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Data engineer day rate 2026: what to charge for your experience level
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What data engineer day rate can you actually ask a client for in 2026? Most figures floating around come from nowhere. Here are the ones from the Hays study, as reported by Blog du Modérateur, followed by what they become next to the WEEPO Barometer (20,000 payslips of portage consultants).
The data engineer day rate runs from €480 to €700 a day in 2026, depending on experience. According to the Hays 2026 pay study (Paris, excluding VAT), it goes from €480 under 3 years of experience to €590, then €660, and €700 beyond 8 years.
Are you a consultant or freelancer? Estimate your net pay in wage portage from your day rate in 2 minutes with the WEEPO salary simulator.
What is the data engineer day rate by experience?
Between a junior and a profile with more than 8 years, the rate rises by about 46%. The figures below come from the Hays 2026 study, based on a national panel of more than 2,500 professionals. They are Paris rates, excluding VAT, reported by Blog du Modérateur.
| Experience | Data engineer day rate (Paris, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 years | €480 |
| 3 to 5 years | €590 |
| 5 to 8 years | €660 |
| More than 8 years | €700 |
Junior data engineer day rate: 0 to 3 years
At €480, twenty billed days make €9,600 of monthly revenue. That's a bit under the €10,260 median revenue in the WEEPO Barometer. A junior profile sits well above the minimum day rate WEEPO accepts: €300 excluding VAT.
Senior data engineer day rate: beyond 3 years
The 3 to 5 year step (€590) is the biggest jump: +€110 at once. In the Barometer, half of consultants bill between €450 and €600 a day, for a median of €526. A data engineer at €590 sits at the top of that range, and those at €660 or €700 above it.
What about the data scientist day rate?
The study reported by Blog du Modérateur doesn't break out data scientists. Rather than invent a number, we publish none. For that profile, the wage portage for data scientists page explains how the status works on assignments.
How does a data engineer's rate compare with other tech profiles?
At 3 to 5 years of experience, a data engineer (€590) bills less than a cloud architect (€620) or a project manager (€680), but more than a full stack developer (€515). Same source, same scope: Paris, excluding VAT. The study also notes a 9% geographic gap for data and business intelligence jobs, so a Paris rate isn't what you'll get everywhere.
| Profile (3 to 5 years) | Hays 2026 day rate (Paris, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Full stack developer | €515 |
| Data engineer | €590 |
| SecOps | €600 |
| Cloud architect | €620 |
| Project manager | €680 |
To place these figures in the wider market, our article on the IT consultant's status, day rate and pay sets the basics.
From day rate to net salary: the maths for a data engineer
In the WEEPO Barometer, a median monthly revenue of €10,260 matches a median net salary of €4,200. The gap comes from management fees, employee and employer contributions and additional fees. A day rate is never your salary: it's the starting point of the calculation.
Take a data engineer with 4 years of experience billing €590 a day for 18 days: €10,620 of revenue. At WEEPO, fees are 3% management fees (€318.60 here, capped at €550 per assignment), plus 2% additional fees (professional liability insurance, occupational health, factoring and financial guarantee, CVAE).
Your exact net depends on your situation and your expenses. To find it, run a portage salary simulation with your day rate, or read the details in daily rate to net salary and on the portage salary calculation page.
Freelance data engineer: what does wage portage change?
Wage portage lets a data engineer bill clients without creating a company, while keeping an employee's social protection. Your employment contract is with the portage company, which invoices the client, handles the paperwork and pays you a salary. For a data consultant, it's a serious option among others, next to a SASU or a micro-business.
The sector's collective agreement (IDCC 3219) sets the frame: a minimum salary of 75% of the monthly social security ceiling for a senior consultant, 85% for an expert, full time. With a 2026 PMSS of €4,005, that's €3,003.75 and €3,404.25. On permanent contracts, a 10% financial reserve is built up. The details are in our article on the minimum salary in wage portage in 2026.
The choice depends mostly on your day rate, your appetite for admin and your need for protection. Our comparison wage portage or SASU at a €500 day rate puts numbers on it, and contribution rules should be checked every year on urssaf.fr. A wage portage company like WEEPO accepts day rates from €300 excluding VAT and holds the "Zéro Frais Cachés" label awarded by Fedep's.
Data profiles are nothing unusual in this model: the Barometer counts 85% tech profiles, 69% of consultants in Île-de-France, a median age of 33 and a median tenure of 29 months. For the basics, see also wage portage for consultants.
How do you set your data engineer day rate with a client?
Start from the seniority grid, then adjust for how rare your stack is, the length of the assignment and the negotiation context. A simple rule of thumb: divide the monthly revenue you're aiming for by your billable days. To reach the Barometer's €10,260, you need €570 a day over 18 days, or €513 over 20 days.
Keep unbilled days in mind too (bench time, leave, prospecting). If you're torn between data and infrastructure, compare with the freelance DevOps profile, whose rate logic is close.
Ready to see what your rate leaves in your pocket? Discover wage portage for data engineers at WEEPO: how it works, fees and first steps, with no company to create.
Frequently asked questions
What is a junior data engineer's day rate?
According to the Hays 2026 study, a junior data engineer (0 to 3 years) charges €480 a day in Paris, excluding VAT.
How much does a freelance data engineer earn a month?
It depends on billed days. At €590 and 18 days, revenue is €10,620. In the WEEPO Barometer, all profiles combined, median net pay is €4,200 a month for €10,260 of revenue.
Is the data engineer day rate higher in Paris?
The Hays figures are Paris rates. The study notes a 9% geographic gap for data and business intelligence jobs, so factor in your region.
Can you be a freelance data engineer in wage portage?
Yes. Wage portage suits consultants who want to bill directly without creating a company. WEEPO accepts assignments from €300 excluding VAT a day.
Is the data scientist day rate higher than a data engineer's?
The study cited doesn't break out that job, so no reliable figure comparison is possible here. Compare real assignment offers for your profile instead.
Key takeaways
- The data engineer day rate runs from €480 (0 to 3 years) to €700 (more than 8 years), Paris and excluding VAT, per Hays 2026.
- The median day rate of WEEPO portage consultants is €526, for a median net of €4,200 a month.
- At WEEPO: 3% management fees (capped at €550 per assignment) and 2% additional fees.
- Wage portage is an option to compare with a SASU and a micro-business, with numbers in hand.
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Responsable Marketing & Communication chez Weepo, je suis passionnée par l'animation du réseau et l'accompagnement de nos consultants. J'organise des événements parisiens et accompagne nos équipes régionales pour créer des moments d'échange enrichissants dans l'écosystème du portage salarial.
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