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Job outlook for database administrators in the United States
Database administrator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected database administrator job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 10,500 new jobs for database administrators are projected over the next decade.
Database administrator salaries have increased 12% for database administrators in the last 5 years.
There are over 242,558 database administrators currently employed in the United States.
There are 56,992 active database administrator job openings in the US.
The average database administrator salary is $81,960.
Are database administrator jobs in demand?
Database administrator job and salary trends over time
Database administrator jobs over time
Database administrator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 242,558 | 0.07% |
| 2020 | 87,756 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 83,547 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 87,255 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 90,070 | 0.03% |
Average database administrator salary over time
Database administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $81,960 | $39.40 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $79,259 | $38.11 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $77,465 | $37.24 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $74,842 | $35.98 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $73,061 | $35.13 | +4.0% |
Database administrator jobs by state
Most common states for database administrators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 189 | 27% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,019 | 15% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 802 | 14% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 430 | 14% |
| 5 | Alaska | 739,795 | 105 | 14% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 90 | 14% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 181 | 13% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 99 | 13% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 478 | 12% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 124 | 12% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 114 | 11% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 105 | 11% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 62 | 11% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 771 | 10% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 717 | 10% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 580 | 10% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 214 | 10% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 193 | 10% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 172 | 10% |
| 20 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 924 | 9% |
Most common cities for database administrators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 20 | 51% | $76,757 |
| 2 | Dover | 6 | 16% | $77,036 |
| 3 | Topeka | 7 | 6% | $73,458 |
| 4 | Columbia | 6 | 6% | $76,685 |
| 5 | Lansing | 6 | 5% | $76,979 |
| 6 | Montgomery | 9 | 4% | $71,676 |
| 7 | Little Rock | 8 | 4% | $73,611 |
| 8 | Huntsville | 7 | 4% | $71,876 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 14 | 3% | $74,604 |
| 10 | Des Moines | 6 | 3% | $77,305 |
| 11 | Tallahassee | 6 | 3% | $71,776 |
| 12 | Washington | 14 | 2% | $80,422 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 11 | 1% | $70,919 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 10 | 1% | $79,905 |
| 15 | Boston | 8 | 1% | $85,710 |
| 16 | Sacramento | 6 | 1% | $91,450 |
| 17 | Los Angeles | 11 | 0% | $86,565 |
| 18 | Chicago | 8 | 0% | $78,849 |
Database Administrator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of database administrator experts
University of Nebraska - Omaha
Ohio University
Tarleton State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
International Association of Administrative Professionals
What general advice would you give to a Database Administrator?
Dr. Joseph Oluwole: The ability to build and sustain relationships with staff for climate and culture and with parents for family and community relations, all to support the holistic success of students.
What general advice would you give to a Database Administrator?
Janice Garnett Ed.D.: Negotiate based on research, develop a career development plan, focus on enhancing performance, professional growth, and continuous learning.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Database Administrators to find work opportunities?
Greg Kessler Ph.D.: There is no single location with more opportunities. In fact, there is a need for these skills everywhere in the country and world for that matter. There is a huge demand for graduates from programs like ours.
What skills stand out on Database Administrator resumes?
Greg Kessler Ph.D.: I am not sure that there are any particular skills that stand out on resumes, but familiarity with instructional design principles should be considered to be very valuable. I also think that knowledge of multimedia principles, social media, and various forms of virtual and immersive experiences. Also, knowledge of AI and the other things I referred to in the trends above.
Dr. Jacqueline Abernathy
Assistant ProfessorTarleton State University
Public Administration
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Database Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Jacqueline Abernathy: I think one of the most significant changes to the job market is how the pandemic forced employers to do business virtually if they wanted to do business at all. For non-essential businesses, they had to find a way for employees to work at home if they wanted employees to keep working. This means that jobs that were originally considered location-bound were found to be done remotely, some with little to no modifications.
What this means is that some employers have reconsidered the costs of maintaining physical office space for workers that could telecommute and would rather work at home. Instead of paying rent and utilities for all employees to work in cubicles, they could export those costs to the employee using the spare bedroom they pay for, and home internet, phone, power, the water they pay for themselves. This cost-saving epiphany could affect employers and jobseekers alike in several ways. If a job can be done from anywhere, it means that those who are interested in a job can apply regardless of where they live.
This means a wider pool of talent for employers to choose from instead of just those willing to live within commuting distance. It also means more potential opportunities for jobseekers that might not be willing or able to relocate. But there is a downside, and that is that it increases competition for available jobs. The labor pool is no longer limited to those with skills and experience in a metro area, so those seeking a job are no longer just up against other locals anymore. This means those on the job market might have a more difficult job finding ways to set themselves apart. I think it means more opportunities, potentially, but greater challenges getting hired and a need to find ways to make themselves more marketable than they may have needed to be when labor pools were shallower.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Database Administrators in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Richard Huff Ph.D.: The emphasis on data-driven public policy, management, and decision making will continue to require a creative and ethical approach to data analytics. Public agencies will have a need for technical expertise tempered with the recognition of the increasing demands for high levels of trust among stakeholders for how data is safeguarded and managed.
As custodians of sensitive data, in many cases, there is a demand for a high level of trustworthiness to be earned by public officials. I would expect agencies will need to set a high bar for ethical standards and communicate them consistently. This will be particularly true for developing and using artificial intelligence (AI). While the future public servant will need a grounding in understanding, interpreting, and using data in meaningful ways, there will continue to be a critical need for ethical sensitivity and reasoning to ensure public policies and programs heed increasing demands for social equity and justice. Technology advancements are unavoidable for the foreseeable future and need to be harnessed and applied appropriately by professional, principled, and ethical public servants.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Database Administrators to find work opportunities?
Veronica Cochran: I would urge graduates to not simply focus on locations or organizations with the highest salary or most job or promotion opportunities. The key to remaining engaged and creating value is finding an organization that supports your core beliefs and values.
Second to that, I believe a support network is vital to one's professional development and success. That being said, I have had the opportunity to engage administrative professionals throughout the United States and across the globe. In particular, I came across larger networks in New York, D.C., Alabama, California, and Texas.
If they are looking for a place to start, I believe Zippia's list of Best States for an Administrative Assistant is a great starting point.
How do you envision technology impacting Database Administrators in the next 5 years?
Veronica Cochran: Technology will continue to change the nature of work and how work actually gets done for every profession and professional. In particular, it will enable administrative professionals to increase organization and prioritization, optimize performance, and improve efficiency and effectiveness. Technology will support our connectivity - further empowering collaboration, inclusion and teamwork. It will help administrative professionals better manage projects through shared accountability, allowing us to track and evaluate our progress to optimize desired outcomes in real-time.