Database Administrator Salaries & Wage Percentiles
Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Methodology
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, coordinating changes to correct errors and optimize performance.
National Wage Percentile Spectrum
Empirical distribution from entry-level apprentice (10th percentile) to senior principal / master tier (90th percentile).
Nationwide State Salary Rankings
State-by-state empirical labor compensation benchmarked against local cost of living and purchasing power.
| Rank | State | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | CoL Adjusted Real Wage | Total Employed | Top Metro in State | CoL Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Jersey NJ | $123,490 | $59.37/hr | $99,348 | 170 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 124.3 |
| #2 | Alaska AK | $121,260 | $58.30/hr | $101,728 | 50 | Anchorage, AK | 119.2 |
| #3 | Colorado CO | $117,986 | $56.73/hr | $94,464 | 1,120 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 124.9 |
| #4 | Washington WA | $114,910 | $55.25/hr | $92,819 | 1,500 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 123.8 |
| #5 | Maryland MD | $114,600 | $55.10/hr | $104,466 | 1,310 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 109.7 |
| #6 | Massachusetts MA | $109,600 | $52.70/hr | $84,113 | 2,170 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 130.3 |
| #7 | Vermont VT | $109,090 | $52.45/hr | $74,924 | 80 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 145.6 |
| #8 | Nevada NV | $109,005 | $52.41/hr | $97,850 | 320 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 111.4 |
Top Metropolitan Areas for Maximum Earnings
High-yield metros commanding premier compensation, rent affordability, and living wage coverage.
Career Ladder & Progression Stages
Typical milestones from entry level to senior roles.
SQL query optimization, backup/restore routines, relational fundamentals
Performance tuning, replication, clustering, high availability
Multi-region failover, cloud migrations, database security audit compliance
Enterprise data governance, heterogeneous platform strategy
Skill-Adjacent Career Opportunities
Direct lateral transitions capitalizing on shared occupational competencies and BLS wage differentials.
Database Administrator: Career Ladder, Industry Hub & Regional Parity
Navigate parent industry benchmarks, lateral career progressions, and cross-pillar living cost calculators.
Technology Directory
Compare wage percentiles, required certifications, and senior salary caps across all Technology occupations.
Adjacent Career Paths
Living Cost & Tax Parity
Occupational Labor Economics & Frequently Asked Questions
Explore national wage percentiles (10th to 90th), top-paying metropolitan areas, and career ladder progression for Database Administrator. Official 2026 economic data for Database Administrator compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
National compensation benchmarks for Database Administrator range across the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles based on BLS OEWS labor market statistics.
Database Administrator: Where the Pay Is Highest
The national median for Database Administrator is $104,620 per year ($50.30/hour). BLS OEWS publishes this occupation in 195 metropolitan areas, where median pay ranges from $72,170 in Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY to $138,620 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
Top-paying metropolitan areas for Database Administrator
| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Vs national |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $138,620 | +32.5% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $133,180 | +27.3% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $132,370 | +26.5% |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $130,780 | +25.0% |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $129,010 | +23.3% |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $128,780 | +23.1% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,760 | +22.1% |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $125,760 | +20.2% |
| Vallejo, CA | $125,600 | +20.1% |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $124,560 | +19.1% |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $124,040 | +18.6% |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $123,920 | +18.4% |