Salary Guide · Updated February 2026
Data Centre Engineer Salary UK 2026: How Much Can You Earn?
The median data centre engineer salary in the UK hit £53,750 in 2026 — a 43% year-on-year increase driven by the AI infrastructure boom. This guide breaks down pay by experience, location, certifications, employer type, and contract rates so you can benchmark your worth or plan your next hire.
£53,750
Median salary
+43%
YoY increase
£600/day
Senior contractor rate
94
Planned UK facilities
Data last reviewed: February 2026. All salary figures sourced from IT Jobs Watch, Indeed, and URecruit Global's own placement data across 1,000+ mission-critical hires.
Data Centre Engineer Salary UK at a Glance (2026)
Average and median salary — what the data really shows
You'll see wildly different numbers depending on where you look. Glassdoor reports an average of just £36,741, while the Google AI Overview cites £60,000–£62,500. The gap comes down to methodology: Glassdoor relies on anonymous employee self-reports (often skewed by outdated submissions), while IT Jobs Watch tracks live job postings — a more accurate reflection of what employers are actually paying today.
We recommend treating the IT Jobs Watch median of £53,750 as the most reliable benchmark for mid-level data centre engineers in 2026.
| Metric | 2026 Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median salary | £53,750 | IT Jobs Watch |
| Average salary | £47,169 | Indeed (292 salaries) |
| 10th percentile | £27,624 | Indeed |
| 25th percentile | £38,750 | IT Jobs Watch |
| 75th percentile | £65,000 | IT Jobs Watch |
| 90th percentile | £80,540 | Indeed |
| Entry-level (0–2 yrs) | £28,000–£38,000 | URecruit placement data |
| Senior (5+ yrs) | £55,000–£75,000+ | URecruit placement data |
Full salary range: 10th to 90th percentile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread runs from £27,624 to £80,540 — a range of almost £53,000. This reflects the enormous variation between a junior technician at a small colocation facility and a senior engineer at a hyperscale operator with specialist power and cooling skills.
Why data centre engineer salaries jumped 43% in 2025–26
Three forces converged: first, the AI infrastructure investment wave, with hyperscalers committing £36 billion to UK data centre construction. Second, a persistent skills shortage — the number of qualified data centre engineers has not kept pace with the 94 new facilities in the UK pipeline. Third, the growing complexity of modern data centres, which now require engineers skilled in liquid cooling, high-density GPU racks, and 48V DC power distribution.
At URecruit, 65% of data centre roles we placed in 2025 offered £50,000 or above — a figure that would have been reserved for senior engineers just two years ago.
Data Centre Engineer Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level / Junior (0–2 years): £28,000–£38,000
Entry-level data centre engineers typically earn between £28,000 and £38,000. At the lower end, you'll find recent graduates and apprenticeship completers in smaller colocation facilities. At the top of the band, hyperscale operators like AWS and Microsoft offer starting salaries of £35,000–£38,000 for graduates with relevant certifications and demonstrated lab or internship experience.
Mid-level (2–5 years): £38,000–£55,000
This is where the market is tightest. Mid-level engineers with hands-on network, power, and cooling skills are the backbone of every data centre operation, and competition for them is fierce. Engineers who add a CCNA or CDCP certification during this stage typically see an immediate £5,000–£8,000 uplift at their next role.
Senior Data Centre Engineer (5+ years): £55,000–£75,000+
Senior engineers command £55,000–£75,000 in permanent roles, with some specialist positions (AI infrastructure, critical environment design) exceeding £80,000. At this level, employers value design capability, vendor management, and the ability to lead commissioning and migration projects.
Data Centre Manager / Lead / Head of Infrastructure
Management roles start at £75,000 and regularly exceed £100,000, particularly at hyperscalers and large colocation operators. Heads of infrastructure at enterprise companies (banks, telecoms) can earn £110,000+ with bonuses. These roles require both deep technical knowledge and proven team leadership.
| Level | Years | Salary Range | Median | Common Job Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level / Junior | 0–2 | £28,000–£38,000 | £32,000 | Junior Data Centre Engineer, DC Technician, NOC Analyst |
| Mid-level | 2–5 | £38,000–£55,000 | £45,000 | Data Centre Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, DC Operations Engineer |
| Senior | 5–10 | £55,000–£75,000 | £65,000 | Senior DC Engineer, Lead Infrastructure Engineer, DC Team Lead |
| Manager / Head | 10+ | £75,000–£110,000+ | £85,000 | Data Centre Manager, Head of DC Operations, Director of Infrastructure |
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Data Centre Engineer Salary by Location in the UK
London data centre engineer salaries (and why they trail the national median)
Counter-intuitively, London's median of £47,500 sits below the national figure. This isn't because London jobs pay less — it's because the highest-paying data centre clusters are located outside central London, along the M4 corridor in Slough, Reading, and Farnborough. These purpose-built campuses are where hyperscalers and major colocation providers concentrate, driving salaries well above the national median.
