Build and maintain data pipelines, warehouses, and infrastructure for analytics. Median salary in Athens: $121K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Athens, Georgia. 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 Athens earn approximately 8% lower than the US national median for this role — a $11,000 discount on annual base salary. Athens's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 92 (US avg = 100).
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 Athens median reaches $165,780 in five years.
This role is 68% remote-eligible nationally according to job-posting analysis, which significantly expands the job market for Athens-based Data Engineers. Many Athens professionals in this role are paid on the locality scale of their employer's HQ rather than Athens's local rate — verify which scale your offer references before negotiating.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $121K by 2030.
Enter your email for free access. We'll send salary market updates — unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
The median Data Engineer salary in Athens, GA is $121,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Athens–GA 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 Athens with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $90,000 and $121,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $121,000 to $155,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $155,000 to $193,000 or more.
Athens has a cost of living index of 92 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 8% further in Athens than the national average. Georgia 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 Athens-based professionals.