Dresner Advisory Services Publishes 2026 Data Engineering Market Study

Data Engineering Shown as an Increasingly Critical Enabler of a Successful Analytical Data Infrastructure

NASHUA, N.H., Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dresner Advisory Services today published the 2026 Data Engineering Market Study, part of its Wisdom of Crowds® series of research. Data engineering is a component of analytical data infrastructure (ADI) and includes requirements and priorities for data orchestration, integration, and transformations including advanced analytics in the data engineering pipeline workflow. 

The Data Engineering Market Study examines the development and deployment capabilities used to design, debug, schedule, secure, govern, and run data workflows across analytical and operational use cases.

According to the 2026 study, 82% of respondents perceive data engineering as important with at least 33% of respondents identifying its importance for every use case presented, and higher importance indicated for critical scenarios such as executive dashboards, customer retention, and financial planning.

A majority of organizations have already deployed data engineering technology, with significant expansion planned over the next two years. Current adoption is most mature in North America and EMEA, specifically within the healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services sectors.

Users are prioritizing features that streamline data flow creation, such as graphical development environments, no-code or code-friendly transformations, and AI-assisted capabilities. While modern features are sought, the market continues to require robust traditional ETL functionalities like complex grouping, scheduling, and monitoring.

"We are pleased to present the 12th annual edition of our Data Engineering Market Study, which is based on more than a decade of input from end users worldwide," said Howard Dresner, founder and chief research officer at Dresner Advisory. "This perspective is intended to support leaders seeking a fact-based understanding of data engineering's role within modern analytical data infrastructure and to inform decisions grounded in peer experience."

Wisdom of Crowds^® research is based on data collected on usage and deployment trends, products, and vendors. Users in all roles and throughout all industries contributed to provide a complete view of realities, plans, and perceptions of the market. For more information visit www.dresneradvisory.com.

About Dresner Advisory Services 
Dresner Advisory Services was formed by Howard Dresner, an independent analyst, author, lecturer, and business adviser. Dresner Advisory Services, LLC focuses on creating and sharing thought leadership for AI, Analytical Data infrastructure, Analytics and Business Intelligence (BI), Performance Management, ERP, and related areas.

Press contact:
Danielle Guinebertiere
Dresner Advisory Services
[email protected]
978 254 5587

SOURCE Dresner Advisory Services