South East and M4 Corridor: Slough, Reading, Farnborough (highest paying cluster)
The South East commands the highest median at £65,000 — 21% above the national figure. This region hosts the UK's largest concentration of data centres, including major campuses from Equinix, CyrusOne, Virtus, and Vantage. Engineers willing to commute to these locations earn significantly more than their London-based counterparts.
North West, Midlands and Scotland
Regional salaries range from £38,000 to £42,000, reflecting lower cost of living and fewer hyperscale operations. However, new builds in Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh are beginning to push these figures upward. Engineers in regional markets often benefit from lower competition and faster career progression.
Remote and hybrid working: does location still matter?
For data centre engineers, location matters more than in most tech roles. The physical nature of the work — hands-on with servers, cabling, and power systems — means most positions require on-site presence. However, some employers now offer hybrid arrangements where monitoring, documentation, and planning tasks can be done remotely, with on-site shifts for hands-on work (typically 3–4 days per week on-site).
| Region | Median Salary | vs. National | Notable Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| South East (M4 Corridor) | £65,000 | +21% | Equinix, CyrusOne, Virtus, Vantage |
| UK excl. London | £60,000 | +12% | Various colocation & enterprise |
| London | £47,500 | -12% | Telehouse, Global Switch, Interxion |
| North West | £42,000 | -22% | Kao Data, TechUK members |
| Midlands | £40,000 | -26% | Pulsant, 4D, Sudlows |
| Scotland | £38,000 | -29% | DataVita, Pulsant Edinburgh |
Data Centre Technician Salary UK vs. Engineer: What Is the Difference?
Role definitions and typical pay bands for each tier
The terms 'technician' and 'engineer' are sometimes used interchangeably in job postings, but they represent distinct career levels with different pay bands. A data centre technician focuses on hands-on hardware tasks: cabling, rack builds, equipment installs, and basic monitoring. A data centre engineer takes on more complex responsibilities: network configuration, power and cooling management, capacity planning, and incident response.
Career path: from technician to engineer to manager
The typical progression is technician (1–3 years) → engineer (3–7 years) → senior engineer or team lead (7+ years) → manager or head of infrastructure. Each step typically brings a £10,000–£15,000 salary increase. The fastest way to accelerate this path is through certifications — a CCNA or CDCP can shave 1–2 years off the timeline.
| Role | Salary Range | Key Responsibilities | Career Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Centre Technician | £25,000–£38,000 | Hardware installs, cabling, rack builds, basic monitoring | Entry point — often apprenticeship route |
| Data Centre Engineer | £38,000–£65,000 | Network config, power/cooling management, incident response, capacity planning | Core career role — 2–5 years' experience |
| Senior DC Engineer | £55,000–£75,000 | Architecture decisions, team mentoring, vendor management, disaster recovery | Technical leadership track |
| Data Centre Manager | £75,000–£110,000+ | P&L ownership, staff management, strategic planning, compliance | Management leadership track |
How Qualifications and Certifications Affect Your Salary
Top certifications and their salary uplift
Certifications are the single most effective lever for increasing your data centre engineer salary. Our placement data shows that candidates holding at least one industry certification earn an average of £6,500 more than uncertified peers at the same experience level. The highest-value certifications combine networking knowledge with data centre-specific skills.
| Certification | Approx. Cost | % of Job Ads | Salary Uplift | Best At |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco CCNA | £250–£400 | 38% | +£5,000–£8,000 | Mid-level |
| CompTIA Network+ | £300–£350 | 25% | +£3,000–£5,000 | Entry-level |
| ITIL Foundation | £250–£500 | 22% | +£2,000–£4,000 | All levels |
| CDCP (Certified Data Centre Professional) | £1,500–£2,000 | 15% | +£6,000–£10,000 | Mid to Senior |
| AWS Solutions Architect | £150 (exam) | 18% | +£8,000–£12,000 | Mid to Senior |
| Schneider Electric / Vertiv specialist | Vendor-provided | 12% | +£4,000–£7,000 | Specialist |
Degree vs. no degree: does it matter in data centres?
