Database Administrators
Database Administrators (SOC 15-1242) earn a median $104,620 a year ($50.30 an hour) in the United States, with 69,990 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Utah.
What database administrators do
Database administrators install, configure, and maintain databases so that an organization's data can be stored, found, and used reliably. The job covers using their knowledge of database software to test and deploy databases, coordinate changes to them, and identify and resolve problems with performance, capacity, and scalability. Administrators plan and install upgrades to the database software, set user access levels and permissions, and put security measures in place to protect information. They test changes to database applications, correct errors, train users, and answer their questions. Titles include data administrator and database manager. The occupation differs from database architects, who design the overall data strategy and model new databases and warehouses, and from software developers, who write applications that use the data. It also differs from network and computer systems administrators, who maintain the servers and networks the databases run on, and from data scientists, who analyze the data. They also give technical support to junior staff or clients and may direct programmers and analysts in changing existing databases.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Administrator (Admin), Automatic Data Processing Planner (ADP Planner), Cyber Database Administrator (Cyber DBA), Data Administrator (Data Admin), Data Management Associate.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $28.96 | $38.28 | $50.30 | $65.13 | $78.52 | $52.93 | 69,990 |
| Annual | $60,230 | $79,610 | $104,620 | $135,460 | $163,320 | $110,090 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where database administrators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Utah | Hourly | $36.27 | $48.49 | $65.27 | $65.27 | $72.09 | $58.30 | 1,200 | 0.69 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $75,450 | $100,860 | $135,750 | $135,750 | $149,950 | $121,270 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $33.36 | $44.84 | $62.16 | $75.97 | $83.27 | $60.96 | 2,310 | 0.64 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $69,380 | $93,280 | $129,300 | $158,010 | $173,210 | $126,790 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $33.21 | $45.20 | $60.51 | $76.87 | $84.68 | $60.13 | 1,810 | 0.42 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $69,080 | $94,020 | $125,860 | $159,880 | $176,130 | $125,070 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $35.41 | $48.59 | $59.76 | $72.62 | $82.74 | $60.82 | 2,300 | 0.83 | 1.85 |
| Annual | $73,650 | $101,060 | $124,300 | $151,050 | $172,110 | $126,510 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $35.75 | $42.58 | $56.99 | $65.77 | $74.40 | $55.67 | 560 | 0.80 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $74,360 | $88,570 | $118,540 | $136,800 | $154,750 | $115,790 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.01 | $40.25 | $54.35 | $74.21 | $85.73 | $58.41 | 7,240 | 0.40 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $62,410 | $83,720 | $113,060 | $154,360 | $178,310 | $121,500 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $28.82 | $41.54 | $55.00 | $66.58 | $77.69 | $54.46 | 6,430 | 0.46 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $59,950 | $86,410 | $114,400 | $138,480 | $161,590 | $113,270 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $29.25 | $42.60 | $44.86 | $60.15 | $77.02 | $50.27 | 5,940 | 1.45 | 3.21 |
| Annual | $60,840 | $88,610 | $93,320 | $125,110 | $160,190 | $104,560 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $27.07 | $35.62 | $50.06 | $65.50 | $77.45 | $51.80 | 3,810 | 0.38 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $56,300 | $74,090 | $104,120 | $136,240 | $161,090 | $107,750 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.89 | $37.79 | $50.91 | $68.06 | $85.86 | $54.85 | 3,590 | 0.37 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $60,090 | $78,610 | $105,900 | $141,570 | $178,580 | $114,100 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $40.32 | $50.48 | $66.64 | $86.37 | $104.73 | $69.78 | 580 | 0.52 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $83,870 | $104,990 | $138,620 | $179,650 | $217,830 | $145,150 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $34.17 | $47.62 | $64.03 | $79.08 | $87.27 | $63.20 | 1,010 | 0.48 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $71,080 | $99,040 | $133,180 | $164,490 | $181,520 | $131,460 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $34.86 | $46.16 | $63.64 | $76.95 | $84.89 | $62.55 | 1,910 | 0.71 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $72,510 | $96,010 | $132,370 | $160,060 | $176,570 | $130,100 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $27.21 | $38.02 | $62.88 | $62.88 | $76.11 | $61.28 | 60 | 0.46 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $56,600 | $79,080 | $130,780 | $130,780 | $158,300 | $127,450 | ||||
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | Hourly | $33.85 | $48.33 | $62.02 | $79.18 | $79.18 | $60.80 | 160 | 0.52 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $70,400 | $100,530 | $129,010 | $164,690 | $164,690 | $126,460 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $32.00 | $44.40 | $52.29 | $68.19 | $82.29 | $57.36 | 3,730 | 1.19 | 2.65 |
| Annual | $66,560 | $92,350 | $108,750 | $141,840 | $171,170 | $119,320 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $34.08 | $42.01 | $58.44 | $78.07 | $89.14 | $60.36 | 3,630 | 0.38 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $70,890 | $87,370 | $121,550 | $162,390 | $185,400 | $125,550 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $31.39 | $45.44 | $58.84 | $69.00 | $78.52 | $57.00 | 2,430 | 0.60 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $65,300 | $94,510 | $122,390 | $143,530 | $163,320 | $118,560 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $29.28 | $40.07 | $54.10 | $74.36 | $80.79 | $56.82 | 2,280 | 0.36 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $60,900 | $83,340 | $112,540 | $154,670 | $168,050 | $118,190 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $34.86 | $46.16 | $63.64 | $76.95 | $84.89 | $62.55 | 1,910 | 0.71 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $72,510 | $96,010 | $132,370 | $160,060 | $176,570 | $130,100 | ||||
Top industries employing database administrators
Computer Systems Design and Related Services employ 14.9% of database administrators nationally (10,430 jobs) at a median $124,130 a year ($59.68 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (7.6%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (5.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 10,430 | 14.9% | $124,130 | $59.68 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 5,320 | 7.6% | $124,270 | $59.74 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 3,860 | 5.5% | $95,010 | $45.68 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 3,260 | 4.7% | $100,050 | $48.10 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 2,960 | 4.2% | $110,860 | $53.30 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (69,990). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $96,710 for database administrators in May 2021 and $104,620 in May 2025, with employment of 85,870 and 69,990.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $96,710 | $46.50 | 85,870 |
| May 2022 | $99,890 | $48.03 | 80,520 |
| May 2023 | $101,510 | $48.80 | 76,140 |
| May 2024 | $104,620 | $50.30 | 73,180 |
| May 2025 | $104,620 | $50.30 | 69,990 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah profile | $65.27 | $135,750 | $75,450 | $149,950 | 1,200 | 0.69 | 1.53 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $62.16 | $129,300 | $69,380 | $173,210 | 2,310 | 0.64 | 1.41 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $60.51 | $125,860 | $69,080 | $176,130 | 1,810 | 0.42 | 0.94 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $59.76 | $124,300 | $73,650 | $172,110 | 2,300 | 0.83 | 1.85 |
| 5 | District of Columbia profile | $56.99 | $118,540 | $74,360 | $154,750 | 560 | 0.80 | 1.78 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $56.90 | $118,340 | $61,930 | $164,780 | 1,220 | 0.43 | 0.95 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $56.80 | $118,140 | $72,170 | $170,710 | 1,730 | 0.49 | 1.08 |
| 8 | Tennessee profile | $55.53 | $115,500 | $59,050 | $163,600 | 2,020 | 0.62 | 1.37 |
| 9 | Texas profile | $55.00 | $114,400 | $59,950 | $161,590 | 6,430 | 0.46 | 1.02 |
| 10 | North Carolina profile | $54.76 | $113,900 | $62,430 | $160,160 | 1,920 | 0.39 | 0.86 |
