Database Administrator Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median database administrator salary is $123,100 [1].

• Senior database administrator salary data shows that the median total pay is $125,000, according to Glassdoor [2].

• Database administrator salary details depend on various factors, including your education, experience, location, and industry.

The average salary for a database administrator ranges between $81,960 and $123,000 [1, 3]. Explore what a position as a database administrator entails, including the average earnings associated with the job and the factors that might increase your salary over time. If you’re ready to build skills for a career as a database administrator, consider enrolling in the IBM Data Science Professional Certificate. In as little as four months, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to clean and import data sets, analyze and visualize data, and build machine learning models. By the end, you’ll have earned a career credential for your resume.

What is a database administrator?

Database administrators, sometimes called DBAs, design, develop, and maintain databases for companies and organizations.

As a database administrator, you identify clients' needs and determine how best to maintain databases for different purposes. You will be responsible for designing and developing databases, backing up data in case of potential loss, ensuring databases are running efficiently and without errors, and testing any potential changes to keep the databases up to date.

Database administrator skills may change depending on your particular field, such as financial information, shipping records, personal data, and more. However, data analytics, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills are among the most sought-after skills.

Database administrators work for financial institutions, information technology companies, and other organizations to maintain and update database architecture for large amounts of data. Job prospects look promising as database administrator positions continue growing and companies rely on administrators to handle large amounts of data for financial or customer service purposes.

Can I become a DBA with no experience?

Yes, you may be able to become a database administrator with no experience by earning your bachelor’s degree and learning fundamental database concepts and structured query language (SQL). Developing proficiency with other database management systems, such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, will help, too.

What is a database administrator salary?

Database administrators make a median annual income of $123,100, according to the BLS [1].

Various job listing sites calculate the average annual pay for database administrators between $81,960 and $123,000 as of July 2026. The following offers information about the median and average salaries calculated by the BLS and three other organizations that track database administrator salaries:

The Glassdoor salary represents the median total pay. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Factors that affect database administrator salary data

Factors such as your education level and experience in the field can boost your potential earnings as a database administrator. Where you live can also impact your salary, including the demand for database administrators or the cost of living in a particular area. Some industry sectors will offer more earnings than others, depending on your specific interests or specialties as a database administrator.

Education

Database administrators usually need a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology or a related field. Some employers may also want you to have a master’s degree in computer science, database management, information technology, or a related field. In other cases, employers may prefer a master’s in business with a specialization in information systems.

Some employers might also want certification in the products they use for database maintenance and operations.

The following list can give you an idea of how database administrator education levels influence average salaries, according to Zippia [5]:

• Some college or an associate degree: $79,132

• Bachelor's degree: $88,067

• Master's degree: $92,811

Experience

Your previous experience in database administration can boost your salary, as more experience can lead to a higher annual income. The following are the estimated median total salaries you can expect based on your experience level, according to Glassdoor [2]:

• 0–1 year: $82,000

• 1–3 years: $87,000

• 4–6 years: $98,000

• 7–9 years: $103,000

• 10–14 years: $112,000

• 15+ years: $125,000

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of July 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Location

Your location can affect your earnings as a database administrator due to the cost of living, demand for work in the area, and other regional factors.

The five top-paying states for database administrators based on average salary data from the BLS include [6]:

• Massachusetts: $126,790

• Maryland: $126,510

• New Jersey: $125,070

• Washington: $122,310

• California: $121,500

Additionally, some cities may have higher earnings than others based on the cost of living or the number of database administrator positions. You can earn more if you live in these areas or are willing to relocate.

For example, according to the BLS, a database administrator in the San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara region in California can expect to earn an average annual wage of $145,150 [6]. Conversely, if you’re a database administrator in the Boston, Cambridge, Newton area of Massachusetts, you can expect an average annual wage of $130,100 [6].

Industry

A database administrator can earn more money in specific industries compared to others, depending on different factors. For example, working in the financial sector can earn you a median annual income of $118,180, while those working for management companies earn $117,740 in median annual income, according to the BLS [7]. The BLS also indicates database administrators who work in the computer systems design industry earn a median annual income of $116,560 [7].

Glassdoor also lists the following five industries as the highest-paying for database administrators. Note that BLS only includes base pay for its calculations, while Glassdoor includes additional compensation in its figures, such as stocks, cash, bonuses, and other benefits, along with base pay [2]:

• Financial services: $108,000

• Telecommunications: $119,000

• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology: $108,000

• Energy, mining, and utilities: $105,000

• Insurance: $112,000

Related job titles

Other positions in the database administration field can help you gain additional experience, or you can find a job that better fits your interests if you want to focus on another area of the IT field.

1. Network and computer systems administrators

Median annual salary: $96,800 [8]

In this job, you will oversee the daily operations of computer networks. You might be responsible for maintaining network systems, optimizing performance, and troubleshooting issues with your company's network and computer systems.

Can I become a DBA with no experience?

Yes, you may be able to become a database administrator with no experience by earning your bachelor’s degree and learning fundamental database concepts and structured query language (SQL). Developing proficiency with other database management systems, such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, will help, too.

2. Computer network architect

Median annual salary: $130,390 [9]

In this job, you will focus on designing and building data communications networks, including local area networks (LANS) and wide area networks (WANs). You will create the layout for these networks, upgrade hardware and software, and implement new technologies in your company or organization.

Read more: A Guide to Network Architectures

Job outlook

According to data from the BLS, database administrator positions will grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, with average growth compared to the national average of 3 percent for all occupations [10]. Additionally, the BLS anticipates the market will add an average of 7,800 database administrator and architect positions annually between 2024 and 2034 [10].

Database administrators' positions will continue to grow as data needs increase across all economic industries. New positions should open as organizations increase their need for database design and administration, presentation of materials to stakeholders, and transitioning databases to newer and better technology.

Find free resources for your database administrator career

If you’re considering your career options, check out our Career Resource Hub, where you can explore paths, take a quiz, and assess your skills. Also, check out these free resources to learn more about a career in data:

• Consider your path: Data Science Learning Roadmap: Beginner to Expert

• Read our Career Chat issue: Data Analysis: Where to Start and How to Build This High-Income Skill

• Discover an insider story: Meet the 18-Year-Old Getting His Master’s Degree in Data Science

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