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Best states for a database developer
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Paul Feit
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Are you thinking of becoming a database developer and really want to work at Robert Half? Turns out, your chances to become a database developer are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that Washington is the best state for database developers in America. The best city in America for database developers with the highest pay is Seattle, WA.
Washington is the best state for jobs for database developers, and Alabama is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $113,714, while the median pay in Alabama is $73,611.If you are currently seeking employment as a database developer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for database developers in 2025
1. Washington
Total database developer jobs: 1,083 Average annual salary: $113,714 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
2. Nevada
Total database developer jobs: 320 Average annual salary: $100,994 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
3. Montana
Total database developer jobs: 177 Average annual salary: $91,538 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
4. Idaho
Total database developer jobs: 220 Average annual salary: $93,750 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1
5. New Mexico
Total database developer jobs: 334 Average annual salary: $90,079 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
6. Rhode Island
Total database developer jobs: 279 Average annual salary: $89,440 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.71
7. California
Total database developer jobs: 4,200 Average annual salary: $105,818 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
8. Utah
Total database developer jobs: 600 Average annual salary: $88,017 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
9. Oregon
Total database developer jobs: 676 Average annual salary: $90,446 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
10. Pennsylvania
Total database developer jobs: 1,528 Average annual salary: $87,817 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
Database developer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a database developer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a database developer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $113,714 | $84,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,083 |
| 2 | Nevada | $100,994 | $74,000 | 2,998,039 | 320 |
| 3 | Montana | $91,538 | $69,000 | 1,050,493 | 177 |
| 4 | Idaho | $93,750 | $69,000 | 1,716,943 | 220 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $90,079 | $67,000 | 2,088,070 | 334 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $89,440 | $66,000 | 1,059,639 | 279 |
| 7 | California | $105,818 | $77,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,200 |
| 8 | Utah | $88,017 | $65,000 | 3,101,833 | 600 |
| 9 | Oregon | $90,446 | $67,000 | 4,142,776 | 676 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $87,817 | $65,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,528 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $91,805 | $69,000 | 693,972 | 499 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $86,245 | $66,000 | 755,393 | 127 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $92,193 | $68,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,191 |
| 14 | Delaware | $91,068 | $68,000 | 961,939 | 150 |
| 15 | New York | $94,690 | $70,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,497 |
| 16 | Texas | $87,835 | $66,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,363 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $87,655 | $66,000 | 579,315 | 63 |
| 18 | Arizona | $89,588 | $67,000 | 7,016,270 | 650 |
| 19 | Virginia | $86,376 | $65,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,845 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $87,147 | $65,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,359 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $86,073 | $65,000 | 1,815,857 | 151 |
| 22 | Maine | $85,184 | $63,000 | 1,335,907 | 180 |
| 23 | Alaska | $91,618 | $73,000 | 739,795 | 86 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $84,646 | $64,000 | 5,795,483 | 700 |
| 25 | Ohio | $80,865 | $61,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,561 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $82,992 | $63,000 | 869,666 | 132 |
| 27 | Vermont | $83,997 | $62,000 | 623,657 | 140 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $85,974 | $64,000 | 1,342,795 | 214 |
| 29 | Maryland | $86,133 | $64,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,002 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $85,899 | $65,000 | 4,684,333 | 335 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $84,375 | $64,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,170 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $81,132 | $61,000 | 1,920,076 | 354 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $82,295 | $63,000 | 5,576,606 | 999 |
| 34 | Michigan | $81,708 | $61,000 | 9,962,311 | 959 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $81,164 | $61,000 | 6,715,984 | 637 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $79,469 | $60,000 | 3,004,279 | 346 |
| 37 | Colorado | $81,506 | $61,000 | 5,607,154 | 865 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $84,527 | $63,000 | 3,588,184 | 386 |
| 39 | Georgia | $79,487 | $60,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,437 |
| 40 | Illinois | $81,132 | $61,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,479 |
| 41 | Indiana | $77,876 | $59,000 | 6,666,818 | 862 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $78,552 | $59,000 | 4,454,189 | 452 |
| 43 | Florida | $81,366 | $61,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,724 |
| 44 | Kansas | $73,737 | $56,000 | 2,913,123 | 446 |
| 45 | Iowa | $77,542 | $59,000 | 3,145,711 | 405 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $80,000 | $60,000 | 5,024,369 | 440 |
| 47 | Missouri | $77,175 | $58,000 | 6,113,532 | 749 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $77,821 | $59,000 | 2,984,100 | 148 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $77,019 | $58,000 | 3,930,864 | 277 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $75,908 | $59,000 | 1,427,538 | 96 |
| 51 | Alabama | $73,611 | $55,000 | 4,874,747 | 477 |
Highest paying states for database developers
| Rank | State | Avg. Database Developer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $113,714 |
| 2 | Nevada | $100,994 |
| 3 | Montana | $91,538 |
| 4 | Idaho | $93,750 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $90,079 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $89,440 |
| 7 | California | $105,818 |
| 8 | Utah | $88,017 |
| 9 | Oregon | $90,446 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $87,817 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $91,805 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $86,245 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $92,193 |
| 14 | Delaware | $91,068 |
| 15 | New York | $94,690 |
| 16 | Texas | $87,835 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $87,655 |
| 18 | Arizona | $89,588 |
| 19 | Virginia | $86,376 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $87,147 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $86,073 |
| 22 | Maine | $85,184 |
| 23 | Alaska | $91,618 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $84,646 |
| 25 | Ohio | $80,865 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $82,992 |
| 27 | Vermont | $83,997 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $85,974 |
| 29 | Maryland | $86,133 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $85,899 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $84,375 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $81,132 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $82,295 |
| 34 | Michigan | $81,708 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $81,164 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $79,469 |
| 37 | Colorado | $81,506 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $84,527 |
| 39 | Georgia | $79,487 |
| 40 | Illinois | $81,132 |
| 41 | Indiana | $77,876 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $78,552 |
| 43 | Florida | $81,366 |
| 44 | Kansas | $73,737 |
| 45 | Iowa | $77,542 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $80,000 |
| 47 | Missouri | $77,175 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $77,821 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $77,019 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $75,908 |
| 51 | Alabama | $73,611 |
Expert opinions on the best states for database developers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for database developers to find work opportunities?
Paul Feit
Professor and Chair, University of Texas of the Permian Basin
A bachelor's or minor in Mathematics is sort-of a 'vanilla' degree. It is a boost in many careers; it tells potential employers that the graduate is ready for the quantitative needs in any position. Just about every position has some quantitative need. A minor in Mathematics alerts employers that the candidate brings computational finesse to whatever his/her major.
Jobs for higher degrees are in academic institutions and companies big enough to need analysis of their proprietary data. Computer companies appreciate mathematical credentials, but may expect these to be in addition to a computer science background.
Database developer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025