Technology Richmond, VA Pop. 226,610

Data Engineer Salary in Richmond, Virginia

The median data engineer salary in Richmond, VA is $135,000 per year, which is 8.0% above the national median and 3.6% below the Virginia state average.

City Median
$135,000
vs State Avg
$-5,000
vs National
+$10,000
Cost of Living
100%

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

Richmond offers a median data engineer salary of $135,000, which is $5,000 below the Virginia state average of $140,000. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Richmond pays above average for this role.

Richmond's cost of living is 100% 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 Richmond spans from $84,240 at the 10th percentile to $205,200 at the 90th percentile — a $120,960 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $86,400, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $194,400. With a population of 226,610, Richmond is a mid-sized metro with a growing job market.

Data Engineer Salary in Richmond by Experience

In Richmond, an entry-level data engineer earns around $86,400, while experienced professionals earn up to $194,400 per year. The local cost of living index is 100% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$86,400
+$6,400 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$137,160
+$10,160 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$194,400
+$14,400 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Richmond, VA

Percentile Richmond
10th Percentile $84,240
25th Percentile $108,000
Median (50th) $135,000
75th Percentile $170,640
90th Percentile $205,200

Data Engineer Salary in Other Virginia Cities

How to Become a Data Engineer in Richmond

Education

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

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Richmond

Browse open data engineer positions in Richmond, VA:

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Richmond

How much does a Data Engineer make in Richmond, VA? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Richmond, Virginia is $135,000 per year, which is 8.0% above the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $84,240 (10th percentile) to $205,200 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Richmond? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $135,000, a data engineer in Richmond earns approximately $65 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Richmond compare to the Virginia state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Richmond's median data engineer salary of $135,000 is 3.6% below the Virginia state average of $140,000. The local cost of living index is 100% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Richmond, VA? ▼
Richmond has a cost of living index of 100% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $135,000 in Richmond has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Richmond? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Richmond 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.