Database administrators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $60,230 | $28.96 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $104,620 | $50.30 |
| Mean (average) | $110,090 | $52.93 |
| 90th percentile | $163,320 | $78.52 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Database administrators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93,900 | $60,500 | $134,810 | 1,840 | 1.93 |
| Alaska | $108,810 | $66,190 | $138,330 | 90 | 0.6 |
| Arizona | $104,280 | $59,120 | $155,290 | 1,120 | 0.77 |
| Arkansas | $82,480 | $53,690 | $127,850 | 420 | 0.71 |
| California | $113,060 | $62,410 | $178,310 | 7,240 | 0.88 |
| Colorado | $118,340 | $61,930 | $164,780 | 1,220 | 0.95 |
| Connecticut | $108,270 | $65,400 | $157,350 | 810 | 1.06 |
| Delaware | $100,910 | $65,090 | $167,520 | 670 | 3.07 |
| District of Columbia | $118,540 | $74,360 | $154,750 | 560 | 1.78 |
| Florida | $104,120 | $56,300 | $161,090 | 3,810 | 0.85 |
| Georgia | $106,810 | $54,850 | $160,070 | 2,460 | 1.12 |
| Hawaii | $85,500 | $51,050 | $137,180 | 100 | 0.35 |
| Idaho | $85,660 | $50,460 | $138,930 | 180 | 0.48 |
| Illinois | $104,650 | $59,990 | $163,970 | 2,340 | 0.85 |
| Indiana | $90,090 | $56,710 | $144,520 | 930 | 0.65 |
| Iowa | $101,210 | $58,440 | $156,540 | 360 | 0.51 |
| Kansas | $100,170 | $65,170 | $159,650 | 440 | 0.67 |
| Kentucky | $87,390 | $47,150 | $139,840 | 650 | 0.72 |
| Louisiana | $98,270 | $48,910 | $150,900 | 290 | 0.34 |
| Maine | $70,500 | $51,640 | $118,950 | 260 | 0.91 |
| Maryland | $124,300 | $73,650 | $172,110 | 2,300 | 1.85 |
| Massachusetts | $129,300 | $69,380 | $173,210 | 2,310 | 1.41 |
| Michigan | $99,830 | $58,540 | $150,140 | 1,150 | 0.58 |
| Minnesota | $100,700 | $61,120 | $151,590 | 1,020 | 0.77 |
| Mississippi | $87,790 | $50,740 | $129,160 | 200 | 0.37 |
| Missouri | $100,270 | $57,730 | $150,490 | 1,140 | 0.86 |
| Montana | $83,120 | $71,740 | $104,300 | 300 | 1.32 |
| Nebraska | $100,020 | $63,610 | $141,860 | 610 | 1.33 |
| Nevada | $109,670 | $69,330 | $145,810 | 380 | 0.54 |
| New Hampshire | $92,110 | $60,670 | $145,290 | 250 | 0.8 |
| New Jersey | $125,860 | $69,080 | $176,130 | 1,810 | 0.94 |
| New Mexico | $98,450 | $66,470 | $139,250 | 570 | 1.45 |
| New York | $105,900 | $60,090 | $178,580 | 3,590 | 0.82 |
| North Carolina | $113,900 | $62,430 | $160,160 | 1,920 | 0.86 |
| North Dakota | $78,730 | $57,320 | $122,360 | 80 | 0.4 |
| Ohio | $97,190 | $49,960 | $158,910 | 1,860 | 0.75 |
| Oklahoma | $95,320 | $57,580 | $134,990 | 790 | 1.02 |
| Oregon | $100,260 | $61,000 | $140,170 | 1,060 | 1.19 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,110 | $58,780 | $158,360 | 2,450 | 0.9 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,880 | $38,900 | $94,660 | 170 | 0.39 |
| Rhode Island | $106,020 | $63,430 | $154,860 | 280 | 1.25 |
| South Carolina | $93,640 | $54,040 | $149,000 | 990 | 0.96 |
| South Dakota | $82,540 | $64,140 | $110,130 | 170 | 0.83 |
| Tennessee | $115,500 | $59,050 | $163,600 | 2,020 | 1.37 |
| Texas | $114,400 | $59,950 | $161,590 | 6,430 | 1.02 |
| Utah | $135,750 | $75,450 | $149,950 | 1,200 | 1.53 |
| Vermont | $104,230 | $69,280 | $130,990 | 120 | 0.87 |
| Virginia | $93,320 | $60,840 | $160,190 | 5,940 | 3.21 |
| Washington | $118,140 | $72,170 | $170,710 | 1,730 | 1.08 |
| West Virginia | $73,490 | $48,110 | $121,010 | 240 | 0.77 |
| Wisconsin | $100,020 | $62,440 | $149,430 | 1,220 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | $82,480 | $42,890 | $115,820 | 100 | 0.79 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for database administrators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for database administrators
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Computer and Information Sciences, General CIP 11.0101
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration CIP 11.0802
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance CIP 11.1003
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
- Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
- Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
- Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
- Test changes to database applications or systems.
- Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
- Train users and answer questions.
- Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
Technology skills
- Amazon Redshift (in demand)
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (in demand)
- Apache Airflow (in demand)
- Apache Hadoop (in demand)
- Apache Kafka (in demand)
- Apache Spark (in demand)
- Atlassian JIRA (in demand)
- Git (in demand)
- GitHub (in demand)
- IBM Terraform (in demand)
- Informatica software (in demand)
- Kubernetes (in demand)
- Linux (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (in demand)
- Microsoft Azure software (in demand)
- Microsoft Power BI (in demand)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Programming, Operations Analysis, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation.
Common job titles: Database Administration Manager, Database Administrator (DBA), Database Analyst, Database Coordinator, Database Engineer, Database Manager, Development and Database Administration Manager, IS Admin (Information Systems Administrator), Systems Administrator (Systems Admin).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do database administrators make?
The national median annual wage for database administrators was $104,620 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $60,230 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $163,320. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do database administrators need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is database administrators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of database administrators to change -0.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay database administrators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Utah ($135,750), Massachusetts ($129,300), New Jersey ($125,860). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.