Big Data Engineer Salary: Our Comprehensive Guide
We give you a comprehensive overview of big data engineer salaries based on all kinds of factors, from location and experience to company size and industry.
Helpful Summary
- Overview: We give you a comprehensive overview of big data engineer salaries based on all kinds of factors, from location and experience to company size and industry.
- Why you can trust us: We have helped connect more than 264 engineers with opportunities at leading companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook.
- Why this is important: Understanding the salary landscape for every role you consider is key if you want to maximize your earnings and plan your career.
- Action points: Evaluate your current skills and consider obtaining relevant certifications to increase marketability. Use specialized job boards like EchoJobs to find the best opportunities in big data engineering.
- Further research: Check out the EchoJobs blog for more salary comparison information and tips and tricks for securing your dream job.
Curious About How Much Big Data Engineers Earn?
Big data engineers are in high demand.
Companies have slowly but surely realized the value of data and its potential for their business. They need big data engineers to build and maintain the systems that generate, store, and analyze this data at scale.
As a result, salaries for big data engineers are high— $139,836 per year on average. But this isn't a one-size-fits-all number. In fact, salaries can vary greatly depending on your location, experience, and specific skills.
Want to get a better understanding of how much big data engineers are earning? In this EchoJobs salary guide, we're doing a deep dive into the data to give you an accurate picture of what compensation looks like for these professionals.
But first…
Why Trust Us?
Job hunting can be a soul-crushing experience. And while we can't make it easy, we can make it just a little bit easier.
At EchoJobs, we help engineers find high-quality, vetted opportunities at top companies. Our job board is always up-to-date and full of positions that pay competitive salaries. Plus, we provide resources and support to help you succeed in your job search.
What Is a Big Data Engineer?
A big data engineer is a technical professional responsible for building, maintaining, and managing the infrastructure that supports big data analysis. In other words, they build and maintain systems that collect, store, and process large amounts of data.
To become a successful big data engineer, you will need to have strong technical skills in areas such as database management, programming languages (like Python or Java), cloud computing platforms (such as AWS or Google Cloud), and software development tools (like Hadoop or Spark).
Big Data Engineer Salary Overview
Before we dive in, here's a quick overview of big data engineer salaries:
- Big data engineers in the US earn $139,836 per year on average.
- Big data engineers make an average of $67.23 per hour (pro rata).
- Big data engineer salaries range from $98,000 to $237,000 per year depending on a few factors (that we'll cover below).
Factors That Influence Big Data Engineer Salary
Location
The average salary for big data engineers can vary significantly by city, primarily due to differences in the local cost of living and demand for specialized skills.
Cities with lots of tech companies and strong tech economies—like Santa Clara, San Jose, Seattle, and Boston—tend to have higher salaries for big data engineers. On the other hand, cities with lower costs of living may pay less.
| City/State | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CA | $187,476 |
| San Jose, CA | $170,813 |
| Boston, MA | $151,174 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $129,302 |
| Atlanta, GA | $115,159 |
| Tampa, FL | $104,680 |
Experience
Experience influences your salary as a big data engineer quite a bit. As you gain experience, the logic follows that you also pick up new skills and hone your craft. This increases your value to employers, allowing you to demand a higher salary.
| Experience Years | Total Pay Range |
|---|---|
| 0 - 1 | $98,000 - $170,000 |
| 1 - 3 | $114,000 - $193,000 |
| 4 -6 | $126,000 - $207,000 |
| 7 - 9 | $132,000 - $219,000 |
| 10+ | $144,000 - $237,000 |
Most datasets find that entry-level big data engineers earn between $98,000 and $170,000 depending on a range of other factors.
Industry
The industry affects big data engineers' salaries because different sectors have varying demand levels for data expertise and budget allocations. High-demand industries like finance, technology, and healthcare typically offer higher wages.
Skills and Certifications
Some of the best skills and certifications that could land you a higher-paid big data engineer job include:
- Programming languages: Proficiency in languages such as Python, Java, Scala, and SQL is crucial for manipulating data and interacting with big data processing frameworks.
- Big data technologies: Hands-on experience with technologies like Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, and NoSQL databases (e.g., HBase, Cassandra, MongoDB) is essential.
- Data warehousing and ETL: Knowledge of data warehousing solutions (e.g., Redshift, BigQuery, Snowflake) and ETL tools (e.g., Talend, Informatica) for managing large datasets.
- AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty: Validates technical skills and experience in AWS data lakes and analytics services.
- Cloudera Data Platform Generalist Certification: Verifies proficiency with the Cloudera Data Platform, applicable to multiple roles, including data engineer.
- Microsoft Certified** Azure Data Engineer Associate**: Demonstrates expertise in integrating, converting, and consolidating data from unstructured and structured data systems into usable structures.
