Data Engineer vs Business Intelligence Analyst: Which Pays More?
Side-by-side salary comparison by city, experience level, and career growth outlook. Data reflects current market rates.
Data Engineer
Build and maintain data pipelines, warehouses, and ETL infrastructure.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Build dashboards and reports to surface KPIs for business teams.
Data Engineer earns more on average — the national median is $0/year (0%) higher than a Business Intelligence Analyst. However, salaries vary significantly by city, employer, and experience level — see the city-by-city breakdown below.
Data Engineer vs Business Intelligence Analyst — Salary by City
National median figures in USD across top cities.
| City | Data Engineer | Business Intelligence Analyst | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $202,499 | $207,300 | Data $4,801 |
| New York, NY | $131,540 | $172,390 | Data $40,850 |
| Seattle, WA | $105,430 | $196,915 | Data $91,485 |
| Austin, TX | $153,836 | $159,214 | Data $5,378 |
| Chicago, IL | $154,010 | $153,086 | Data +$924 |
| Boston, MA | $179,962 | $179,806 | Data +$156 |
| London, UK | £108,711 | £105,924 | Data +$2,787 |
| Toronto, Canada | CA$181,115 | CA$182,284 | Data $1,169 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Data Engineer or Business Intelligence Analyst earn more?+
A Data Engineer earns more on average. The national median salary for a Data Engineer is $139,500/year, compared to $139,500/year for a Business Intelligence Analyst — a difference of $0 (0%).
Which has better career growth — Data Engineer or Business Intelligence Analyst?+
Data Engineer roles are growing at 34% YoY while Business Intelligence Analyst demand is growing at 20% YoY. Data Engineer has stronger near-term demand growth.
Can you switch from Data Engineer to Business Intelligence Analyst?+
Yes. Many professionals transition between these roles, especially since both are in the same category. Shared skills include: SQL.
Which is harder to automate — Data Engineer or Business Intelligence Analyst?+
Data Engineer has a lower AI automation risk (42% vs 62%). Based on Oxford Martin School and McKinsey 2023 analysis.