Technology Pittsburgh, PA Pop. 302,971

Data Engineer Salary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The median data engineer salary in Pittsburgh, PA is $118,750 per year, which is 5% below the national median and 3.1% below the Pennsylvania state average.

City Median
$118,750
vs State Avg
$-3,750
vs National
$-6,250
Cost of Living
93%

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

Pittsburgh offers a median data engineer salary of $118,750, which is $3,750 below the Pennsylvania state average of $122,500. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Pittsburgh pays below the national benchmark for this role.

Pittsburgh's cost of living is 93% 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 Pittsburgh spans from $74,100 at the 10th percentile to $180,500 at the 90th percentile — a $106,400 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $76,000, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $171,000. With a population of 302,971, Pittsburgh is a mid-sized metro with a growing job market.

Data Engineer Salary in Pittsburgh by Experience

In Pittsburgh, an entry-level data engineer earns around $76,000, while experienced professionals earn up to $171,000 per year. The local cost of living index is 93% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$76,000
$-4,000 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$120,650
$-6,350 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$171,000
$-9,000 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Pittsburgh, PA

Percentile Pittsburgh
10th Percentile $74,100
25th Percentile $95,000
Median (50th) $118,750
75th Percentile $150,100
90th Percentile $180,500

Data Engineer Salary in Other Pennsylvania Cities

Philadelphia, PA
$130,000
Pop. 1,603,797
Allentown, PA
$120,000
Pop. 126,092
Reading, PA
$112,500
Pop. 95,112
Erie, PA
$107,500
Pop. 94,831

How to Become a Data Engineer in Pittsburgh

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Pittsburgh and the surrounding Pennsylvania 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 Pittsburgh may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh

Browse open data engineer positions in Pittsburgh, PA:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Pittsburgh

How much does a Data Engineer make in Pittsburgh, PA? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is $118,750 per year, which is 5% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $74,100 (10th percentile) to $180,500 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Pittsburgh? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $118,750, a data engineer in Pittsburgh earns approximately $57 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the Pennsylvania state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Pittsburgh's median data engineer salary of $118,750 is 3.1% below the Pennsylvania state average of $122,500. The local cost of living index is 93% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Pittsburgh, PA? ▼
Pittsburgh has a cost of living index of 93% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $118,750 in Pittsburgh has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Pittsburgh? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Pittsburgh 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.