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What is a database administrator/architect and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted expert
Alfredo Fernandez-Gonzalez
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a database administrator/architect. For example, did you know that they make an average of $51.06 an hour? That's $106,213 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 10,500 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a database administrator/architect?

Alfredo Fernandez-GonzalezAlfredo Fernandez-Gonzalez LinkedIn profile

Professor of Architecture, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

It is important for recent graduates to recognize that Architecture is no longer limited to the physical realm, as transformative technologies are providing interesting career opportunities in the digital realm as well. This rapidly evolving context offers many opportunities and new directions for the discipline and remaining (or becoming!) current in new developments in computing power, digital visuals, manufacturing technologies, and robotics, are ways in which a recent graduate can secure a good paying job.
ScoreDatabase Administrator/ArchitectUS Average
Salary
7.8

Avg. Salary $106,213

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.4

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.54%

Asian 26.84%

Black or African American 6.84%

Hispanic or Latino 8.49%

Unknown 5.11%

White 52.18%

Gender

female 15.85%

male 84.15%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Database administrator/architect career paths

Key steps to become a database administrator/architect

  1. Explore database administrator/architect education requirements

    Most common database administrator/architect degrees

    Bachelor's

    60.7 %

    Master's

    29.0 %

    Associate

    4.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific database administrator/architect skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Microsoft SQL Server5.72%
    Cloud5.30%
    Infrastructure5.05%
    ETL4.94%
    Data Warehouse3.91%
  3. Complete relevant database administrator/architect training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New database administrator/architects learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a database administrator/architect based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real database administrator/architect resumes.
  4. Research database administrator/architect duties and responsibilities

    • Develop scripts to automate processes for performance monitoring, backups, restores, notifications, file transfers and ETL's.
    • Design physical data models, manage database objects and develop PL/SQL procedures.
    • Lead multiple infrastructure planning and implementation including instance strategy, technical platform selection, architecture design, backup and recovery strategy.
    • Design automation processes used by DBA team for proactive database servers monitoring and capacity planning.
  5. Prepare your database administrator/architect resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your database administrator/architect resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a database administrator/architect resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable database administrator/architect resume templates

    Build a professional database administrator/architect resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your database administrator/architect resume.
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
    Database Administrator/Architect Resume
  6. Apply for database administrator/architect jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a database administrator/architect job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first database administrator/architect job

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Average database administrator/architect salary

The average database administrator/architect salary in the United States is $106,213 per year or $51 per hour. Database administrator/architect salaries range between $81,000 and $138,000 per year.

Average database administrator/architect salary
$106,213 Yearly
$51.06 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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