Power BI Developer Salaries in 2024: Unlock Your Earning Potential

Industry leaders increasingly lean on the expertise of Power BI Developers to transform raw data into actionable insights that they can use to grow their businesses. Power BI Developers have thus become an integral part of the workforce of both large and small companies.

In this article, we will take a quick look at Power BI Developer roles and responsibilities. We will then take a deep dive into learning about the factors that affect Power BI Developer salaries. Finally, we will make suggestions on how to increase compensation, so you can find a salary that is commensurate with your skills and experience. Let’s dive in! 

What is a Power BI Developer?

A Power BI Developer, sometimes called a Business Intelligence Developer or Business Intelligence Engineer, is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining business intelligence solutions using - you guessed it - Power BI.

The demand for Power BI Developers has been on the rise, driven by growth in companies using big data. The role offers an excellent opportunity to engage with the latest data technologies and contribute to data-driven decision-making in organizations.

If you are new to the field, this article will be helpful in teaching you what to expect for compensation. You can also take a look at our 8-Step Guide to Becoming a Power BI Developer to get started on your journey. If you are already a Power BI Developer, this article will be helpful as an assessment of industry standards.

Job responsibilities 

Let’s first take a look at some of the job responsibilities for Power BI Developers, at a high level. The list includes: 

• Data modeling and preparation: Power BI Developers connect to data sources, import and transform data, execute queries, and manage data pipelines.
• Report and dashboard creation: Developers design interactive visual reports and dashboards. 
• Analytics and decision support: Developers analyze business requirements and support decision-making.

Our question is: What salary would a company offer to someone who uses Power BI to import and transform data, designs compelling visualizations, and then supports decision-making? Let’s find out!  

Salary Expectations for Power BI Developers

For this article, we will look at Power BI Developer salaries for some of the biggest markets, including Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK, and India. 

Image by Author

The following table is a snapshot of the current average salary of Power BI Developers in our different markets. 

Avg. salary in different countries

Power BI Developers vs. similar professions

Power BI Developers have a unique and highly valued skillset. They are similar to data analysts in that they are tasked with generating insights that the business can use to increase revenue or improve processes. However, Power BI Developers differ from data analysts because they often have more profound technical expertise in database technologies and data modeling.

Let's compare the average salary for these two professions. As expected, the following table shows that specializing in a tool like Power BI results in higher pay.

Factors that affect salary

Power BI Developer salaries can vary widely depending on a variety of factors, including: 

• Experience: More experienced developers usually command higher salaries due to their advanced skills. 
• Location: Salaries are higher in places with a higher cost of living. 
• Industry: Developers in industries such as finance might earn more. 
• Company: Large, well-known companies or start-ups looking for talent may pay more. 

Experience

Working as a Power BI Developer is not a static profession, and salary can increase in the course of a career. Initially, entry-level developers may focus on more basic data visualizations and report generation. As these developers gain experience, their responsibilities expand to include complex projects involving data integration and analytics. The following outline is a rough overview of a Power BI Developer's career trajectory. However, it's important to remember that no two careers are the same. 

• Junior-level (0-2 years): Employees early in their career may have a job title like Junior Power BI Developer, or something similar. This is the entry point for the career and the place where new developers can first hone their skills.
• Mid-level (3-5 years): With a few years of experience, developers often move to roles involving more complex projects and specialize in specific forms of analysis.
• Senior-level (6+ years): Senior Power BI Developers sometimes lead teams, manage large-scale projects, and influence strategic business decisions.

The following graph shows the average base salary for current Power BI Developers in Brooklyn, New York, divided by years of overall work experience. The salary growth levels off with about ten years of experience. Keep in mind, however, that Power BI was only released in 2015, so companies may pay more for Power BI Developers with even more experience.  

Average salary by experience for developers in Brooklyn, New York (Source)

Location

Geographic location influences the salaries of Power BI Developers. Companies in countries with a lower cost of living typically offer less pay. That said, there is still significant variation within countries as salaries tend to be higher in high-cost-of-living cities or tech hubs like San Francisco. 

