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Home / Compensation / OpenAI / Data Engineer
Total compensation for a OpenAI Data Engineer ranges from about $290K at the entry level to $2.5M+ at the most senior bands, with a typical mid-level package around $680K. Below is the full breakdown by level - base salary, annual equity, and bonus - from public-source data.
Public-source estimates (Beta). Last updated 2026-05. Figures are annualized USD.
| Level | Years | Base (p50) | Equity/yr (p50) | Bonus (p50) | Total (p25-p90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L3Data Engineer (Junior) | 1-3 YOE | $245K | $80K | - | $290K - $490K |
| L4Data Engineer | 3-7 YOE | $285K | $185K | - | $400K - $770K |
| L5Senior Data Engineer | 6-11 YOE | $330K | $320K | - | $540K - $1.1M |
| L6Staff Data Engineer | 10-15 YOE | $380K | $545K | - | $760K - $1.6M |
| L7Senior Staff Data Engineer | 13+ YOE | $450K | $870K | - | $1.0M - $2.5M |
Junior DE. Training-pipeline focus.
Mid-level. Common entry from FAANG data orgs.
Senior IC. Evals-infra premium.
Staff IC.
Senior staff. Limited external hires.
OpenAI data engineering tracks the SWE ladder closely. Training-data pipelines, evals infrastructure, and applied-research data tooling are major hiring areas. PPU equity applies; bands track SWE within ~5%.
The offer calculator compares your current and target offers 4 years out - vesting, refresh grants, and federal + state + FICA tax - so you negotiate with real take-home numbers.
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