Database Administrator Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$105,000
national median salary
$76,000 to $133,000. Last updated August 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $104,620 for Database Administrators (SOC 15-1242) across the United States, based on 69,990 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$60,230
25th percentile
$79,610
Median
$104,620
75th percentile
$135,460
90th percentile
$163,320
Workers surveyed
69,990
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$104,620
May 2025 release
$104,620
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Database Administrators (SOC 15-1242) rather than Database Administratorspecifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1242Highest Paying
$145,000
San Jose, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$110,000
North Charleston, SC
Lowest Paying
$80,000
Jackson, MS
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated August 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 15-1242. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Database Administrator salary in the United States at $105,000 in 2026, within a range of $76,000 to $133,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Jose is the highest of the 81 cities at $145,000, while North Charleston offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. DBAs managing mission-critical Oracle, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL clusters for Fortune 500 companies earn the highest base salaries.
Database Administrator salary by city.
Skills that increase Database Administrator pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for Database Administrators based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $14,700 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$14,700 per year
≈ +$13,650 per year
≈ +$12,600 per year
≈ +$11,550 per year
≈ +$11,550 per year
≈ +$10,500 per year
≈ +$10,500 per year
≈ +$9,450 per year
What you should know.
DBAs managing mission-critical Oracle, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL clusters for Fortune 500 companies earn the highest base salaries. Expertise in performance tuning, disaster recovery design, and database migration to cloud-managed services adds 15 to 20% over general administration. Financial and healthcare data compliance knowledge commands additional premiums.
Junior DBAs start at $58,000 to $75,000, progressing to mid-level at $82,000 to $115,000 within three to four years. Senior DBAs earn $120,000 to $145,000, while database architects and directors of data infrastructure reach $155,000 to $210,000 at enterprise organizations.
Annual bonuses of 8 to 12% are standard, with on-call stipends adding $5,000 to $10,000. Many employers cover Oracle or Microsoft certification costs, and senior DBAs at large enterprises receive retention bonuses of $10,000 to $25,000.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Database Administrators typically earn $89,000 (15% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Database Administrator pay.
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