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Database architect vs lead database administrator

The differences between database architects and lead database administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a database architect and a lead database administrator. Additionally, a lead database administrator has an average salary of $114,426, which is higher than the $93,654 average annual salary of a database architect.

The top three skills for a database architect include cloud, infrastructure and java. The most important skills for a lead database administrator are DBA, PL/SQL, and linux.

Database architect vs lead database administrator overview

Database ArchitectLead Database Administrator
Yearly salary$93,654$114,426
Hourly rate$45.03$55.01
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs90,74358,263
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a database architect do?

A database architect is an individual who helps organizations or corporations increase and expand into various marketplaces. Database architects establish a vision in order to meet their strategic goals. The architects manage electronic databases for data storage and organization. They should be familiar with various software, such as application server software. The skills necessary for this job include data modeling, knowledge in programming languages, and data management.

What does a lead database administrator do?

A lead database administrator or DBA serves as a primary technologist in an organization or company. Lead database administrators are technical experts in terms of database and middleware technology design, tuning, configuration, troubleshooting, and building. They use specialized software for data storage and organization. Their role may also include database migration, troubleshooting, performance monitoring, and data recovery. Among the necessary skills for this job include problem-solving, organizational, interpersonal, and communication.

Database architect vs lead database administrator salary

Database architects and lead database administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Database ArchitectLead Database Administrator
Average salary$93,654$114,426
Salary rangeBetween $69,000 And $126,000Between $88,000 And $148,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAFoster City, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandWashington
Best paying companyChewyAmazon
Best paying industryFinanceRetail

Differences between database architect and lead database administrator education

There are a few differences between a database architect and a lead database administrator in terms of educational background:

Database ArchitectLead Database Administrator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorComputer ScienceComputer Science
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Database architect vs lead database administrator demographics

Here are the differences between database architects' and lead database administrators' demographics:

Database ArchitectLead Database Administrator
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 82.7% Female, 17.3%Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 24.7% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 27.3% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between database architect and lead database administrator duties and responsibilities

Database architect example responsibilities.

  • Develop and manage SSRS projects for financial and informational reporting, along with accompanying store procedures.
  • Tune many custom SQL queries and PL/SQL code for complicate business processes to achieve sub-second response time.
  • Work with all technical leads in the organization to understand the existing system and work on the new ETL extract.
  • Create PHP page for loan officers to add to their contact list for leads which interact with the MySQL database.
  • Migrate data from RDBMS to Hadoop infrastructure using Sqoop.
  • Create and edit SSIS packages for movement of data to reporting servers and ETL of client files from other systems.
  • Show more

Lead database administrator example responsibilities.

  • Perform DB2 DPF configuration, installation, tuning and maintenance to manage additional database capacity requirements.
  • Manage development of data migration to include SSIS packages incorporating legacy data and data structures into the enterprise data repository.
  • Lead multiple infrastructure planning and implementation including instance strategy, technical platform selection, architecture design, backup and recovery strategy.
  • Coordinate DBA activities on server build team to ensure timely delivery of database servers build according to customer requirements.
  • Monitor and tune database and query performance using RDBMS tools.
  • Establish coding standards for the Java development team to optimize query efficiency.
  • Show more

Database architect vs lead database administrator skills

Common database architect skills
  • Cloud, 9%
  • Infrastructure, 8%
  • Java, 7%
  • Database Design, 5%
  • Database Administration, 4%
  • ETL, 4%
Common lead database administrator skills
  • DBA, 6%
  • PL/SQL, 5%
  • Linux, 5%
  • Database Administration, 5%
  • Microsoft SQL Server, 4%
  • Disaster Recovery, 4%

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