Database Architects
Database Architects (SOC 15-1243) earn a median $139,500 a year ($67.07 an hour) in the United States, with 67,140 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What database architects do
Database architects design the structure of an organization's data systems. Their job is to decide how data will be modeled, stored, and accessed, and they develop and document the architectures that make this possible. They plan how enterprise databases, data warehouses, and multidimensional data structures will be organized, and they model, design, and build large relational databases or warehouses. Architects define standards for how databases are run, programmed, queried, and secured. They collaborate with system architects, software architects, and design analysts to make sure databases support business applications and can scale as needs grow. Titles include data architect, big data architect, and cloud infrastructure architect. The occupation differs from database administrators, who operate and maintain databases once they exist, and from software developers, who build applications. It also differs from data scientists, who analyze data to find patterns, and from computer network architects, who design networks rather than databases. They also design database applications such as interfaces and data transfer mechanisms, develop ways to make different products work together, and create and enforce database development standards.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: ADP Planner (Automatic Data Processing Planner), Big Data Architect, Big Data Engineer, Cloud Architect, Cloud Infrastructure Architect.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $41.46 | $52.58 | $67.07 | $81.39 | $98.08 | $69.44 | 67,140 |
| Annual | $86,240 | $109,370 | $139,500 | $169,290 | $204,000 | $144,440 | ||
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 architects 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 | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $48.66 | $63.89 | $81.81 | $97.66 | $109.57 | $84.29 | 6,210 | 0.34 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $101,200 | $132,880 | $170,160 | $203,130 | $227,900 | $175,330 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $59.46 | $64.78 | $77.72 | $88.28 | $106.21 | $78.51 | 2,690 | 0.74 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $123,670 | $134,740 | $161,650 | $183,610 | $220,910 | $163,290 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $50.58 | $60.36 | $77.09 | $84.91 | $101.04 | $74.30 | 5,260 | 1.28 | 2.96 |
| Annual | $105,210 | $125,540 | $160,360 | $176,610 | $210,160 | $154,550 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $47.95 | $59.56 | $75.05 | $76.17 | $90.96 | $69.52 | 1,200 | 0.37 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $99,730 | $123,890 | $156,100 | $158,430 | $189,190 | $144,610 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $42.31 | $58.73 | $74.31 | $80.82 | $94.00 | $70.57 | 1,950 | 0.68 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $88,000 | $122,150 | $154,560 | $168,110 | $195,510 | $146,780 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $44.66 | $61.09 | $72.77 | $79.55 | $96.34 | $70.22 | 8,270 | 0.59 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $92,890 | $127,070 | $151,370 | $165,470 | $200,390 | $146,050 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $48.66 | $63.89 | $81.81 | $97.66 | $109.57 | $84.29 | 6,210 | 0.34 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $101,200 | $132,880 | $170,160 | $203,130 | $227,900 | $175,330 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $50.58 | $60.36 | $77.09 | $84.91 | $101.04 | $74.30 | 5,260 | 1.28 | 2.96 |
| Annual | $105,210 | $125,540 | $160,360 | $176,610 | $210,160 | $154,550 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $39.06 | $51.12 | $64.73 | $78.86 | $85.76 | $65.67 | 4,070 | 0.82 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $81,230 | $106,320 | $134,630 | $164,020 | $178,380 | $136,590 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $39.69 | $48.34 | $67.96 | $86.67 | $104.11 | $69.80 | 3,850 | 0.40 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $82,540 | $100,550 | $141,350 | $180,280 | $216,550 | $145,180 | ||||
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 | $61.96 | $67.79 | $95.17 | $104.65 | $126.81 | $91.91 | 1,120 | 0.99 | 2.29 |
