Average Salaries ($K)
The Hague 2020-2024
Data Salary review
The Hague
2020 - 2024
- -4.5% Average Cost Of Living Rise
- #7/23 Cheapest City To Live
- 13% Average Salary Rise
- #21/23 Salary Growth - All Roles
- #22/23 Salary Growth For Heads Of Data
- #16/23 Salary Growth For Data Engineers
- #12/23 Salary Growth For Data Analyst
- #14/23 Salary Growth For Data Scientists
Overview
The Hague is not the first city that comes to mind when you think of data roles in the Netherlands, it is more known for politics, international organisations, and government agencies than cutting-edge tech. However, there is a small but growing demand for data professionals, particularly in cybersecurity, legal tech, finance, and government analytics. The city hosts major employers like The Hague Security Delta (HSD), TNO (a large research institution), Europol, and the International Criminal Court, all of which rely heavily on data for risk analysis, fraud detection, and cybersecurity. Additionally, large telecom and energy companies like KPN, Shell, and T-Mobile Netherlands have their headquarters or major offices here.
The Hague is a place where relationships and government connections matter more than raw technical skills. If you want a stable, policy-driven data career with a focus on security or regulation, this city makes sense. But if you are looking for rapid career growth, competitive salaries, or cutting-edge AI and ML roles, you are far better off in Amsterdam or even Rotterdam.
Heads Of Data
Head of Data roles in The Hague are not as abundant as in Amsterdam or Rotterdam because the city’s tech scene leans heavily on government agencies, and large corporates rather than high-growth startups. Most opportunities exist in cybersecurity finance and telecom. These organisations need data leadership for risk analysis, fraud detection, AI governance, and regulatory compliance, rather than cutting-edge machine learning or growth-focused analytics. The Hague’s market favours insiders with deep industry ties. Many leadership roles go to internal promotions or to people with strong political and regulatory networks, especially in finance, telecom, and cybersecurity. If you do not have years of experience in public sector analytics, or larger organisations it may be difficult breaking in.
If you value stability, regulatory influence, and long-term projects over rapid innovation, The Hague is a solid choice. Salaries are lower than in Amsterdam, but roles often come with strong job security and solid benefits, especially in government-affiliated institutions. However, career growth can be slow. Many companies here treat data as a necessary evil rather than a core driver of strategy, meaning you will spend more time convincing stakeholders why data matters than actually pushing boundaries. The competition is not as fierce as in Amsterdam, but the roles are fewer, and breaking in often requires years of experience in regulated industries.
The Hague ranked #22/23 for wage growth over the last five years, even expert-level roles only seeing an average 6.81% rise in that time.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Data Engineers
The Hague’s data engineering market is not flooded with opportunities, and the companies that do hire expect mid-to-senior-level professionals rather than juniors. Most employers prioritise experience with legacy systems, compliance-heavy environments, and secure data handling over trendy new frameworks. AWS, Azure, and GCP are used, but on-premises databases and old-school batch processing are still common. If you come from a startup background and thrive on fast-moving, flexible tech stacks, expect frustration, tech adoption is slow, and budgets for innovation are locked behind layers of approvals. There are few startups, limited innovation, and a preference for “safe” technologies over cutting-edge solutions. Moving into leadership roles often means transitioning into compliance-heavy data governance rather than hands-on engineering.
Unlike in Amsterdam’s startup-driven market, where data engineers churn through fast-moving projects, The Hague’s companies offer long-term stability and strong career paths. The work environment is less chaotic, and companies invest in employees for the long run, making it a great place for mid-to-senior professionals looking to build expertise in regulated industries. If you have an interest/experience in fraud detection, risk analysis, and AI governance then this might be the place for you!
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Data Analysts
For data analysts who prefer structured environments, long-term job security, and high-impact work, The Hague is a solid place to build a career. One major advantage of working in The Hague is that data analysts tend to develop deep expertise in their industry, making them highly valuable over time. Whether this is financial risk modelling, energy consumption forecasting, or cybersecurity analytics, analysts in The Hague often work on mission-critical projects with real-world impact. Employers also invest in employee retention, meaning analysts can expect good benefits, stable career paths, and fewer layoffs compared to the volatile startup ecosystem.
Landing a first data analyst job here is not impossible, but it is not a great place to start a career. Entry-level positions are rare, most roles go to mid-career professionals who already understand industry regulations and compliance frameworks. If you do not speak Dutch, your options shrink significantly, as a large portion of analyst roles require fluency for working with local data and government institutions. Compared to Amsterdam, where startups and scale-ups are willing to take risks on junior analysts, The Hague’s job market does not favour newcomers. Expect long hiring processes, conservative corporate cultures, and little room for experimentation.
If you are looking for a data analyst role with good work-life balance, The Hague is a great choice. Many organisations here, offer generous benefits, and a healthy work culture, a big contrast to the high-pressure environments of Amsterdam’s scale-ups. While career progression is not always fast, those who stay build deep expertise and strong professional networks, making it easier to land leadership roles over time.
The Hague ranked #12/23 for Data Analyst wage growth with an average of 35.36% over the last five years.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Data Scientists
For experienced data scientists who specialise in risk modelling, compliance analytics, and cybersecurity, The Hague offers stable, well-paying jobs with good benefits. One advantage of working as a data scientist in The Hague is the noticeable salary jumps at key experience levels, particularly when moving from mid-level to senior roles. Unlike in Amsterdam, where salaries can plateau due to the oversupply of talent in startups, The Hague’s finance, energy, and government sectors reward expertise with clear pay increases. This suggests that companies do not expect employees to constantly overextend themselves, instead, career growth is structured, and compensation reflects deeper industry knowledge rather than just high-pressure output.
We have generally seen stagnation or even decline when it comes to Data Scientists and the same is true here. At expert level we see salaries decrease by -2.34%, but it is important to note that there are more job opportunities then in 2020. The Hague ranked #14/23 for wage growth.
Average Salaries ($K) By Experience
Hiring Data Roles For Den Haag Companies
Competition for talent is moderate, and wage growth has remained stable, making it a relatively cost-effective location for hiring. Retention rates are generally strong due to the city’s job stability and appealing work-life balance. However, companies may struggle to find highly specialised roles, such as AI security specialists and real-time data protection experts, which can be difficult to source locally. To bridge this gap, employers may need to invest in targeted recruitment strategies or specialised training programs to build these competencies internally.
For employers in The Hague, especially those dealing with smaller projects or needing quick expertise, using an agency like 173tech could be a highly efficient solution. Larger organisations often struggle when needing agile support for time-sensitive projects and aganecies can provide a valuable resource in this context where freelancers may not be able to help.
173tech Direct Comparison
- Head Of Data (5+ yrs) $235k
- Data Engineer (5+ yrs) $115k
- Data Engineer (0-3 yrs) $70k
- Data Analyst (3-5 yrs) $82k
- $502k per yr + Tax + Pension + Holidays
- Candice (15+ yrs) Ruben (8+ yrs) Oliver (10+ yrs)
- Adrian (15+ yrs)
- Oscar (2+ yrs)
- Emeric (3+ yrs) Mai (4+ yrs) Noel (2+ yrs) Amy (2+ yrs)
- $240k
Working with 173tech is like waking up, logging in, and suddenly you have an entire data team at your disposal.
We deploy a full team to every project and give you direct access through weekly syncs and shared slack. We work with your the tools and processes you’ve already established or can set up from scratch.
We provide a fully flexible resource to tap into when you need to fast-track data projects and represent not only great value, but are passionate about creating value from data. Get in touch today to see how we can help you!