A university degree is helpful but far from essential. Across our placement data, 40% of successfully placed data centre engineers do not hold a degree. Employers prioritise practical experience and certifications over academic qualifications. That said, a degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or IT can accelerate entry into the industry and may be a prerequisite for some hyperscaler graduate programmes.
Data Centre Engineer Apprenticeship: salary, providers and career progression
The Level 3 Data Centre Technician apprenticeship is an increasingly popular route into the industry, particularly at hyperscalers like AWS (who run large apprenticeship cohorts across the UK). Apprentices start at £18,000–£22,000 in year one, rising to £22,000–£26,000 in year two. Upon completion, most progress to junior technician roles earning £26,000–£32,000, with a clear path to full engineer status within 2–3 years.
| Stage | Typical Salary | Key Skills Gained | Next Career Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 3 Apprentice (Year 1) | £18,000–£22,000 | Cabling, hardware basics, health & safety, monitoring tools | Level 3 Apprentice Year 2 |
| Level 3 Apprentice (Year 2) | £22,000–£26,000 | Network fundamentals, server builds, rack & stack, documentation | Junior DC Technician |
| Junior DC Technician | £26,000–£32,000 | Incident response, vendor coordination, power systems basics | Data Centre Engineer |
| Data Centre Engineer | £38,000–£55,000 | Full infrastructure management, capacity planning, project delivery | Senior Engineer or Manager |
Salary by Employer Type and Specialisation
Hyperscale (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google) vs. colocation vs. enterprise
Where you work matters as much as what you do. Hyperscale operators consistently pay the highest base salaries, often 15–25% above colocation equivalents, plus equity (RSUs) that can add £10,000–£30,000 in annual value. Colocation providers offer structured progression and specialist training, while enterprise in-house roles (banks, telecoms) provide the strongest job security and pension benefits.
| Employer Type | Examples | Salary Range | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperscale (AWS, Azure, Google) | Amazon, Microsoft, Google | £55,000–£85,000+ | RSUs, relocation, training budget, shift premiums |
| Colocation | Equinix, CyrusOne, Virtus, Digital Realty | £40,000–£65,000 | Structured progression, on-call pay, pension |
| Enterprise / In-house | Banks, telecoms, NHS trusts | £38,000–£60,000 | DB pension, 25+ days holiday, job security |
| Managed Service Provider | Rackspace, Claranet, Pulsant | £35,000–£55,000 | Broad exposure, vendor certs funded |
Permanent vs. contract: day rates, IR35 and what to expect
Contract data centre engineers command premium rates, particularly for commissioning, migration, and new-build projects. Senior contractors can earn £450–£600 per day outside IR35, though the 2021 off-payroll rules mean most engagements at larger employers now fall inside IR35. Inside IR35 rates run roughly 15–20% lower. We recommend consulting an accountant before choosing between permanent and contract — the tax implications are significant.
| Role | Permanent Salary | Day Rate (Inside IR35) | Day Rate (Outside IR35) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior DC Engineer | £28,000–£38,000 | £150–£200/day | £200–£250/day | Limited contract demand at this level |
| Mid-level DC Engineer | £38,000–£55,000 | £250–£350/day | £300–£400/day | Strong contract market for BAU and projects |
| Senior DC Engineer | £55,000–£75,000 | £350–£500/day | £450–£600/day | Highest demand — design and migration projects |
| DC Manager / Consultant | £75,000–£110,000 | £500–£700/day | £600–£850/day | Often programme-level contracts |
Looking for contract data centre engineer positions?
We work with the UK's leading hyperscalers, colocation providers, and enterprise clients. Both permanent and contract roles available.
Total Compensation: Beyond Base Salary
Shift allowances, on-call pay and overtime
Data centres operate 24/7, and shift work is standard for operational roles. Shift allowances typically add 10–20% on top of base salary. On-call rotas pay £150–£300 per week in standby fees, plus call-out rates of 1.5–2x hourly pay. For engineers working regular nights or weekends, total compensation can exceed the base salary by £8,000–£15,000 per year.
Pension, benefits and perks at major data centre employers
Hyperscalers offer the most generous packages: 8–12% employer pension contributions, private medical insurance, life insurance at 4x salary, 25–30 days holiday, and training budgets of £3,000–£5,000 per year. AWS and Microsoft additionally offer restricted stock units (RSUs) that vest over 4 years. Colocation providers typically match at 5–8% pension contribution with standard benefits. Enterprise employers (banks, NHS) offer the best pension schemes — some still operate defined-benefit pensions.
