Senior Data Engineer Salary in Stuttgart (2026)
Senior data engineers in Stuttgart earn €72,000–€110,000 per year, with a median of €84,000. At this level, you architect the data infrastructure that underpins connected vehicle platforms, manufacturing analytics, and autonomous driving data pipelines for some of Europe's largest automotive companies.
Key Facts
- Senior data engineers earn €72K–€110K with median of €84K
- Lead/Staff roles at OEMs reach €92K–€110K + IG Metall benefits
- Data Architect/Head roles reach €105K–€130K+
- Data mesh adoption across vehicle/manufacturing/enterprise creates premium opportunities
- Connected vehicle data architecture is a high-value specialization
Salary by Sub-Level
- Senior (5–8 years): €72,000–€92,000
- Lead/Staff (8–12 years): €92,000–€110,000
- Data Architect/Head (12+ years): €105,000–€130,000+
Architecture-Level Responsibilities
Senior data engineers in Stuttgart design enterprise-wide data platforms: connected vehicle telemetry pipelines, manufacturing data lakes, edge-to-cloud streaming architectures, and data mesh implementations. The complexity of automotive data — multi-sensor, real-time, safety-critical, GDPR-regulated — demands architectural skills beyond typical tech companies.
The Data Mesh Opportunity
Several Stuttgart OEMs are adopting data mesh principles — decentralized data ownership with centralized governance. Senior engineers leading these initiatives across vehicle, manufacturing, and enterprise domains are among the highest-compensated data professionals, often earning €95K–€110K with significant IG Metall benefits.
Connected Vehicle Data Architecture
Designing the data platform for millions of connected vehicles is Stuttgart's signature data engineering challenge. This involves edge processing on vehicle hardware, real-time streaming to cloud, time-series storage at scale, and compliance with automotive data regulations — a full-stack architecture problem.
Top Hiring Companies
Career Advice
At senior level, shift from building pipelines to designing data platforms. Invest in edge-to-cloud data architecture skills — this is Stuttgart's unique strength. Understanding automotive data standards and GDPR for connected vehicles will differentiate you from data engineers in other industries. Target Lead/Staff roles at Mercedes-Benz or Bosch for the best compensation.
Senior Data Engineer Insights — Stuttgart
Senior Data Engineer salaries in Stuttgart range from €72,000 to €110,000, a 45% spread indicating moderate variation depending on seniority and employer. The median of €84,000 sits below the midpoint, suggesting more positions cluster toward the entry-to-mid-level end of the range.
Stuttgart's cost of living index of 82/100 makes it one of the more expensive locations for tech professionals. While the €84,000 median is competitive, housing and daily expenses consume a larger share of income compared to lower-cost cities.
The hiring landscape for senior data engineer in Stuttgart is anchored by employers like Mercedes-Benz, Bosch, and Porsche, along with 2 other notable employers. Larger employers in this market typically offer compensation at the upper end of the range, often supplemented with equity, signing bonuses, and comprehensive benefits.
Demand for senior data engineer in Stuttgart centers around expertise in Data Architecture, Apache Kafka, Databricks, plus 2 other core competencies. Candidates with strong proficiency across these areas tend to command offers closer to the €110,000 ceiling, and have natural transition paths into roles like Data Engineer or Data Architect.
Related Roles in Stuttgart
Explore salary information for similar positions and compare compensation across different roles.
| Role | Location | Salary Range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Data Scientist | Stuttgart | €78,000 - €120,000 | €88,000 |
| Senior DevOps Engineer | Stuttgart | €75,000 - €115,000 | €86,000 |
| Senior ML Engineer | Stuttgart | €88,000 - €130,000 | €98,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer | Stuttgart | €80,000 - €125,000 | €92,000 |
| Senior Product Manager | Stuttgart | €82,000 - €125,000 | €95,000 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a senior data engineer earn in Stuttgart?
Senior data engineers earn €72,000–€110,000 base with a median of €84,000. Including IG Metall benefits (13th-month, profit sharing), total compensation reaches €83,000–€135,000. Lead/Staff roles earn €92,000–€110,000, and Data Architect/Head positions reach €105,000–€130,000+.
What is data mesh and why is it relevant in Stuttgart?
Data mesh is a decentralized approach to data architecture where domain teams own their data products. Stuttgart OEMs are adopting it to manage complexity across vehicle, manufacturing, and enterprise data estates. Senior data engineers leading data mesh initiatives earn premium salaries because the approach requires both deep technical skill and cross-domain organizational change.
How does the path from data engineer to data architect work?
Typical progression: Data Engineer (€55K–€76K, 2–5 years) → Senior Data Engineer (€72K–€92K, 5–8 years) → Lead/Staff (€92K–€110K, 8–12 years) → Data Architect or Head (€105K–€130K+, 12+ years). Key transition: shifting from individual pipelines to enterprise data platform strategy spanning vehicle, factory, and cloud.
Is real-time streaming essential for senior data engineers in Stuttgart?
Effectively yes. Connected vehicle telemetry, manufacturing sensor data, and production monitoring all require real-time or near-real-time data flows. Apache Kafka and Flink are standard tools. Senior data engineers without streaming expertise are limited — it closes off the highest-paying roles at connected vehicle and manufacturing platform teams.
Should I learn automotive data modeling as a senior data engineer?
Absolutely. Understanding vehicle telemetry schemas, sensor data formats (CAN bus, LIN, FlexRay), manufacturing data models (OPC UA, time-series metrics), and automotive data regulations is what separates a €85K Stuttgart data engineer from a €105K one. This domain knowledge transfers well to any global automotive company.
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