Database Administrator Salary for 2027
Key takeaways
- Database administrators earned a median of $104,620 a year in May 2025, and the middle half fell between $79,610 and $135,460. A tenth earned more than $163,320. The hourly median was $50.30, and the sections below break pay out by state, metro area and industry.
- That is $31,360 below the software developer median of $135,980. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree and no prior work experience as the typical way in, so this is a salary new graduates can work toward from their very first job in the field.
- Among the industries we checked, banks and other credit intermediation pays the highest median, $126,740, while government (federal, state and local), the second-largest employer, pays $104,000. Computer systems design and related services employs the most. Banks, insurers and universities all run large databases of their own, so check the industry rows below before you compare offers.
- Utah has the highest state median, $135,750, and Maine the lowest, $70,500. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA tops the metro areas we cover at $138,620, and Oklahoma City, OK has the lowest. Virginia and Delaware have the highest share of these jobs. Find your state in the state table.
- BLS projects employment to stay flat from 2025 to 2035 (-0.1%), against 3.5% growth for all occupations, as the job’s tasks are automated and folded into other roles. About 3,300 openings a year will still come from people retiring or changing jobs.
The national picture
Database Administrators, all industries, BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- 10th percentile
- $60,230
- BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual pay
- $104,620
- BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 90th percentile
- $163,320
- BLS OEWS, May 2025
| Percentile | What it means | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | One in ten earn less | $28.96 | $60,230 |
| 25th | A quarter earn less | $38.28 | $79,610 |
| Median | Half earn more, half less | $50.30 | $104,620 |
| 75th | A quarter earn more | $65.13 | $135,460 |
| 90th | One in ten earn more | $78.52 | $163,320 |
The mean, $110,090, sits above the median because a smaller group at the top of the range pulls the average up. For a sense of what most people earn, the median and the middle half, $79,610 to $135,460, are the better guide.
Administrator or architect? BLS counts database architects, who design data systems, as a separate occupation from administrators, who run them. Many administrators move into architecture or data engineering, and BLS publishes no pay by title within administration, so the 90th percentile here, $163,320, is the best guide to the senior end.
Database administrator salary by employer type
National industry-specific medians for database administrators, BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Computer systems design and related services employs the most database administrators among the industries here, 10,430, at a median of $124,130. That is 14.9% of all database administrators. The highest median belongs to banks and other credit intermediation, $126,740, and the lowest of these to colleges, universities and professional schools, $95,010.
- Computer systems design and related services 10,430 employed, 14.9% of the occupation $124,130
- Government (federal, state and local) 6,240 employed, 8.9% of the occupation $104,000
- Management of companies and enterprises 5,320 employed, 7.6% of the occupation $124,270
- Insurance carriers and related activities 4,150 employed, 5.9% of the occupation $116,280
- Colleges, universities and professional schools 3,860 employed, 5.5% of the occupation $95,010
- Computing infrastructure providers, data processing and web hosting 2,860 employed, 4.1% of the occupation $123,730
- Employment services 2,410 employed, 3.4% of the occupation $117,390
- Banks and other credit intermediation 2,380 employed, 3.4% of the occupation $126,740
- Management, scientific and technical consulting services 1,920 employed, 2.7% of the occupation $107,840
- Scientific research and development services 1,790 employed, 2.6% of the occupation $119,990
Database administrator salary by state
Median annual pay, employment and location quotient in every state BLS publishes, BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Utah pays the highest state median, $135,750, 30% above the national figure, and Maine the lowest, $70,500. California employs the most database administrators, 7,240. Search for your state, or sort by any column.
