authentication, and access control. Creators of robust and secured databases and recommender systems using collaborative, content, hybrid and contextual filtering. One such example is Deep Learning Recommendation Learning (DLRM). Data storage, processability and usage in edge computing in IoT devices including personalized chatbots. Running A.I. (AIoT), analytics, and other business capabilities on IoT devices, consolidate edge data at scale and eliminate data silos, deploy manage and help secure edge workloads remotely, optimize the costs of running edge solutions, and enable devices to react faster to local changes. Handling data related to medical instruments, medical chatbots, and usage of A.I for data analytics in application of telemedicine, diagnosis accuracy, and medical laboratories. Medical data analytics of A.I application in mental health disorders (MHD) and medical image classification. Another important aspect of genetic data and the application of A.I on it. Language Model architectures using human language data, deep learning algorithms, and application of generative transformers
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Dr. Michael Zhang: In the coming years, turning data into insights and driving business innovation and success is the new compass.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Michael Zhang: Don’t worry about your job title. Regardless of what you do, prepare yourself with data and modeling skills and hands-on experience in applying knowledge for developing, evaluating, refining and implementing analytics solutions to your career.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Michael Zhang: All your study at University is a solid foundation of the bridge between theory and practice. Don’t be afraid of failure, be open-minded, keep learning and adapting to new challenges.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Julie Brandis: Oregon State University provides support in salary negotiation, also students can work with mentors who are familiar with company hiring practices and wage structures. If you have internship experience, that can help to boost your starting salary.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Devin Rafferty PhD: Read anything and everything, especially history. There is an enormous value that someone can gain simply from understanding how different disciplines fit together, because the real-world is not segmented into sociology, politics, economics, etc.; rather it is all one dynamic system. For example, when students ask me what they should really focus on reading to prepare for their careers, I usually respond by asking what *exactly* will be their careers in fifteen years--which is frequently met with indecision. The point is that one should not tailor their knowledge and skill sets to an expected career; rather, just the opposite, one should learn *everything* that the brain can absorb and then the skill sets needed for the career will already be there--and obtaining promotions will be fairly straightforward.
Cornelius Nelan Prof.
Professor of MathematicsWhat general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Cornelius Nelan Prof.: I would say that it is a good idea to visit the career placement center in your school to get help writing a resume. When you apply, write a cover letter that is specifically tailored to the job description and explain how you would uniquely be qualified for the position. Do some research into the company and explain why you are interested in the job.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Cornelius Nelan Prof.: Advanced topics are gravy, you should be grounded in the basics: Precalculus skills (especially trigonometry and algebra), Calculus, and Linear Algebra. It is also good to have a background in statistics, and computer science (Learn a computer language, such as Java.) Given the job market today, you should be somewhat familiar with Data Science and AI. If you have time take some business (especially Finance) classes. It is also important to be able to work in group settings. An important skill is your ability to communicate (orally and in writing) to mathematicians but also to non-mathematicians. If you can find a professor who is willing to supervise (and give credit for) some independent research project, do so. It is important to demonstrate that you can work independently (do literature searches, work problems out for yourself). Include this in your resume. It would also be good to get some experience tutoring mathematics (to non-majors or majors). Again, this demonstrates your ability to communicate.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Cornelius Nelan Prof.: Emphasize your ability to learn mathematics independently, and work with groups. In your cover letter emphasize your ability to grow and adapt to the job you are applying for. Even after you find a job, keep looking; something better may come up.
