Build and maintain data pipelines, warehouses, and infrastructure for analytics. Median salary in Columbia: $116K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Columbia, South Carolina. 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 Columbia earn approximately 12% lower than the US national median for this role — a $16,000 discount on annual base salary. Columbia's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 88 (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 Columbia median reaches $158,930 in five years.
This role is 68% remote-eligible nationally according to job-posting analysis, which significantly expands the job market for Columbia-based Data Engineers. Many Columbia professionals in this role are paid on the locality scale of their employer's HQ rather than Columbia'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 $116K by 2030.
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The median Data Engineer salary in Columbia, SC is $116,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Columbia–SC 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 Columbia with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $86,000 and $116,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $116,000 to $148,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $148,000 to $185,000 or more.
Columbia has a cost of living index of 88 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 12% further in Columbia than the national average. South Carolina has a 6.5% 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 Columbia-based professionals.