| vs national median | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | $135,750+30% | $137,260 | 1,200 | 1.53 | |
| Massachusetts | $129,300+24% | $122,212 | 2,310 | 1.41 | |
| New Jersey | $125,860+20% | $115,680 | 1,810 | 0.94 | |
| Maryland | $124,300+19% | $118,381 | 2,300 | 1.85 | |
| District of Columbia | $118,540+13% | $107,862 | 560 | 1.78 | |
| Colorado | $118,340+13% | $114,782 | 1,220 | 0.95 | |
| Washington | $118,140+13% | $110,411 | 1,730 | 1.08 | |
| Tennessee | $115,500+10% | $125,680 | 2,020 | 1.37 | |
| Texas | $114,400+9% | $117,817 | 6,430 | 1.02 | |
| North Carolina | $113,900+9% | $120,785 | 1,920 | 0.86 | |
| California | $113,060+8% | $102,132 | 7,240 | 0.88 | |
| Nevada | $109,670+5% | $109,670 | 380 | 0.54 | |
| Alaska | $108,810+4% | $106,260 | 90 | 0.60 | |
| Connecticut | $108,270+3% | $104,508 | 810 | 1.06 | |
| Georgia | $106,810+2% | $110,914 | 2,460 | 1.12 | |
| Rhode Island | $106,020+1% | $103,636 | 280 | 1.25 | |
| New York | $105,900+1% | $98,146 | 3,590 | 0.82 | |
| Illinois | $104,6500% | $104,650 | 2,340 | 0.85 | |
| Arizona | $104,2800% | $103,555 | 1,120 | 0.77 | |
| Vermont | $104,2300% | $106,357 | 120 | 0.87 | |
| Florida | $104,1200% | $100,696 | 3,810 | 0.85 | |
| Iowa | $101,210−3% | $115,273 | 360 | 0.51 | |
| Delaware | $100,910−4% | $101,112 | 670 | 3.07 | |
| Minnesota | $100,700−4% | $102,130 | 1,020 | 0.77 | |
| Missouri | $100,270−4% | $110,430 | 1,140 | 0.86 | |
| Oregon | $100,260−4% | $96,963 | 1,060 | 1.19 | |
| Kansas | $100,170−4% | $111,176 | 440 | 0.67 | |
| Pennsylvania | $100,110−4% | $102,572 | 2,450 | 0.90 | |
| Nebraska | $100,020−4% | $111,010 | 610 | 1.33 | |
| Wisconsin | $100,020−4% | $106,291 | 1,220 | 0.92 | |
| Michigan | $99,830−5% | $103,773 | 1,150 | 0.58 | |
| New Mexico | $98,450−6% | $106,779 | 570 | 1.45 | |
| Louisiana | $98,270−6% | $111,417 | 290 | 0.34 | |
| Ohio | $97,190−7% | $104,731 | 1,860 | 0.75 | |
| Oklahoma | $95,320−9% | $108,565 | 790 | 1.02 | |
| Alabama | $93,900−10% | $105,743 | 1,840 | 1.93 | |
| South Carolina | $93,640−10% | $99,936 | 990 | 0.96 | |
| Virginia | $93,320−11% | $92,305 | 5,940 | 3.21 | |
| New Hampshire | $92,110−12% | $88,397 | 250 | 0.80 | |
| Indiana | $90,090−14% | $96,559 | 930 | 0.65 | |
| Mississippi | $87,790−16% | $100,908 | 200 | 0.37 | |
| Kentucky | $87,390−16% | $96,885 | 650 | 0.72 | |
| Idaho | $85,660−18% | $89,696 | 180 | 0.48 | |
| Hawaii | $85,500−18% | $77,727 | 100 | 0.35 | |
| Montana | $83,120−21% | $87,865 | 300 | 1.32 | |
| South Dakota | $82,540−21% | $93,160 | 170 | 0.83 | |
| Arkansas | $82,480−21% | $94,914 | 420 | 0.71 | |
| Wyoming | $82,480−21% | $88,975 | 100 | 0.79 | |
| North Dakota | $78,730−25% | $88,461 | 80 | 0.40 | |
| West Virginia | $73,490−30% | $82,112 | 240 | 0.77 | |
| Maine | $70,500−33% | $72,606 | 260 | 0.91 |
No state matches.
Database Administrators, BLS OEWS, May 2025. Location quotient: the state’s share of employment in this job divided by the national share; above 1.00 means the job is more concentrated there than nationally.
A higher median does not always mean more money left over, because prices differ between states. The price-adjusted column divides each state’s median by its all-items Regional Price Parity from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024, US = 100), which puts every state’s median in national-average prices. Adjusted that way, Utah comes out highest, at $137,260.
Top-paying metro areas
Among the 49 largest metro areas this site covers with a published median, BLS OEWS metro data, May 2025.
Metro pay spreads wider than state pay. San Jose leads at $138,620, 32% above the national median. The biggest job markets are not always the best paid: Washington employs the most database administrators of any metro here, 3,730, at a median of $108,750.
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 580 employed $138,620
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,010 employed $133,180
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,910 employed $132,370
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,470 employed $127,760
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 670 employed $124,560
- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 750 employed $123,920
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 1,110 employed $123,830
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 1,190 employed $123,730
- Raleigh-Cary, NC 510 employed $122,950
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,430 employed $122,390
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,630 employed $121,550
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 410 employed $120,500
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 800 employed $120,120
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,090 employed $116,030
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 580 employed $115,100
The largest job markets
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median $108,750 3,730
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ median $121,550 3,630
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX median $122,390 2,430
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA median $112,540 2,280
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH median $132,370 1,910
What moves your pay
Each lever is the gap between two published medians, BLS OEWS, May 2025, ranked by size. Places run lowest to highest.
BLS does not publish pay by years of experience or by degree for database administrators, so this ranking uses the gaps it does publish: between places, between employers and between occupations. Each is a gap between two medians, not a raise anyone is promised.