Christopher Misorski FASM
Brunswick Technical Fellow-Materials Product Development & EngineeringWhat will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Christopher Misorski FASM: Maximizing salary potential at the start of your career is not a clear pathway generally. One way that you can be considered more valuable, and hence worth a better salary, is to have participated in a co-op or internship program with a company in your field. This experience gives employers some confidence that you were able to carry out assignments and thrive in a workplace environment. The employer that you worked for may be inclined to offer you a position upon graduation and you are now worth more because you have already proven to them your abilities. Even if they don’t offer you a job (no appropriate open position may be available) your ability to discuss your experiences with the HR recruiter or hiring manager at another company can instill confidence in your selection as a hire. Just remember, if you tell them you did a project, be prepared to explain it so it doesn’t appear you were just in the background of this project, just going along for the ride.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Dr. Yeol Huh: Avoid falling for the myth of adopting technology just for its own sake. Although it's tempting to experiment with the latest innovations, your approach should be grounded in fundamentals. Begin by defining the goals or outcomes you wish to achieve, and consider relevant theories that guide your approach.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Yeol Huh: Pursuing certification programs in data analytics and AI fundamentals, offered by organizations like Google or Microsoft, can be beneficial before starting your career. Additionally, securing an internship to gain firsthand experience in the field can significantly enhance your salary potential. Lastly, developing an electronic portfolio where you can compile the works you have done and showcase your skills and knowledge can be an extra help.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Yeol Huh: Data literacy is undoubtedly one of the most crucial skills in the field today. Understanding how to identify, collect, analyze data, and make data-driven decisions will be key competencies in the next 3-5 years. This will increasingly include AI literacy, enabling you to identify and apply appropriate AI technologies to your specific contexts.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Yubei Chen: In addition to the emerging AI tools, I feel data skill is also going to be important. AI models are trained on massive data. How to prepare, curate large-scale high-quality data will become an important trade.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yubei Chen: When there is a new technology, there is usually a shift in job opportunities. I think it is increasingly more important for the young generations to learn how to use the emerging AI tools to efficiently accomplish their jobs, for example coding copilot, chatGPT, generative models, etc.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Yubei Chen: Try to play with AI tools. AI as a generic technology is moving very fast. This is a unique opportunity for the young generation. In addition to the problem-solving ability, please also improve your information curation skills.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Taylor Poe Ph.D.: Remember to problem solve creatively just as you did in your coursework. The critical thinking and problem-solving skills you learned will be continually tested in whatever field you go into from your math degree. Also remember the benefits of collaborating with colleagues both in the field and in other disciplines.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Taylor Poe Ph.D.: Data analysis is certainly a growing field, and we cannot deny the benefits of having some programming skills. The ability to communicate and work with others will open doors to bigger projects.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Taylor Poe Ph.D.: Sell the strengths that set you apart and be willing to continue learning new skills and areas.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Congedo PhD: That comes from your ability to focus on technical product of the highest quality, always seeking to truly understand the customer’s needs. For example, often a customer will phrase a problem by stating the solution he or she assumes. Taking the time to respectfully draw out the thinking further can make you the customer’s hero, and this makes you the person likely to be selected for the challenging and most rewarded assignments.
Tim Scales
Director of Center for Entrepreneurship – Director Center for Economic Education and Senior Lecturer in Business and EconomicsWhat general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Tim Scales: I would advise a graduate beginning their career in the field to focus on building a strong network, continuously learning and adapting to new technologies and trends, and seeking mentorship from experienced professionals in the industry.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tim Scales: To maximize salary potential when starting a career in the field, it's important to negotiate effectively, demonstrate value through performance, seek out opportunities for advancement and additional responsibilities, and continuously invest in improving skills and knowledge relevant to the industry.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Tim Scales: In the next 3-5 years, I believe skills such as data analysis, digital marketing, and adaptability to changing market conditions will become increasingly important and prevalent in the field.
Professor Todd Thompson
Astronomy Chair (potentially)Ohio State University
Astronomy And Astrophysics
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Professor Todd Thompson: Depending on the positions applied for, it is beneficial to do lots of “coding interview practice” and general interview practice. There are resources for learning algorithms and the types of questions asked in the technical parts of interviews. Separate from that, one should have a webpage (e.g., github) potentially with active coding projects. Separate from that, one should have a linkedin page and work to develop contacts at various companies. Contacts can help you get past the initial triage phase for a job and to the interview stage. Networking.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Todd Thompson: There is a big obvious shift towards AI/ML-enabled data discovery. Regardless of sub-field, students should develop proficiency with general data science tools and they should keep up on new developments in AI/ML (e.g., Pytorch).
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Professor Todd Thompson: Work hard. Be curious. Develop microskills associated with your science projects, but also the macroskills needed to develop and lead projects: question-asking, conceptualization, data interrogation, reading and writing.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tanesha Thomas PhD: In addition to the career options mentioned above, a degree in sociology prepares students for modern careers such as data analytics. Data analysts, data scientists and data engineers are in high demand across a variety of industries around the world. Businesses and other organizations are increasingly using data to give them better insight into their practices and shape strategies. Data analysis uses the latest technological tools to identify patterns and inform decision making. Sociologists with careers in data analytics can work in healthcare, education, advertising, consulting and a variety of other businesses.
Jhon Smith
Associate Professor and Director of MS in Structural EngineeringSeattle University
Civil Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Jhon Smith: Do not be afraid to ask questions to your supervisors (although do not take it to an extreme and become demanding—show initiative). You get the fundamentals of engineering at school and you are equipped to use them but it takes a few years to feel comfortable. Engineering is a profession of practice and it is only through practice that you best learn it.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jhon Smith: Expand your network, join professional organizations and committees, become valuable in whatever company you work for, never stop learning, seek for opportunities for professional work, get your PE license. After these you will become more valuable naturally and could comfortably ask for a promotion or a salary increase because you’d know you deserve it.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Jhon Smith: Professional skills such as being able to communicate clearly, being flexible, open-minded, eager to take on challenges, adept and working with others and taking ownership of the projects tasks given to you. Staying grounded to the fundamental concepts you learn in school so every time you run a sophisticated piece of software to do design you must be able to use those fundamentals to check the results.
