Data Engineer Job Market 2026: Hiring, Pay & Remote Data
US employers posted 2,775 data engineer jobs in the 30 days ending October 15, 2026. Median posted pay is $137K, 21% of roles are fully remote and 3% are entry level. Here's who's hiring and what skills get interviews.
SIMPLEAPPLY JOB MARKET DATA · DATA ENGINEERING
US job postings, September 16 to October 15, 2026
Short answer: data engineering is in steady demand, pays well, and is one of the more remote-friendly tech roles, but it's hard to break into at entry level. In the 30 days ending October 15, 2026, US employers posted 2,775 data engineer jobs in SimpleApply's job data. The median posted salary was $137,000, 21% of roles were fully remote, and 3% were entry level.
At SimpleApply we apply to jobs for job seekers across Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS and other application systems, so we track these postings every day. Here's what the data says about the data engineer market and how to get more interviews from it.
VOLUME
2,775
US postings in 30 days
PAY
$137K
Median posted salary
REMOTE
21%
Fully remote roles
Key takeaways
- Strong pay. Median posted pay is $137,000, and $147,500 for senior roles.
- Very few entry-level roles. Only 3% of postings are entry level, the lowest of the roles in this series.
- More remote than most. 21% of postings are fully remote.
- SQL and Python are table stakes. SQL is in 75% of postings and Python in 70%. Databricks (29%) and Snowflake (26%) lead the platforms.
- Hiring is spread out. Texas, California and Virginia are nearly tied at the top.
How many data engineer jobs are open in 2026?
US employers posted 2,775 data engineer jobs in our data in the 30 days ending October 15, 2026. That includes data engineer titles at every level except internships and managers, with duplicate postings counted once.
| Level | Postings | Share | Median posted pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level | 91 | 3% | $95,000 |
| Mid level | 967 | 35% | $122,500 |
| Senior | 1,626 | 59% | $147,500 |
| Lead / executive | 91 | 3% | $183,838 |
What this means
Data engineering rewards people who've run real pipelines. If you're a data analyst or software engineer, the usual path in is taking ownership of a pipeline or warehouse project on your current team. Our software engineer and data analyst reports show those neighboring markets.
Data Engineer salaries in 2026
60% of data engineer postings in our data include a salary range. Using the midpoint of each range, the median is $137,000, and the middle 50% of postings fall between $115,000 and $163,818.
The step from mid level to senior adds about $25K in median posted pay.
Most in-demand data engineer skills
Three things to take from this:
- SQL and Python first. They're in 75% and 70% of postings.
- Name your platform. Databricks (29%), AWS (29%) and Snowflake (26%) are the most requested.
- Show modeling and pipeline work. Data modeling (32%) and ETL (30%) come right after the languages, and dbt is in 15%.
Put your strongest tools in a dedicated skills line using the posting's exact wording, and check what recruiters look for in a resume and these resume mistakes to avoid.
Who is hiring data engineers?
The most active employers in our data over the last 30 days include Capital One, Amazon, Booz Allen Hamilton, Capgemini, Apple, Optum, CACI, Cognizant, Deloitte, CVS Health, Travelers, Walmart, GDIT and IBM Consulting (staffing agencies and recruiting platforms excluded).
Banks, insurers, healthcare, retail and consultancies all need people to move and model their data. Many postings also come through IT staffing firms, which we've left out.
Where data engineer jobs are located (share of postings with a listed state):
| # | State | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 11.6% |
| 2 | California | 11.5% |
| 3 | Virginia | 11.4% |
| 4 | New York | 8.1% |
| 5 | Florida | 5.6% |
| 6 | North Carolina | 5.5% |
| 7 | Washington | 5.2% |
| 8 | Illinois | 4.9% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 4.2% |
| 10 | Georgia | 4.1% |
Are data engineer jobs remote?
Of data engineer postings in our data, 60% are on-site, 16% are hybrid and 21% are fully remote. Remote roles draw national applicant pools, so apply early and widely. More tips on our remote job seekers page.
Which application systems do data engineer employers use?
Workday hosts about 1 in 5 data engineer postings, and enterprise systems like iCIMS and Oracle/Taleo are common. 57% are on company career sites and other systems. SimpleApply applies directly on these systems for you, including Workday, Greenhouse and iCIMS. See how on our features page.
What this means for your data engineer job search
- Lead with SQL, Python and your platform (Databricks, Snowflake, AWS).
- Quantify pipelines: data volumes, latency, cost saved.
- Use remote search filters. 21% of roles are fully remote.
- Look in Texas, Virginia and North Carolina, not just California.
- If you're early in your career, get there through an analyst or software role first.
SimpleApply finds data engineer roles that match your profile and applies for you across these systems, so you can spend your time on interviews. New to it? Here's how a personal job search agent works.
Frequently asked questions
Is data engineer a good career in 2026?
US employers posted 2,775 data engineer jobs in our data in the 30 days ending October 15, 2026, with a median posted salary of $137,000.
How much do data engineers make in 2026?
Median posted pay for US data engineer jobs is $95,000 at entry level, $122,500 at mid level, $147,500 at senior, $183,838 at lead / executive (midpoint of posted salary ranges).
Can I get an entry-level data engineer job?
It's possible but competitive: 3% of data engineer postings are entry level, and most openings are mid or senior.
What skills do data engineers need in 2026?
The most requested skills are SQL (75%), Python (70%), Data modeling (32%), ETL (30%), Databricks (29%), AWS (29%).
Are data engineer jobs remote?
About 21% of US data engineer postings are fully remote, 16% are hybrid and 60% are on-site.
Methodology
This analysis uses SimpleApply's job data: US job postings with a posted date between September 16 and October 15, 2026, collected from company career sites and applicant tracking systems. Duplicate postings of the same job are counted once, and listings flagged as likely scams are excluded. Internships and manager titles are excluded. Pay figures use the midpoint of salary ranges published in the posting (estimated salaries excluded). Remote share uses the workplace type listed on the posting. Skills are those listed in each posting. Applicant tracking system share is based on where the job is hosted. Visa figures only count postings that state a sponsorship policy. Groups with fewer than 25 postings are not reported.
Published by Joe Perrotta, Founder of SimpleApply, October 2026. We update this report as new data comes in. Related reading: Data scientist job market 2026 · Software engineer job market 2026 · Remote job seekers
