Database Administrator

Technology Careers

Mean Salary (US)

$98,860

PROJECTED JOB OUTLOOK 2020-30​

8%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Database Administrators and Architects, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm

Table of Contents

What is a Database Administrator?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), the U.S. Department of Labor’s principal fact- finding agency for the federal government in the field of labor, economics, and statistics that provides data on employment and wages, Database Administrators use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and secure from unauthorized access.

Duties

Database Administrators typically do the following:

• Ensure that organizational data are secure
• Back up and restore data to prevent data loss
• Identify user needs to create and administer databases
• Ensure that databases operate efficiently and without error
• Make and test modifications to database structure when needed
• Maintain databases and update permissions
• Merge old databases into new ones

Database Administrators, often called DBAs, make sure that data analysts and other users can easily use databases to find the information they need and that systems perform as they should. Some DBAs oversee the development of new databases. They have to determine the needs of the database and who will be using it. They often monitor database performance and conduct performance-tuning support.

Many databases contain personal or financial information, making security important. Database Administrators often plan security measures, making sure that data are secure from unauthorized access.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Database Administrators,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm

How Much Does a Database Administrator Get Paid?*

According to BLS, the median annual wage for database administrators and architects was $98,860 in May 2020.

These numbers may vary based on geography and labor market.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Database Administrators, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm

Best-paying states for Database Administrators **

According to the BLS, the states and districts that paid Database Administrators the highest average annual salary in 2021 were New Jersey ($124,930), Massachusetts ($113,750), and Washington ($109,490).

**Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”). Data as of March 2022

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Database Administrator Job Outlook***

According to BLS, employment of database administrators and architects is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 13,900 openings for database administrators and architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

***Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Database Administrators, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm

Database Administrator Job Skills and Knowledge

According to O*NET Resource Center, people in this career often have these skills:

• Data base management system software — Apache Cassandra; Oracle PL/SQL; SAP Replication Server; Teradata Database
• Data base user interface and query software — Apache Hive; Microsoft Access; Oracle JDBC; Structured query language SQL
• Development environment software — Apache Ant; Eclipse IDE; Microsoft Visual Basic; Ruby
• Object or component oriented development software — C#; jQuery; Python; Scala
• Web platform development software — Apache Struts ; JavaScript ; PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor ; Ruby on Rails

People in this career often know a lot about:
• Computers and Electronics – Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Source: O*NET Resource Center

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