Spyros Kitsiou Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
Medical Illustration And Informatics
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Spyros Kitsiou Ph.D.: In terms of hard skills: Data analytics, Machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques, Mobile health informatics. In terms of soft skills: Problem-solving, Motivation and drive driven by curiosity, Communication skills.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Spyros Kitsiou Ph.D.: By targeting positions that align with your background and expertise and by adjusting aspects of your CV and cover letter to highlight your skills and competencies in relation to the position you are applying for. Also, by negotiating your salary and providing justification as to why you deserve more than the initial offer. Do your research and talk to people to gain a better understanding of what is the salary range of the position you are applying.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Dr. Shana Caro: Graduates can maximize their salary potential by finding jobs that suit their own strengths, and writing a convincing cover letter that tells hiring managers just how much value they can add to the company. They can also research starting salaries in their chosen career, and negotiate their salaries based on that evidence. Graduates can also consider moving to areas with higher paying jobs. Finally, graduates should consider and ask what criteria their bosses will use when evaluating their work output; essentially, they should find out what matters most to the company or boss, and work hardest on those metrics. There has also been a tension between the graduates' desire for remote work and companies' preference for in-person work. Graduates should consider flexibility in their working arrangements, since how happy your supervisors are with you may determine whether you get raises and promotions. Putting in face time can help you stand out in an increasingly remote world.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Shana Caro: Graduates beginning their careers should always think about their personal growth and strengths. When picking a career, consider what your strengths are. If you are good at computer programming, pick a career like software design. If you are good at translating complex scientific results into clear English, pick a career like data sciences, sales for a biotech company, or medical writing. In every job, have goals for the skills you want to develop and work on those. Find a mentor in your work who can help you accomplish those.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Shana Caro: In the next 3-5 years, graduates will want to have a mix of hard and soft skills. As AI and LLMs become more powerful and prevalent, being able to use these new tools effectively will be incredibly helpful in a variety of industries. Coming up with the right prompts to direct these models is a high-level skill that takes practice. In data science jobs, which Biological and Physical Science majors would excel at, basic computer programming in any language, data visualization, and understanding A-B testing will be important. The value-add of graduates in these majors is frequently that they can translate mathematical results into business insights in plain English and clear data visualizations. Additionally, graduates will also have to focus on their soft skills -- especially communicating with their managers and teammates in a professional and effective manner. Finally, flexibility is a key soft skill in any field. Graduates should be able to take criticism and improve their work, and be excited to learn new technical skills.
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Sean Cao: Data analytics skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and communication skills will become more important and prevalent in the next few years. Acquiring these skills positions students to gain a competitive edge in the era of AI.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sean Cao: Acquiring in-demand skills and expanding institutional knowledge through industry experience can maximize salary potential at the beginning of your career. First, enhancing these skills through certifications, internships, and active involvement in pertinent projects can significantly boost your attractiveness to employers. Moreover, obtaining industry experience via internships provides invaluable practical knowledge and insights. Furthermore, networking within your industry can provide access to mentorship, recommendations, and insider information crucial for maximizing earning potential. Last, delving deeply into understanding your industry and specializing in niche areas can elevate your salary prospects.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Sean Cao: First, enhancing proficiency in data analytics is important for accounting students aiming to excel in today's data-rich financial environment. It is imperative that students can effectively use advanced data analytics tools to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data, such as 10-K, 8-K, and ESG disclosures. By leveraging analytical tools to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies within financial data, students can transform complex information into actionable insights. This ability not only facilitates informed decision-making but also distinguishes individuals as indispensable assets within any organization. Second, cultivating critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The ability to think critically and solve problems creatively is particularly important in the age of AI. As AI technologies increasingly automate routine tasks, the unique human ability to think critically, evaluate complex situations, and generate innovative solutions becomes more valuable than ever. In addition, strengthening effective communication skills. In an era where technology frequently facilitates interactions, the capacity to articulate ideas clearly and convincingly, both verbally and in writing, is important. Enhancing communication skills contributes to better collaboration with colleagues and management, ensuring that your ideas and contributions are duly recognized and appreciated.
Dr. Bob Patterson DNP, MSN, RN
ProfessorSan Francisco State University
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research And Clinical Nursing
What general advice would you give to a Data Engineer?
Dr. Bob Patterson DNP, MSN, RN: I would advise graduates starting their career in the field to focus on continuous learning, networking, and gaining practical experience. It's essential to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in the field to remain competitive.
What Data Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Bob Patterson DNP, MSN, RN: In the next 3-5 years, skills such as data analysis, digital literacy, and intercultural communication will become increasingly important in the field. Employers are looking for candidates who can adapt to rapidly changing environments and work effectively with diverse teams.
What will help Data Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Bob Patterson DNP, MSN, RN: To maximize your salary potential when starting your career in the field, it's crucial to negotiate your starting salary based on your qualifications, experience, and the market demand for your skills. Additionally, pursuing advanced certifications and specializations can increase your earning potential in the long run.