A data engineer is an IT professional who plays a very important role in the world of big data. They are the architects behind the scenes, designing, building, and maintaining the complex data infrastructure systems that power data analytics and operational applications.
Imagine a data engineer as a bridge between raw data and actionable insights. Data engineers take raw data from sources, clean up the data, organize it, and make it available for analysis. This means that data scientists, analysts, and other stakeholders can extract valuable insights that can drive better decision-making.
Data engineers wear many hats, but their core responsibilities can be summarized as follows:
In essence, data engineers are the plumbers of the data world. They ensure the data flows smoothly, is clean and reliable, and ultimately ready to be used to generate valuable insights.
To be a great data engineer, one needs technical skills and some particular educational background. Here is how it all works:
The average salary for Data Engineers varies significantly based on factors like experience, location, and specialization. In India, entry-level salaries typically range from ₹6,00,000 to ₹9,00,000 per year, while mid-career professionals can earn between ₹12,00,000 to ₹18,00,000 per year. Senior-level Data Engineers can command salaries upwards of ₹20,00,000 per year.
In the United States, salaries are generally higher. Mid-level positions typically range from $125,128 to $157,222 per year, while senior-level positions can earn between $144,519 to $177,289 per year. Specialized roles such as Computer Vision Engineers can earn up to $218,750 per year.
Other factors that influence Data Engineer salaries include geographic location, years of experience, technical skills, company size and industry, and specialization in emerging technologies like AI.
The salary for a Data Engineer can be highly variable depending on several key factors:
Experience Level: More experienced engineers generally earn higher salaries. Entry-level engineers are generally less compensated than mid-level professionals, and senior-level engineers with years of experience and specialized skills earn the highest salaries.
Role Specificity: Specialized areas like cybersecurity, cloud networking, or network automation will pay more due to the demand for those specific skills.
Employer Type: The type of employer can also contribute to salary determinations. Larger firms and organizations in fast-growing industries tend to offer greater salaries and benefits packages.
Location: Geographic locations also play an important role. Salaries in urban metropolises and tech hubs are relatively greater mainly because the cost of living is higher, besides there being a higher demand for specialized skills.
Experience Level |
US Salary |
India Salary |
Source |
Entry-Level (0-2 years) |
$77,783 |
₹6,00,000 - ₹8,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Early Career (2-4 years) |
$89,715 |
₹8,50,000 - ₹12,00,000 |
PayScale, Built In |
Mid-Level (5-7 years) |
$106,748 |
₹12,50,000 - ₹18,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Senior-Level (8-10 years) |
$117,582 |
₹18,00,000 - ₹25,00,000 |
PayScale, Built In |
Expert-Level (10+ years) |
$128,385 |
₹25,00,000+ |
6figr, Glassdoor |
Role |
US Salary |
India Salary |
Source |
Junior Data Engineer |
$111,998 |
₹6,00,000 - ₹8,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Mid-Level Data Engineer |
$125,128 - $157,222 |
₹8,50,000 - ₹12,00,000 |
Motion Recruitment, Glassdoor |
Database Engineer |
$117,606 |
₹9,00,000 - ₹13,00,000 |
Indeed, 6figr |
Company |
US Salary |
India Salary |
Source |
Amazon |
$141,246 - $190,000 |
₹20-25 Lakhs |
Built In, Motion Recruitment |
|
$150,000 - $210,000 |
₹22-30 Lakhs |
Motion Recruitment |
Microsoft |
$141,246 - $180,000 |
₹18-25 Lakhs |
Built In, 6figr |
Meta (Facebook) |
$160,000 - $220,000 |
₹20-28 Lakhs |
Motion Recruitment |
Netflix |
$170,000 - $250,000 |
Not Specified |
Motion Recruitment |
Uber |
$145,000 - $195,000 |
₹16-22 Lakhs |
Motion Recruitment |
Airbnb |
$155,000 - $210,000 |
Not Specified |
Motion Recruitment |
Skill Set |
US Salary |
India Salary |
Source |
Big Data (Hadoop/Spark) |
$125,417 |
