Database architects salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $86,240 | $41.46 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $139,500 | $67.07 |
| Mean (average) | $144,440 | $69.44 |
| 90th percentile | $204,000 | $98.08 |
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 architects pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $105,450 | $78,400 | $172,890 | 270 | 0.29 |
| Alaska | $112,500 | $65,060 | $130,500 | 70 | 0.53 |
| Arizona | $156,100 | $99,730 | $189,190 | 1,200 | 0.86 |
| Arkansas | $104,070 | $74,700 | $162,920 | 360 | 0.63 |
| California | $170,160 | $101,200 | $227,900 | 6,210 | 0.79 |
| Colorado | $154,560 | $88,000 | $195,510 | 1,950 | 1.57 |
| Connecticut | $144,460 | $106,040 | $210,800 | 1,140 | 1.55 |
| Delaware | $147,800 | $83,370 | $160,860 | ||
| District of Columbia | $150,010 | $82,220 | $225,110 | 790 | 2.61 |
| Florida | $138,320 | $85,880 | $206,410 | 1,810 | 0.42 |
| Georgia | $139,500 | $102,400 | $187,410 | 2,590 | 1.23 |
| Hawaii | $134,040 | $93,780 | $212,150 | 60 | 0.22 |
| Idaho | $121,380 | $79,140 | $187,440 | 260 | 0.69 |
| Illinois | $142,500 | $97,820 | $193,950 | 1,590 | 0.6 |
| Indiana | $132,830 | $83,480 | $172,460 | 500 | 0.36 |
| Iowa | $124,040 | $78,660 | $159,790 | 240 | 0.36 |
| Kansas | $129,990 | $81,790 | $165,330 | 360 | 0.57 |
| Kentucky | $125,400 | $74,140 | $173,110 | 350 | 0.4 |
| Maine | $133,120 | $86,880 | $159,620 | 190 | 0.69 |
| Maryland | $132,940 | $80,090 | $205,320 | 1,370 | 1.14 |
| Massachusetts | $161,650 | $123,670 | $220,910 | 2,690 | 1.71 |
| Michigan | $131,000 | $79,810 | $174,060 | 1,390 | 0.73 |
| Minnesota | $133,050 | $94,220 | $169,380 | 1,240 | 0.98 |
| Mississippi | $98,420 | $61,030 | $137,340 | 100 | 0.2 |
| Missouri | $110,570 | $64,420 | $166,610 | 1,410 | 1.11 |
| Montana | $109,990 | $86,470 | $128,500 | ||
| Nebraska | $134,320 | $91,560 | $173,050 | 610 | 1.39 |
| Nevada | $140,200 | $72,500 | $200,190 | 420 | 0.63 |
| New Hampshire | $139,990 | $74,120 | $174,850 | 120 | 0.4 |
| New Jersey | $120,790 | $86,230 | $197,950 | 3,090 | 1.67 |
| New Mexico | $117,950 | $70,870 | $165,440 | 120 | 0.32 |
| New York | $141,350 | $82,540 | $216,550 | 3,850 | 0.92 |
| North Carolina | $134,630 | $81,230 | $178,380 | 4,070 | 1.91 |
| North Dakota | $109,430 | $86,370 | $138,250 | 60 | 0.3 |
| Ohio | $132,910 | $94,530 | $174,260 | 1,820 | 0.76 |
| Oklahoma | $110,110 | $82,820 | $173,990 | 860 | 1.17 |
| Oregon | $138,250 | $100,820 | $175,600 | 730 | 0.86 |
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 2,840 | 1.09 | ||
| Puerto Rico | $95,620 | $61,850 | $125,640 | 60 | 0.15 |
| Rhode Island | $140,320 | $92,540 | $189,810 | 160 | 0.72 |
| South Carolina | $130,000 | $84,300 | $183,700 | 1,160 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | $136,540 | $95,060 | $142,980 | 40 | 0.2 |
| Tennessee | $115,170 | $73,440 | $170,520 | 650 | 0.46 |
| Texas | $151,370 | $92,890 | $200,390 | 8,270 | 1.36 |
| Utah | $131,740 | $97,990 | $198,920 | 630 | 0.84 |
| Virginia | $160,360 | $105,210 | $210,160 | 5,260 | 2.96 |
| Washington | $128,760 | $101,970 | $195,590 | 2,990 | 1.95 |
| West Virginia | Data unavailable | 120 | 0.4 | ||
| Wisconsin | $137,810 | $92,660 | $170,450 | 520 | 0.41 |
| Wyoming | Data unavailable | 160 | 1.35 |
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 architects
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.1%.
- 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 architects
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- 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
- Information Technology CIP 11.0103
- Information Science/Studies CIP 11.0401
- Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst CIP 11.0501
- Computer Science CIP 11.0701
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration CIP 11.0802
- Cloud Computing CIP 11.0902
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance CIP 11.1003
- Computer Engineering, General CIP 14.0901
- Computer Software Engineering CIP 14.0903
- Systems Engineering CIP 14.2701
- Data Science, General CIP 30.7001
- Data Science, Other CIP 30.7099
- Management Information Systems, General CIP 52.1201
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Develop and document database architectures.
- Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- Develop database architectural strategies at the modeling, design and implementation stages to address business or industry requirements.
- Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.
- Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
- Design database applications, such as interfaces, data transfer mechanisms, global temporary tables, data partitions, and function-based indexes to enable efficient access of the generic database structure.
- Develop methods for integrating different products so they work properly together, such as customizing commercial databases to fit specific needs.
- Create and enforce database development standards.
Technology skills
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (in demand)
- Apache Kafka (in demand)
- Apache Spark (in demand)
- Microsoft Azure software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Power BI (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Oracle Java (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- Snowflake (in demand)
- Structured query language SQL (in demand)
- Tableau (in demand)
- AJAX (hot technology)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Amazon DynamoDB (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Programming, Systems Evaluation, Operations Analysis.
Common job titles: Data Architect, Data Engineer, Data Officer, Database Analyst, Database Architect, Database Consultant, Database Developer, Database Programmer, Enterprise Architect, Information Architect.
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 architects make?
The national median annual wage for database architects was $139,500 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $86,240 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $204,000. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do database architects need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is database architects a growing career?
BLS projects employment of database architects to change +9.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay database architects the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($170,160), Massachusetts ($161,650), Virginia ($160,360). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.