10–20%
Shift allowance on base
£150–£300/wk
On-call standby fee
8–12%
Employer pension (hyperscale)
£3,000–£5,000
Annual training budget
Data Centre Engineer Skills That Command Higher Pay
Top 10 most in-demand skills and their salary impact
Not all skills are valued equally. The table below ranks the 10 most frequently requested skills in UK data centre engineer job postings, along with the average salary of roles that require each skill. The premium column shows how much more (or less) each skill commands versus the overall market average.
| Skill | % of Job Ads | Avg Salary | vs. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network infrastructure (LAN/WAN) | 62% | £52,000 | +10% |
| Power & cooling (UPS, CRAC, PDU) | 55% | £55,000 | +16% |
| Linux / Windows Server | 48% | £50,000 | +6% |
| DCIM (Data Centre Infrastructure Management) | 35% | £58,000 | +23% |
| Cisco / Juniper networking | 38% | £54,000 | +14% |
| Virtualisation (VMware, Hyper-V) | 30% | £53,000 | +12% |
| Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) | 28% | £60,000 | +27% |
| Structured cabling & fibre | 45% | £42,000 | -11% |
| ITIL / change management | 22% | £51,000 | +8% |
| AI infrastructure / GPU clusters | 12% | £68,000 | +44% |
Emerging skills: AI infrastructure, hyperscale ops, power/cooling management
The standout figure is AI infrastructure: engineers with experience managing GPU clusters, liquid cooling systems, and high-density power distribution command a 44% salary premium — the highest of any skill category. This reflects the explosive growth in AI training and inference workloads, which require fundamentally different data centre designs. Power and cooling skills also command strong premiums (+16%), driven by increasing facility complexity and energy efficiency requirements.
Data Centre Engineer Salary Outlook: 2026 and Beyond
The AI infrastructure boom and its effect on UK demand
The UK government's commitment to AI infrastructure investment — alongside private-sector commitments from Microsoft (£3B), Amazon (£8B), and Google (£1B) — is creating unprecedented demand for data centre engineers. These aren't speculative plans: construction is already underway on 30+ sites, with 94 in the total pipeline. Each facility requires 50–200 engineers for commissioning and 15–40 for ongoing operations.
UK data centre investment pipeline: what it means for your salary in 2026–27
We expect salaries to continue rising through 2026–27, though the rate of increase will moderate from the exceptional 43% YoY seen this year. Our forecast: 8–15% growth in median salaries over the next 12 months, driven by continued skills shortages and new facility openings. Contract rates for commissioning specialists may see even larger increases as multiple projects compete for the same limited talent pool.
Note: the 2025 median (£37,500) reflects a temporary shift in IT Jobs Watch's sample composition, not an actual pay cut. Underlying market demand remained stable throughout 2025.
| Year | Median Salary | YoY Change | Key Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | £41,000 | - | Post-pandemic recovery, steady demand |
| 2023 | £41,000 | 0% | Market stabilisation, rising interest rates |
| 2024 | £40,000 | -2.4% | Slight dip — hiring pauses at some hyperscalers |
| 2025 | £37,500 | -6.3% | IT Jobs Watch sample shift; underlying demand stable |
| 2026 | £53,750 | +43.3% | AI infrastructure boom, hyperscale expansion, skills shortage |
How to Negotiate Your Data Centre Engineer Salary
With demand outstripping supply by 3:1, data centre engineers are in a stronger negotiating position than almost any other infrastructure role. Here's how to make the most of it:
- Know your market rate. Use this guide and our free salary benchmark tool to establish your range before any conversation.
- Lead with certifications. Each cert you hold is concrete evidence of capability. CCNA and CDCP are the most valued by hiring managers.
- Quantify your impact. 'I managed a 500-rack facility with 99.999% uptime' is more compelling than 'I have 5 years' experience'.
- Negotiate total package, not just base. Shift allowances, on-call rates, training budget, and pension contribution can add £10,000–£20,000 in annual value.
- Consider contract work. If you're senior and flexible on location, contract rates of £400–£600/day can significantly outpace permanent salaries.
- Work with a specialist recruiter. A recruiter who specialises in data centre hiring knows what each employer pays, what's negotiable, and where the market is heading.
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