Here, we will compare salaries across different markets by looking at the self-reported salaries of employees who have used two of the most popular job search websites, Indeed and Glassdoor. Our research shows that Power BI Developer salaries vary greatly depending on the country. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, developers tend to make the most money; developers in India, on the other hand, make a bit less.

Avg. salary in different countries

Salaries also vary between cities within the same country. The following table shows the salaries for the highest-paying cities within each of our countries.

Power BI salaries in the highest-paying cities

Industry

Salaries for Power BI Developers vary significantly across industries, particularly in sectors that prioritize data analytics and business intelligence like finance, healthcare, and technology. These industries often allocate substantial budgets for IT and data roles in order to attract talent.

For instance, in finance and insurance, the extensive use of data analytics for risk management and fraud detection creates a strong demand for expert Power BI Developers, driving up pay. Similarly, tech companies and startups, known for their rapid growth and innovation, also offer attractive salaries to secure top talent. In contrast, although the work is important, public sector and non-profit organizations generally provide lower salaries due to budget limitations.

Company

Finally, Power BI Developer salary will depend on the specific company that you work for. Let’s look at the Power BI Developer salaries at the top 5 tech companies in the U.S. Keep in mind, however, that comparing the average salary for Power BI Developers across different companies can be a bit challenging because not all companies use the same technologies. Amazon has many more reported Power BI salaries than Apple, for example, so we might trust the self-reported numbers from Amazon more than Apple.  

Power BI salaries in the top U.S. tech companies

Final Note

Please keep in mind that these factors are related. Tech companies, which are often located in big cities, may be more likely to hire employees who have education or experience.  

Strategies to Increase your Salary as a Power BI Developer

There are several strategies to increase your salary as a Power BI Developer. These include obtaining additional education or certifications, creating a portfolio to showcase your work, enhancing your soft skills, and negotiating for higher pay.

Obtain a Power BI Developer certification

Obtaining the Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate certification verifies your expertise to potential employers and can significantly enhance your salary and career advancement opportunities. The official certification covers various aspects of Power BI, such as data preparation, modeling, and visualization. Our Data Analyst in Power BI career track will fully prepare you for the test. You can also check out the Become a Data Analyst with Power BI Webinar, where we give an in-depth overview of how to become a data analyst with Power BI. Then, when you are ready, get a 50% discount on the PL-300 exam through DataCamp!

Keep in mind, you don’t have to stop with one certification. Earning additional certifications shows that you have an expanded skill set and knowledge base, which makes you a more versatile and valuable employee. Combine a Power BI certification with certifications in Tableau, SQL, or advanced analytics tools like Python or R in order to make you an expert at handling a wide range of data tasks.

Specialize in high-demand areas

Focusing on areas within Power BI in high demand, such as AI integration, complex data modeling, or advanced analytics, can set you apart from other developers. Specializations that address specific industry needs, like financial forecasting, can also make you more essential to employers.

Improve your soft skills

While technical skills are crucial, soft skills such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving are increasingly important, especially for employees in senior-level positions who manage teams or projects. 

One of the best ways to improve these soft skills is to seek feedback from colleagues and managers. Another is to put yourself in positions where you can practice these skills, such as leading meetings or projects.

Negotiate for more pay

Negotiating with your current employer for better pay or more responsibilities is one of the simplest ways to advance your career. However, it is often avoided for fear of being rejected.

Documenting your achievements, especially those that have significantly impacted the business, can help. Examples include successful Power BI projects, process improvements, cost savings, and positive feedback from colleagues or clients.

Then, during your next performance review, start the conversation. Prepare for different responses from your employer. If they cannot offer a salary increase now, perhaps they can offer other forms of compensation or set a future date to revisit the discussion.

Conclusion

As we have seen, Power BI Developer salaries are influenced by a variety of factors, including experience, location, the industry you work in, and the company you work for. 

We recommend a combination of upskilling through certifications, specializing in high-demand areas, and enhancing soft skills if you want to optimize your earning potential. Also, proactive salary negotiation, backed by a solid track record of impactful projects and contributions, might help. 

Embrace the journey of continuous learning and skill enhancement by getting started with our Power BI Fundamentals skill track, or start applying your skills to real-world challenges with our curated list of Power BI Projects To Develop Your Skills.