Database Administrators: Career Overview
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.
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What Do Database Administrators Perform?
The core tasks performed by database administrators span:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective database administrators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Database Administrators Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Administrator (Admin)
- Automatic Data Processing Planner (ADP Planner)
- Cyber Database Administrator (Cyber DBA)
- Data Administrator (Data Admin)
- Data Engineer
- Data Management Associate
- Data Management IT Specialist (Data Management Information Technology Specialist)
- Data Miner
How Many Database Administrators Are There?
The U.S. employs around 176,991 database administrators working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Database Administrators Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $79,696 |
| Hourly median | $38.32 |
| 10th percentile | $56,458 |
| 25th percentile | $68,077 |
| 75th percentile | $91,315 |
| 90th percentile | $102,934 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Database Administrators Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $128,970 |
| District of Columbia | $128,440 |
| Maryland | $122,110 |
| New Hampshire | $121,820 |
| Colorado | $119,940 |
| Massachusetts | $117,420 |
| Washington | $114,700 |
| Kansas | $112,740 |
| California | $111,090 |
| Texas | $109,990 |
| North Carolina | $108,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $107,800 |
| New York | $106,940 |
| Georgia | $106,100 |
| Virginia | $105,000 |
| Rhode Island | $103,810 |
| Oregon | $102,650 |
| Vermont | $102,170 |
| Connecticut | $101,990 |
| Tennessee | $101,640 |
| Illinois | $101,070 |
| Delaware | $100,240 |
| Wisconsin | $98,920 |
| Florida | $97,900 |
| Utah | $97,890 |
| Michigan | $97,880 |
| Iowa | $97,690 |
| Minnesota | $97,230 |
| Arizona | $96,320 |
| New Mexico | $94,850 |
| Ohio | $94,020 |
| Hawaii | $93,400 |
| Alaska | $93,180 |
| South Carolina | $92,670 |
| Nebraska | $92,470 |
| Alabama | $88,560 |
| Missouri | $87,600 |
| Nevada | $86,980 |
| Louisiana | $86,420 |
| Mississippi | $86,420 |
| South Dakota | $85,890 |
| Kentucky | $83,980 |
| Indiana | $83,600 |
| Montana | $80,960 |
| Arkansas | $79,710 |
| Idaho | $78,780 |
| Maine | $76,980 |
| Oklahoma | $76,980 |
| North Dakota | $76,400 |
| Wyoming | $69,980 |
| West Virginia | $65,380 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,210 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for database administrators shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $113,533 | 20.0% | 1.53 |
| New England | $110,119 | 4.9% | 1.05 |
| Far Western US | $109,869 | 16.6% | 1.02 |
| Rocky Mountains | $105,652 | 3.7% | 0.96 |
| Southwest | $104,440 | 11.8% | 0.93 |
| Southeast | $99,156 | 26.5% | 1.32 |
| Great Lakes | $95,966 | 10.7% | 0.77 |
| Plains States | $94,597 | 5.6% | 0.86 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Database Administrators
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $148,430 | 700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $133,310 | 1,380 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | FL | $128,810 | 40 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $126,810 | 970 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $125,220 | 490 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $125,120 | 60 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $125,010 | 2,240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $124,550 | 3,770 |
Top Industries Employing Database Administrators
The largest employers of database administrators are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18,360 | $109,200 |
| Finance and Insurance | 8,300 | $118,180 |
| Educational Services | 7,150 | $83,780 |
| Information | 6,760 | $115,940 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 5,710 | $117,740 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,290 | $84,150 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4,110 | $109,930 |
| Manufacturing | 3,080 | $100,140 |
Below are examples of industries where database administrators work:
Tech Stack
- Web platform development software: AJAX (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Amazon DynamoDB (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Redshift (hot technology)
- Cloud-based management software: Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Expert system software: Ansible software (hot technology)
- Procedure management software: Apache Airflow (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Cassandra (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Apache Hive (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Apache Kafka (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for database administrators reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Freedom to Make Decisions
How to Become Database Administrators
Most database administrators positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (Supplemental)
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Information Security Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer User Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Architects (Supplemental)
- Database Architects (Primary-Short)
- Data Warehousing Specialists (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Future database administrators typically earn programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
3 programs across 3 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 15-1242.00 (Database Administrators).
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