- L1 +$70,520
Moving into management
National medians, Database Administrators $104,620 to Computer and Information Systems Managers $175,140
- L2 +$65,250
Which state you work in
Among the 51 states (District of Columbia included) with a published median, Maine $70,500 to Utah $135,750
- L3 +$57,550
Which metro you work in
Among the 49 metro areas this site covers with a published median, Oklahoma City metro $81,070 to San Jose metro $138,620
- L4 +$35,680
Moving into a related occupation
National medians, Database Administrators $104,620 to Computer and Information Research Scientists $140,300
- L5 +$31,730
Which industry employs you
Among the 10 largest employing industries, Colleges, universities and professional schools $95,010 to Banks and other credit intermediation $126,740
How to raise your pay
What the figures above suggest, in order of how much they move the numbers.
- Know your market before you negotiate. Check your state and metro above, and compare an offer with the local median rather than the national one.
- Weigh the employer type. Among the industries we checked, banks and other credit intermediation pays the highest median, $126,740, against $104,620 nationally.
- Build cloud and automation skills. They are where the work is moving as routine tasks shrink. This is our reading of BLS’s projection, not a pay figure.
- Start with the right degree. Database, systems and security courses all count. Compare programs in our bachelor’s ranking.
How database administrator pay compares
National medians for related BLS occupations, BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Among closely related computer occupations, computer and information research scientists have the highest median, $140,300, and web developers the lowest, $92,650. Database administrators sit at $104,620, the sixth-highest of the 9.
- Computer and Information Research Scientists 21.8% projected change, 2025-35 $140,300
- Software Developers 10.2% projected change, 2025-35 $135,980
- Information Security Analysts 21% projected change, 2025-35 $129,180
- Data Scientists 34.6% projected change, 2025-35 $120,230
- Computer Systems Analysts 7.9% projected change, 2025-35 $105,850
- Database Administrators -0.1% projected change, 2025-35 $104,620
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers 5.7% projected change, 2025-35 $104,300
- Computer Programmers -7.3% projected change, 2025-35 $100,390
- Web Developers 3.8% projected change, 2025-35 $92,650
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
BLS projects database administrators employment to fall from 75,000 in 2025 to 74,900 in 2035, a loss of 100 jobs. Even so, BLS expects about 3,300 openings a year, all of them from people who retire, change occupations or leave the workforce.
Among the related occupations above, data scientists have the fastest projected growth, 34.6%. A projection is a model of the next decade, not a promise, and BLS revises it every year.
Keep reading
- Software Engineer Salary The software developer pay report, by state, metro and industry.
- Data Scientist Salary Pay for the analysis side of data work.
- Best Bachelor’s in Software Engineering Bachelor’s programs scored on completion, net price, ABET and size.
- Database Administrator Career Guide What the job involves, how to get in and the outlook.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a database administrator make?
Database administrators earned a median of $104,620 a year in May 2025, or $50.30 an hour. The 10th percentile was $60,230 and the 90th was $163,320.
Do database administrators make more than software engineers?
No, on BLS’s national figures. Database administrators had a median of $104,620 in May 2025, $31,360 below the $135,980 for software developers, the occupation that includes software engineers.
What is the hourly pay for a database administrator?
The national median was $50.30 an hour in May 2025, with a 10th percentile of $28.96 and a 90th of $78.52.
Which state pays database administrators the most?
Utah, with a median of $135,750 in May 2025. 18 of the 51 states BLS publishes sit above the national $104,620.
Which state employs the most database administrators?
California, with 7,240 in May 2025. By location quotient, which compares a state’s share of these jobs with the national share, Virginia, Delaware and Alabama are the most concentrated.
Which industries pay database administrators the most?
Among the 24 industries we checked in BLS data, banks and other credit intermediation has the highest median, $126,740. Computer systems design and related services employs the most, 10,430.
What do entry-level database administrators make?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. Its 10th and 25th percentiles, $60,230 and $79,610, show the lower part of the range; it is an inference, not a published figure, that many first DBA jobs fall there.
Will database administrator pay keep up if the job isn’t growing?
BLS projects employment, not future pay, so this page can’t say. What the projection does show is that routine database work is shrinking, which is why cloud, automation and architecture skills are the ones to build.
References
Every figure on this page comes from one of these, read by the site’s data scripts and computed at build time, never typed in.
- 1 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: national and state Database administrators: employment, annual median and 10th to 90th percentiles, national and by state. The national row is cross-checked against the BLS API. Read .
- 2 BLS OEWS May 2025, via api.bls.gov: hourly, location quotient and industry series Hourly percentiles, location quotient by state, and national industry-specific employment and medians for database administrators (24 industries checked).
- 3 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, metropolitan areas, May 2025 Metro employment and median for database administrators in the metro areas this site covers.
- 4 BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 Projected employment change and annual openings, 2025 to 2035, for database administrators and the related occupations compared here.
- 5 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP), 2024 All-items Regional Price Parity by state (US = 100), used for the price-adjusted column in the state table.
- 6 BLS Employment Projections, occupation tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12, 2025-35 Table 1.2, typical entry education, and table 1.12, BLS’s stated factor behind the flat projection for database administrators.