Database administrator earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Database administrator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Michigan | $99,830 |
| New Mexico | $98,450 |
| Louisiana | $98,270 |
| Ohio | $97,190 |
| Oklahoma | $95,320 |
| Alabama | $93,900 |
| South Carolina | $93,640 |
| Virginia | $93,320 |
| New Hampshire | $92,110 |
| Indiana | $90,090 |
| Mississippi | $87,790 |
| Kentucky | $87,390 |
| Idaho | $85,660 |
| Hawaii | $85,500 |
| Montana | $83,120 |
| South Dakota | $82,540 |
| Arkansas | $82,480 |
| Wyoming | $82,480 |
| North Dakota | $78,730 |
| West Virginia | $73,490 |
| Maine | $70,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,310 |
| Utah | $135,750 |
| Massachusetts | $129,300 |
| New Jersey | $125,860 |
| Maryland | $124,300 |
| District of Columbia | $118,540 |
| Colorado | $118,340 |
| Washington | $118,140 |
| Tennessee | $115,500 |
| Texas | $114,400 |
| North Carolina | $113,900 |
| California | $113,060 |
| Nevada | $109,670 |
| Alaska | $108,810 |
| Connecticut | $108,270 |
| Georgia | $106,810 |
| Rhode Island | $106,020 |
| New York | $105,900 |
| Illinois | $104,650 |
| Arizona | $104,280 |
| Vermont | $104,230 |
| Florida | $104,120 |
| Iowa | $101,210 |
| Delaware | $100,910 |
| Minnesota | $100,700 |
| Missouri | $100,270 |
| Oregon | $100,260 |
| Kansas | $100,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,110 |
| Nebraska | $100,020 |
| Wisconsin | $100,020 |
How much does a Database Administrator earn?
In the IT world, database administrator salaries are amongst the highest base wages. Experienced database administrators and database managers can have salaries well into the six-figure range. Database administration is a sought after career offering top salary potential and significant opportunities to move upwards, regardless of industry and/or database system specialization(s).
Geography can play a significant role in entry-level database administrator salaries. States with a large number of database administrators typically start their administrators at a higher salary. The five states with the largest number of database administrators are California, Texas, New York, Virginia and Florida.
It may be wise to add specialized training in cyber-security to increase your starting salary. Companies routinely hire database administrators and other information technologists to secure data. This area can lead to a higher salary for a beginning database administrator, especially in companies that can't afford to hire a separate specialist. In addition, possessing a Microsoft or Oracle certification can give you a huge leg up when it comes to a strong starting salary, and it will also give you a competitive advantage over your peers.
How do database administrator salaries compare to similar careers?
Database administrators earn about the same as related careers in Wyoming. On average, they make less than informatics nurse specialists but more than web developers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Informatics nurse specialist salary | $110K |
| Computer network architect salary | $101K |
| Distance learning coordinator salary | $95K |
| Computer programmer salary | $82K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $92K |
| Database administrator salary | $82K |
| Online merchant salary | $74K |
| Computer systems administrator salary | $75K |
| Hydroelectric plant technician salary | $67K |
| Web developer salary | $68K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)