₹7,00,000 - ₹10,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Cloud Platforms |
$121,418 |
₹6,50,000 - ₹9,00,000 |
Built In, Payscale |
Data Warehousing |
$115,408 |
₹6,00,000 - ₹8,50,000 |
Glassdoor, Payscale |
Real-Time Streaming |
$133,601 |
₹7,00,000 - ₹10,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Python Programming |
$125,417 |
₹8,00,000 - ₹12,00,000 |
Built In, Payscale |
SQL |
$121,418 |
₹6,50,000 - ₹9,50,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Certification |
US Salary |
India Salary |
Source |
Azure Data Engineer |
$137,500 |
₹8,00,000 |
Glassdoor, PayScale |
AWS Certified Data Engineer |
$130,782 |
₹10,00,000 |
6figr, Glassdoor |
Google Cloud Data Engineer |
$140,661 |
₹9,50,000 |
Built In, PayScale |
Hadoop Certification |
$125,000 |
₹7,50,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Apache Spark Certification |
$132,000 |
₹8,50,000 |
PayScale, Built In |
SQL Certification |
$120,000 |
₹6,00,000 |
Glassdoor, PayScale |
Location |
Average Salary |
Source |
San Francisco, CA |
$189,000 |
6figr |
Seattle, WA |
$174,892 |
Motion Recruitment |
New York, NY |
$157,222 |
Motion Recruitment |
Boston, MA |
$141,246 |
Built In |
Chicago, IL |
$125,128 |
Motion Recruitment |
Austin, TX |
$134,277 |
Built In |
Denver, CO |
$125,073 |
Built In |
Location |
Average Salary |
Source |
Bangalore |
₹15-20 Lakhs |
6figr |
Hyderabad |
₹12-18 Lakhs |
6figr |
Pune |
₹10-15 Lakhs |
6figr |
Mumbai |
₹12-16 Lakhs |
6figr |
Chennai |
₹10-14 Lakhs |
6figr |
Education Background |
US Salary |
India Salary |
Source |
Bachelor's Degree |
$71,799 |
₹4,00,000 - ₹7,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Master's Degree |
$89,715 |
₹8,50,000 - ₹12,00,000 |
PayScale, Built In |
PhD/Advanced Degree |
$106,748 |
₹12,00,000 - ₹18,00,000 |
Glassdoor, 6figr |
Professional Certification |
$89,838 |
₹6,00,000 - ₹9,00,000 |
PayScale, Glassdoor |
Industry |
Average Salary |
Source |
Information Technology |
$138,000 |
Built In |
Financial Services |
$141,246 |
Built In |
Healthcare |
$125,073 |
Built In |
Management Consulting |
$132,660 |
Built In |
Insurance |
$129,059 |
Built In |
Telecommunication |
$122,727 |
Built In |
Government |
$115,999 |
Built In |
Industry |
Average Salary |
Source |
Technology |
₹26.5 Lakhs |
6figr |
E-commerce |
₹20-25 Lakhs |
Uplers |
Financial Services |
₹18-22 Lakhs |
Uplers |
Healthcare |
₹15-20 Lakhs |
Uplers |
Consulting |
₹16-21 Lakhs |
Uplers |
Data Engineers are highly paid due to the critical role they play in today's data-driven world. They are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the infrastructure and systems that support an organization's data needs. This involves managing massive datasets, ensuring data quality, and enabling efficient data flow for analysis and decision-making. The increasing demand for data-driven insights across all industries has significantly increased the demand for skilled Data Engineers, making them highly sought-after professionals.
The future of Data Engineering looks incredibly promising. As businesses increasingly rely on data to drive their operations, the demand for skilled professionals who can manage and leverage this data will continue to grow exponentially. Data Engineers will need to adapt to evolving technologies such as cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP), big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark), and machine learning. Continuous learning and upskilling will be crucial to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge.
To obtain a competitive Data Engineer salary, focus on building a strong foundation in core data engineering concepts and technologies. Gain practical experience through internships, personal projects, and contributing to open-source projects. Obtain relevant certifications such as the Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer to demonstrate your expertise.
As an authorized Google Cloud Training Partner, NetCom Learning offers a wide range of data engineering training courses and certifications, including GCP Professional Data Engineer. Visit our Data Engineering Training page to explore our comprehensive portfolio and advance your career in this exciting field.