Technology

How to become a Data Engineer

From data analyst or developer: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

2–4 years

Typical pay

$105k–$145k

Starting from

Data analyst or developer

The steps

1. 1

   Come from analysis or software

   Either route works; you need SQL from one side and code from the other.

   1–2 years

   Course that covers thisMaster SQL - Core Database Skills Practice ExamUdemy · around $19.99 →
2. 2

   Get strong in Python

   Pipelines, orchestration and transformation are written in it.

   3–6 months

   Course that covers this380+ Exercises - Python Programming Mega Pack - Built-inUdemy · around $19.99 →
3. 3

   Learn a warehouse and a pipeline tool

   Snowflake or BigQuery, plus Airflow or dbt.

   3–6 months

4. 4

   Add cloud infrastructure

   You will own what your pipelines run on.

   Course that covers thisAWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Practice ExamsUdemy · around $19.99 →

Course links are Udemy affiliate links — we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Licences and exams named above are issued by state boards and certifying bodies we have no relationship with; we list them because they are what the job actually requires.