| 11 | California profile | $54.35 | $113,060 | $62,410 | $178,310 | 7,240 | 0.40 | 0.88 |
| 12 | Nevada profile | $52.72 | $109,670 | $69,330 | $145,810 | 380 | 0.24 | 0.54 |
| 13 | Alaska profile | $52.31 | $108,810 | $66,190 | $138,330 | 90 | 0.27 | 0.60 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | $52.05 | $108,270 | $65,400 | $157,350 | 810 | 0.48 | 1.06 |
| 15 | Georgia profile | $51.35 | $106,810 | $54,850 | $160,070 | 2,460 | 0.50 | 1.12 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $50.97 | $106,020 | $63,430 | $154,860 | 280 | 0.56 | 1.25 |
| 17 | New York profile | $50.91 | $105,900 | $60,090 | $178,580 | 3,590 | 0.37 | 0.82 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $50.31 | $104,650 | $59,990 | $163,970 | 2,340 | 0.38 | 0.85 |
| 19 | Arizona profile | $50.14 | $104,280 | $59,120 | $155,290 | 1,120 | 0.35 | 0.77 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $50.11 | $104,230 | $69,280 | $130,990 | 120 | 0.39 | 0.87 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $50.06 | $104,120 | $56,300 | $161,090 | 3,810 | 0.38 | 0.85 |
| 22 | Iowa profile | $48.66 | $101,210 | $58,440 | $156,540 | 360 | 0.23 | 0.51 |
| 23 | Delaware profile | $48.52 | $100,910 | $65,090 | $167,520 | 670 | 1.38 | 3.07 |
| 24 | Minnesota profile | $48.42 | $100,700 | $61,120 | $151,590 | 1,020 | 0.35 | 0.77 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $48.21 | $100,270 | $57,730 | $150,490 | 1,140 | 0.39 | 0.86 |
| 26 | Oregon profile | $48.20 | $100,260 | $61,000 | $140,170 | 1,060 | 0.54 | 1.19 |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $48.16 | $100,170 | $65,170 | $159,650 | 440 | 0.30 | 0.67 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $48.13 | $100,110 | $58,780 | $158,360 | 2,450 | 0.41 | 0.90 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | $48.09 | $100,020 | $63,610 | $141,860 | 610 | 0.60 | 1.33 |
| 30 | Wisconsin profile | $48.09 | $100,020 | $62,440 | $149,430 | 1,220 | 0.41 | 0.92 |
| 31 | Michigan profile | $48.00 | $99,830 | $58,540 | $150,140 | 1,150 | 0.26 | 0.58 |
| 32 | New Mexico profile | $47.33 | $98,450 | $66,470 | $139,250 | 570 | 0.65 | 1.45 |
| 33 | Louisiana profile | $47.24 | $98,270 | $48,910 | $150,900 | 290 | 0.15 | 0.34 |
| 34 | Ohio profile | $46.73 | $97,190 | $49,960 | $158,910 | 1,860 | 0.34 | 0.75 |
| 35 | Oklahoma profile | $45.83 | $95,320 | $57,580 | $134,990 | 790 | 0.46 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $45.14 | $93,900 | $60,500 | $134,810 | 1,840 | 0.87 | 1.93 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $45.02 | $93,640 | $54,040 | $149,000 | 990 | 0.43 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Virginia profile | $44.86 | $93,320 | $60,840 | $160,190 | 5,940 | 1.45 | 3.21 |
| 39 | New Hampshire profile | $44.29 | $92,110 | $60,670 | $145,290 | 250 | 0.36 | 0.80 |
| 40 | Indiana profile | $43.31 | $90,090 | $56,710 | $144,520 | 930 | 0.29 | 0.65 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $42.21 | $87,790 | $50,740 | $129,160 | 200 | 0.17 | 0.37 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $42.02 | $87,390 | $47,150 | $139,840 | 650 | 0.32 | 0.72 |
| 43 | Idaho profile | $41.19 | $85,660 | $50,460 | $138,930 | 180 | 0.22 | 0.48 |
| 44 | Hawaii profile | $41.11 | $85,500 | $51,050 | $137,180 | 100 | 0.16 | 0.35 |
| 45 | Montana profile | $39.96 | $83,120 | $71,740 | $104,300 | 300 | 0.59 | 1.32 |
| 46 | South Dakota profile | $39.69 | $82,540 | $64,140 | $110,130 | 170 | 0.37 | 0.83 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $39.66 | $82,480 | $53,690 | $127,850 | 420 | 0.32 | 0.71 |
| 48 | Wyoming profile | $39.66 | $82,480 | $42,890 | $115,820 | 100 | 0.36 | 0.79 |
| 49 | North Dakota profile | $37.85 | $78,730 | $57,320 | $122,360 | 80 | 0.18 | 0.40 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $35.33 | $73,490 | $48,110 | $121,010 | 240 | 0.35 | 0.77 |
| 51 | Maine profile | $33.90 | $70,500 | $51,640 | $118,950 | 260 | 0.41 | 0.91 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (15-1240), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Computer and Mathematical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 15-1242 Database Administrators.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 15-1242, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 15-1242.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.