What is a Database Architect?
Job Description & Duties Design strategies for enterprise database systems and set standards for operations, programming, and security. Design and construct large relational databases. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
A Day in the Life of a Database Architect
- Develop load-balancing processes to eliminate down time for backup processes.
- Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- Monitor and report systems resource consumption trends to assure production systems meet availability requirements and hardware enhancements are scheduled appropriately.
- Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
- Test changes to database applications or systems.
- 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.
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Skills Needed to be a Database Architect
These are the skills Database Architects say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Solutions Architect
- Database Design Analyst
- Information Architect
- Data Administrator
- Database Modeler
Job Opportunities for Database Architects
There were about 287,200 jobs for Database Architect in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 26,600 new jobs for Database Architect by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 22,400 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Database Architect are Washington, Utah, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maryland, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Database Architect
The typical yearly salary for Database Architects is somewhere between $47,350 and $144,820.

Database Architects who work in District of Columbia, Maryland, or New Hampshire, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Database Architects in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $87,060 |
Alaska | $98,830 |
Arizona | $85,010 |
Arkansas | $73,670 |
California | $103,270 |
Colorado | $102,470 |
Connecticut | $100,340 |
District of Columbia | $117,540 |
Florida | $78,900 |
Georgia | $90,140 |
Hawaii | $89,960 |
Idaho | $80,610 |
Indiana | $79,310 |
Iowa | $78,810 |
Kansas | $79,300 |
Kentucky | $79,420 |
Louisiana | $66,600 |
Maine | $79,790 |
Maryland | $113,330 |
Massachusetts | $92,110 |
Michigan | $76,400 |
Minnesota | $81,650 |
Mississippi | $81,280 |
Missouri | $82,610 |
Montana | $68,430 |
Nebraska | $86,230 |
Nevada | $72,610 |
New Hampshire | $112,440 |
New Jersey | $99,210 |
New Mexico | $79,540 |
New York | $90,750 |
North Carolina | $88,650 |
North Dakota | $70,730 |
Ohio | $82,440 |
Oklahoma | $78,490 |
Oregon | $79,610 |
Pennsylvania | $87,040 |
Rhode Island | $81,290 |
South Carolina | $92,100 |
South Dakota | $81,250 |
Tennessee | $74,000 |
Texas | $90,290 |
Utah | $76,890 |
Vermont | $72,220 |
Virginia | $105,270 |
Washington | $91,620 |
West Virginia | $83,660 |
Wisconsin | $74,600 |
Wyoming | $75,780 |
What Tools do Database Architects Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Database Architects:
- Microsoft Excel
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- MySQL
- Data entry software
- MongoDB
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Visio
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Dynamics
- SAS
- Linux
- Ruby
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Extensible markup language XML
- IBM SPSS Statistics
Becoming a Database Architect
What kind of Database Architect requirements are there?

What work experience do I need to become a Database Architect?

Where Database Architects Are Employed

Below are examples of industries where Database Architects work:

References:
Image Credit: The Opte Project via Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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