| Annual | $128,890 | $141,000 | $197,960 | $217,670 | $263,770 | $191,170 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $63.97 | $78.44 | $84.55 | $102.01 | $114.39 | $95.55 | 1,600 | 0.68 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $133,050 | $163,160 | $175,860 | $212,170 | $237,930 | $198,740 | ||||
| Reno, NV | Hourly | $31.50 | $63.30 | $81.92 | $98.85 | $100.96 | $75.16 | 80 | 0.28 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $65,520 | $131,660 | $170,390 | $205,600 | $210,000 | $156,330 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $46.86 | $61.79 | $81.40 | $90.13 | $97.98 | $75.94 | 230 | 0.22 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $97,470 | $128,510 | $169,310 | $187,480 | $203,800 | $157,960 | ||||
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | Hourly | $52.35 | $65.34 | $80.96 | $82.67 | $96.15 | $74.94 | 60 | 0.19 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $108,880 | $135,920 | $168,390 | $171,960 | $200,000 | $155,880 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $41.46 | $44.85 | $63.24 | $84.50 | $104.08 | $67.50 | 5,460 | 0.58 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $86,230 | $93,280 | $131,540 | $175,760 | $216,480 | $140,400 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $51.47 | $61.56 | $78.30 | $94.53 | $104.03 | $76.92 | 4,740 | 1.51 | 3.50 |
| Annual | $107,070 | $128,050 | $162,870 | $196,630 | $216,370 | $159,980 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $43.39 | $62.40 | $74.41 | $79.55 | $102.06 | $71.14 | 4,320 | 1.07 | 2.47 |
| Annual | $90,250 | $129,790 | $154,770 | $165,470 | $212,280 | $147,980 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $49.02 | $49.02 | $50.69 | $77.36 | $95.75 | $64.26 | 2,500 | 1.20 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $101,970 | $101,970 | $105,430 | $160,910 | $199,170 | $133,670 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $60.73 | $64.65 | $77.72 | $83.28 | $96.21 | $77.36 | 2,120 | 0.78 | 1.82 |
| Annual | $126,320 | $134,470 | $161,650 | $173,230 | $200,110 | $160,910 | ||||
Top industries employing database architects
Computer Systems Design and Related Services employ 24.4% of database architects nationally (16,410 jobs) at a median $148,680 a year ($71.48 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (10.2%) and Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (6.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 16,410 | 24.4% | $148,680 | $71.48 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 6,830 | 10.2% | $139,320 | $66.98 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 4,340 | 6.5% | $130,690 | $62.83 |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services NAICS 518200 | 3,970 | 5.9% | $152,560 | $73.34 |
| Software Publishers NAICS 513200 | 3,770 | 5.6% | $131,900 | $63.41 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (67,140). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $123,430 for database architects in May 2021 and $139,500 in May 2025, with employment of 50,440 and 67,140.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $123,430 | $59.34 | 50,440 |
| May 2022 | $134,870 | $64.84 | 62,470 |
| May 2023 | $134,700 | $64.76 | 59,920 |
| May 2024 | $135,980 | $65.37 | 64,770 |
| May 2025 | $139,500 | $67.07 | 67,140 |
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
49 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 | California profile | $81.81 | $170,160 | $101,200 | $227,900 | 6,210 | 0.34 | 0.79 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $77.72 | $161,650 | $123,670 | $220,910 | 2,690 | 0.74 | 1.71 |
| 3 | Virginia profile | $77.09 | $160,360 | $105,210 | $210,160 | 5,260 | 1.28 | 2.96 |
| 4 | Arizona profile | $75.05 | $156,100 | $99,730 | $189,190 | 1,200 | 0.37 | 0.86 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $74.31 | $154,560 | $88,000 | $195,510 | 1,950 | 0.68 | 1.57 |
| 6 | Texas profile | $72.77 | $151,370 | $92,890 | $200,390 | 8,270 | 0.59 | 1.36 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | $72.12 | $150,010 | $82,220 | $225,110 | 790 | 1.13 | 2.61 |
| 8 | Delaware profile | $71.06 | $147,800 | $83,370 | $160,860 | ** | ** | ** |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $69.45 | $144,460 | $106,040 | $210,800 | 1,140 | 0.67 | 1.55 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $68.51 | $142,500 | $97,820 | $193,950 | 1,590 | 0.26 | 0.60 |
