Build and maintain data pipelines, warehouses, and infrastructure for analytics. Median salary in Arlington: $178K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Arlington, Virginia. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Data Engineers in Arlington earn approximately 35% higher than the US national median for this role — a $46,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Arlington's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Arlington's cost-of-living index (148), the median Data Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $120,270 in a US-average-cost city. That's $11,730 less purchasing power than the national median — the higher nominal salary doesn't fully offset local costs.
This role's national salaries are growing at 6.5% year-over-year, well above the BLS all-occupations average of ~3.5%. If that pace holds, the Arlington median reaches $243,875 in five years.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $178K by 2030.
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The median Data Engineer salary in Arlington, VA is $178,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Arlington–VA metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Data Engineers in Arlington with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $132,000 and $178,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $178,000 to $227,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $227,000 to $284,000 or more.
Arlington has a cost of living index of 148 compared to the US national average of 100. Arlington's cost of living is above the US average, so the salary figures above reflect local market rates. Virginia has a 5.75% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in CS, Engineering, or related. This role is 68% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Arlington-based professionals.