Data Engineer vs. Data Scientist. The matter of data engineer vs. data scientist has been an ongoing debate whenever the field of data science is discussed. To understand the difference between these two roles, we must first establish data science versus data engineering. Data science vs. data engineering is like theory vs. practice. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for data scientists is $108,660. Estimates from Payscale are slightly more conservative, with an average salary of $98,600. Indeed gives a higher estimation, with a data scientist's typical base pay being $132,400 . Unfortunately, the BLS does not provide a Typically, a machine learning engineer earns a slightly higher salary than a data scientist. On average, a machine learning engineer makes $109,983 per year. This varies depending on their level of education, years of experience and location of employment. Data scientists make a national average salary of $100,431 per year. After getting that degree, the would-be data engineer should focus on a higher education degree in a major like engineering, applied mathematics, physics, or computer science. And as is the case with data scientists, data engineers should consider certification in related data engineering disciplines. Not only will there be plenty of opportunities, but they will also be lucrative. According to PayScale data from September 2019, the average annual salary of a data scientist is $96,000, while the average annual salary of a machine learning engineer is $111,312. Both positions are expected to be in demand across a range of industries including However, AI engineers have higher salaries, on average, than data scientists. As of September 2022, the median annual salary for a data scientist was around $98,000, according to PayScale, with experienced data scientists earning $137,000 on average. As of September 2022, the median annual salary for an AI engineer was around $132,000, with The case of data engineers vs software engineers is similar. Data engineers will usually work as part of a team of data scientists, analysts and related specialists to achieve specific goals. Data Engineer vs Software Engineer Salary . The salaries in software careers always depend on several factors such as location, level of expertise 1. How to become a big data engineer: Get a degree. Even entry-level data engineers require some kind of degree, usually in a field like computer science, software engineering, physics, or applied math. Ideally, this won't just provide you with a solid grounding in the principles of software development and/or data—it should cultivate the X1MKKM.