Data Engineer Salary in Memphis, TN: 2026
Data Engineer salary data for Memphis, TN, adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Data Engineer salary in Memphis, TN is $125,580 per year ($10,465/month, $60.38/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Software Developers (the closest BLS occupation to Data Engineer) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, which covers Memphis. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 86) would have estimated $116,943; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Software Developers (SOC 15-1252), Memphis, TN-MS-AR MSA, $60.38/hr median. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Data Engineer Take-Home Pay in Memphis
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $125,580 |
| Federal Tax | -$18,873 |
| State Tax (0.0% eff.) | -$0 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$9,607 |
| Annual Take-Home | $97,100 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $8,092 |
Living Cost Comparison
Data Engineer Requirements
Key Skills
Memphis Job Market Overview
Memphis, Tennessee has a population of 633,104 and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. The top industries are Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing. The local job growth rate is 1.0%, and the average commute time is 24minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
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Data Engineer Salary in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Data Engineer in Memphis
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Data Engineer in Memphis, TN, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $76,700 | $37/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $101,140 | $49/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $125,580 | $60/hr | Mid-career, 2-4 years |
| 75th | $163,500 | $79/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $193,000 | $93/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Memphis's Logistics sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 26.0% salary growth for Data Engineers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Memphis estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Data Engineer can expect a 13.4% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 6 years in Memphis. Negotiation, certifications (Google Cloud Data Engineer, AWS Data Analytics), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Memphis vs National Average
The national median Data Engineer salary is $135,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Software Developers). In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro, the BLS median of $125,580 is 7.6% below the national figure. Memphis's cost of living index is 86 (lower than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Data Engineers, this means: rent typically consumes 12.4% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Memphis costs about 1.8× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Memphis.
Industry Context: Logistics in Memphis
Memphis's economy is anchored by Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing, with 633,104 residents and an unemployment rate of 4.2% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Data Engineers can differ by sector, so compare Logistics employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.0%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 35.0% growth outlook for Data Engineer roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Data Engineer salaries in Memphis, TN:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Software Developers (SOC 15-1252) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Memphis-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($116,943 modeled) using the Memphis index of 86 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), TN 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 0.0%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine, occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Memphis QuickFacts, population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, official local unemployment rates to verify the Memphis figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Data Engineer salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Logistics vs others in Memphis), specific skill set (Python, Spark, SQL), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Data Engineer salary in Memphis, TN?
How much does a Data Engineer take home in Memphis after taxes?
Is Memphis a good city for Data Engineers?
What skills are needed for a Data Engineer in Memphis?
How does Data Engineer salary in Memphis compare to the national average?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Data Engineer salary in Memphis, TN?
The median Data Engineer salary in Memphis, TN is $125,580 per year ($60.38/hr): the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Software Developers (SOC 15-1252) in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $76,700 and the senior estimate of $163,500 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Data Engineer take home in Memphis after taxes?
A Data Engineer earning the median salary of $125,580 in Memphis, TN takes home approximately $97,100 per year ($8,092/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 22.7%.
Is Memphis a good city for Data Engineers?
Memphis, TN has a cost of living index of 86 (below national average). Data Engineers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 4.2% and top industries include Logistics, Healthcare, Manufacturing.
What skills are needed for a Data Engineer in Memphis?
Key skills for Data Engineers include Python, Spark, SQL, Airflow, Snowflake. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's Degree. Valuable certifications include Google Cloud Data Engineer, AWS Data Analytics.
How does Data Engineer salary in Memphis compare to the national average?
The national median for Software Developers is $135,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro, the BLS median is $125,580, which is 7.6% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 86) would have estimated $116,943.