Technology Helena, MT Pop. 32,315

Data Engineer Salary in Helena, Montana

The median data engineer salary in Helena, MT is $112,500 per year, which is 10% below the national median and 1.1% below the Montana state average.

City Median
$112,500
vs State Avg
$-1,250
vs National
$-12,500
Cost of Living
94%

Data Engineer Pay in Helena: What to Expect (2026)

Helena offers a median data engineer salary of $112,500, which is $1,250 below the Montana state average of $113,750. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Helena pays below the national benchmark for this role.

Helena's cost of living is 94% of the national average, meaning salary figures here closely reflect actual purchasing power. This makes direct comparisons to other cities straightforward.

The salary range for data engineers in Helena spans from $70,200 at the 10th percentile to $171,000 at the 90th percentile — a $100,800 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $72,000, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $162,000. Helena is a smaller market (pop. 32,315), which may mean fewer openings but also less competition for available positions.

Data Engineer Salary in Helena by Experience

In Helena, an entry-level data engineer earns around $72,000, while experienced professionals earn up to $162,000 per year. The local cost of living index is 94% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$72,000
$-8,000 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$114,300
$-12,700 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$162,000
$-18,000 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Helena, MT

Percentile Helena
10th Percentile $70,200
25th Percentile $90,000
Median (50th) $112,500
75th Percentile $142,200
90th Percentile $171,000

Data Engineer Salary in Other Montana Cities

How to Become a Data Engineer in Helena

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Helena and the surrounding Montana area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Helena may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Helena

Browse open data engineer positions in Helena, MT:

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Helena

How much does a Data Engineer make in Helena, MT? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Helena, Montana is $112,500 per year, which is 10% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $70,200 (10th percentile) to $171,000 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Helena? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $112,500, a data engineer in Helena earns approximately $54 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Helena compare to the Montana state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Helena's median data engineer salary of $112,500 is 1.1% below the Montana state average of $113,750. The local cost of living index is 94% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Helena, MT? ▼
Helena has a cost of living index of 94% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $112,500 in Helena has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Helena? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Helena require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.