| 11 | New York profile | $67.96 | $141,350 | $82,540 | $216,550 | 3,850 | 0.40 | 0.92 |
| 12 | Rhode Island profile | $67.46 | $140,320 | $92,540 | $189,810 | 160 | 0.31 | 0.72 |
| 13 | Nevada profile | $67.40 | $140,200 | $72,500 | $200,190 | 420 | 0.27 | 0.63 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $67.31 | $139,990 | $74,120 | $174,850 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.40 |
| 15 | Georgia profile | $67.07 | $139,500 | $102,400 | $187,410 | 2,590 | 0.53 | 1.23 |
| 16 | Florida profile | $66.50 | $138,320 | $85,880 | $206,410 | 1,810 | 0.18 | 0.42 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $66.46 | $138,250 | $100,820 | $175,600 | 730 | 0.37 | 0.86 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $66.26 | $137,810 | $92,660 | $170,450 | 520 | 0.18 | 0.41 |
| 19 | South Dakota profile | $65.64 | $136,540 | $95,060 | $142,980 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.20 |
| 20 | North Carolina profile | $64.73 | $134,630 | $81,230 | $178,380 | 4,070 | 0.82 | 1.91 |
| 21 | Nebraska profile | $64.58 | $134,320 | $91,560 | $173,050 | 610 | 0.60 | 1.39 |
| 22 | Hawaii profile | $64.44 | $134,040 | $93,780 | $212,150 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.22 |
| 23 | Maine profile | $64.00 | $133,120 | $86,880 | $159,620 | 190 | 0.30 | 0.69 |
| 24 | Minnesota profile | $63.96 | $133,050 | $94,220 | $169,380 | 1,240 | 0.42 | 0.98 |
| 25 | Maryland profile | $63.92 | $132,940 | $80,090 | $205,320 | 1,370 | 0.49 | 1.14 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $63.90 | $132,910 | $94,530 | $174,260 | 1,820 | 0.33 | 0.76 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $63.86 | $132,830 | $83,480 | $172,460 | 500 | 0.16 | 0.36 |
| 28 | Utah profile | $63.34 | $131,740 | $97,990 | $198,920 | 630 | 0.36 | 0.84 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $62.98 | $131,000 | $79,810 | $174,060 | 1,390 | 0.32 | 0.73 |
| 30 | South Carolina profile | $62.50 | $130,000 | $84,300 | $183,700 | 1,160 | 0.50 | 1.16 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $62.50 | $129,990 | $81,790 | $165,330 | 360 | 0.25 | 0.57 |
| 32 | Washington profile | $61.90 | $128,760 | $101,970 | $195,590 | 2,990 | 0.84 | 1.95 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $60.29 | $125,400 | $74,140 | $173,110 | 350 | 0.17 | 0.40 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | $59.64 | $124,040 | $78,660 | $159,790 | 240 | 0.15 | 0.36 |
| 35 | Idaho profile | $58.36 | $121,380 | $79,140 | $187,440 | 260 | 0.30 | 0.69 |
| 36 | New Jersey profile | $58.07 | $120,790 | $86,230 | $197,950 | 3,090 | 0.72 | 1.67 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $56.71 | $117,950 | $70,870 | $165,440 | 120 | 0.14 | 0.32 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $55.37 | $115,170 | $73,440 | $170,520 | 650 | 0.20 | 0.46 |
| 39 | Alaska profile | $54.09 | $112,500 | $65,060 | $130,500 | 70 | 0.23 | 0.53 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $53.16 | $110,570 | $64,420 | $166,610 | 1,410 | 0.48 | 1.11 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $52.94 | $110,110 | $82,820 | $173,990 | 860 | 0.51 | 1.17 |
| 42 | Montana profile | $52.88 | $109,990 | $86,470 | $128,500 | ** | ** | ** |
| 43 | North Dakota profile | $52.61 | $109,430 | $86,370 | $138,250 | 60 | 0.13 | 0.30 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $50.70 | $105,450 | $78,400 | $172,890 | 270 | 0.13 | 0.29 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | $50.04 | $104,070 | $74,700 | $162,920 | 360 | 0.27 | 0.63 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $47.32 | $98,420 | $61,030 | $137,340 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.20 |
| – | Pennsylvania profile | * | * | * | * | 2,840 | 0.47 | 1.09 |
| – | West Virginia profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.17 | 0.40 |
| – | Wyoming profile | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.58 | 1.35 |
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 15-1243 Database Architects.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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 15-1243, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 15-1243.00, 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.