Company Size
Larger and more established companies often offer higher salaries. For example, the average salary for a big data engineer at Meta is $177,302 per year (with an upper limit of $318,000). That's between 35.7% and 143% higher than the US average.
To give you another example, here's a big data engineer listing from EchoJobs.
The company (HP) is offering a range of $118,000 to $171,000. The upper end of that range is much higher than the US average, which makes sense given the size and reputation of HP.
Negotiation Skills
Negotiation skills are crucial for securing the best salary as a big data engineer because they help you to communicate your value and justify higher compensation.
There's no data specific to big data engineers to call on here, but studies have found that you have a 40% chance of negotiating a 5% base salary increase if you ask. Apply that to the $139,836 average salary of US big data engineers, and you could be looking at a roughly $7,000 extra per year.
How Do Big Data Engineer Salaries Compare To Other Jobs?
On average, big data engineers can earn $139,836 annually. Here's how this salary compares with the average base salary for related roles.
| Role | Average Base Salary | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Learning Engineer | $159,946 | +14.4% |
| Data Architect | $149,960 | +7.2% |
| Big Data Developer | $130,000 | -7% |
| Business Intelligence Engineer | $122,284 | -12.5% |
| ETL Developer | $117,352 | -16% |
Machine learning engineers top the list, earning 14.2% more on average. ET developers come in last place (earnings-wise) with a salary of $117,352, which is 16% lower than the average big data engineer salary.
How Do Big Data Engineer Salaries Compare in Various Industries?
Big data engineers get great compensation packages in a lot of industries, including:
- Healthcare
- IT
- Financial services
The reason is pretty simple—
| Industry | Base Pay | Additional Pay | Total Pay Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | $118,000 - $171,000 | $30,000 - $56,000 | $149,000 - $227,000 |
| Information Technology | $117,000 - $164,000 | $30,000 - $56,000 | $146,000 - $220,000 |
| Healthcare | $122,000 - $166,000 | $26,000 - $49,000 | $149,000 - $216,000 |
| Retail and Wholesale | $108,000 - $162,000 | $28,000 - $52,000 | $136,000 - $214,000 |
| Manufacturing | $103,000 - $151,000 | $27,000 - $50,000 | $130,000 - $201,000 |
| Telecommunications | $114,000 - $157,000 | $21,000 - $40,000 | $135,000 - $197,000 |
| Education | $103,000 - $152,000 | $23,000 - $44,000 | $126,000 - $195,000 |
| Legal | $102,000 - $149,000 | $21,000 - $39,000 | $123,000 - $187,000 |
On the contrary, in sectors like education and legal, where big data usage is still evolving, there are generally lower revenue streams and budget constraints than finance and technology, and lower compensation is offered.
Do Big Data Engineer Employees Feel Fairly Compensated?
We've looked at the numbers, but how do the actual people behind those numbers feel about their compensation? According to surveys and interviews, big data engineers are generally satisfied with their pay.
The best data we have on this comes from a Glassdoor survey:
- Work/Life Balance (3.9/5): This rating suggests that most big data engineers are satisfied with their work/life balance. However, occasional challenges, such as on-call rotations, can affect this balance.
- Compensation & Benefits (3.7/5): While many big data engineers feel their salary and benefits are fair, there is room for improvement. The rating reflects a general satisfaction but highlights that some engineers may feel undercompensated—likely due to high-stress environments and technical work.
- Career Opportunity (3.9/5): It's clear that big data engineers see good career opportunities within their field, contributing positively to their overall job satisfaction.
How to Become a Big Data Engineer
Interested in becoming a big data engineer? You'll need to have a strong foundation in computer science, data analysis, and programming.
Here are three steps to get started on your journey:
1. Develop Strong Technical Skills
As a big data engineer, you will need to be proficient in various programming languages such as Java, Python, and SQL. It's also important to have a solid understanding of database management systems, cloud computing, and data visualization tools.
2. Gain Experience with Big Data Tools
Familiarize yourself with popular big data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, and NoSQL databases. These tools are commonly used in the industry and having experience with them will make you a more competitive candidate.
3. Find Opportunities Using a Specialized Job Board
Using a specialized job board (like EchoJobs) built specifically for software engineers is the best way to find big data engineer positions. We offer hourly updates, strict vetting, advanced search, alerts, and more to make job hunting as efficient as possible.
Conclusion
Becoming a big data engineer can be a smart career move. Not only are the salaries attractive, but the job also offers growth opportunities and the chance to make a real impact. When you're ready to begin a career in this field, keep learning and get some hands-on experience.
Ready to take the next step?
Use EchoJobs to explore the latest job opportunities and find your ideal role in this dynamic field. Your next big opportunity could be just around the corner.
