Database Administrator Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Database Administrators — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$104,620
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$50.30
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$163,320
entry level starts ~$60,230
Pay Grade
A
excellent pay · 70,000 employed

How much does a Database Administrator make?

A Database Administrator earns a median annual salary of $104,620 in the United States, which works out to roughly $50.30 per hour for full-time work. Most Database Administrators earn between $60,230 at the entry level and $163,320 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $79,610 and $135,460 a year.

That is $43,230 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Database Administrator salary range by percentile

Half of all Database Administrators earn between $79,610 and $135,460 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$60,230$28.96
25th percentile (early career)$79,610$38.27
50th percentile (median)$104,620$50.30
75th percentile (experienced)$135,460$65.13
90th percentile (top earners)$163,320$78.52

Highest-paying states for Database Administrator

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Utah leads the country for Database Administrator pay at $135,750 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($129,300) and New Jersey ($125,860). At the other end, Maine posts the lowest median at $70,500 — a gap of $65,250 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Utah$135,750$65.26+30%
2Massachusetts$129,300$62.16+24%
3New Jersey$125,860$60.51+20%
4Maryland$124,300$59.76+19%
5District of Columbia$118,540$56.99+13%

Workforce and education

About 70,000 people work as Database Administrators in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $110,090 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Database Administrator make in the United States?
The median Database Administrator salary in the United States is $104,620 per year, or about $50.30 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $60,230, while the top 10% of earners make $163,320 or more.
How does Database Administrator pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A (excellent pay), the Database Administrator median of $104,620 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Database Administrators the most?
Utah is the highest-paying state for Database Administrators, with a median salary of $135,750 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Database Administrator?
Becoming a Database Administrator typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Database Administrators work in the United States?
About 70,000 people were employed as Database Administrators in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.