Best states for a database programmer

Q: What is the best state for database programmers?

The best state to be a database programmer is Rhode Island based on database programmer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for database programmers?

The highest paying state for database programmers is Colorado based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for database programmers?

The worst state for database programmers is Colorado, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for database programmers in the United States. Database programmer positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for database programmers.Our research found that Rhode Island is the best state for database programmers, while Massachusetts and Delaware are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Rhode Island has a median salary of $87,090 and Massachusetts has the highest median salary among all 50 states for database programmers.

We figured that the best places for database programmer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the Midwest is best for database programmers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for database programmer jobs, where as Rhode Island is the best state in the country.

10 best states for database programmers in 2026

1. Rhode Island
Total database programmer jobs: 61
Average annual salary: $87,090
Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000
Location Quotient:
1.68
Database programmer jobs in Rhode Island
2. Massachusetts
Total database programmer jobs: 281
Average annual salary: $92,990
Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Database programmer jobs in Massachusetts
3. Delaware
Total database programmer jobs: 32
Average annual salary: $92,675
Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Database programmer jobs in Delaware
4. Maryland
Total database programmer jobs: 362
Average annual salary: $85,812
Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Location Quotient:
1.91
Database programmer jobs in Maryland
5. Pennsylvania
Total database programmer jobs: 291
Average annual salary: $90,992
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Database programmer jobs in Pennsylvania
6. New Hampshire
Total database programmer jobs: 53
Average annual salary: $81,897
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Database programmer jobs in New Hampshire
7. Utah
Total database programmer jobs: 150
Average annual salary: $78,475
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Location Quotient:
1.57
Database programmer jobs in Utah
8. North Carolina
Total database programmer jobs: 272
Average annual salary: $83,398
Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Database programmer jobs in North Carolina
9. Illinois
Total database programmer jobs: 333
Average annual salary: $84,159
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Database programmer jobs in Illinois
10. Washington
Total database programmer jobs: 216
Average annual salary: $82,648
Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Database programmer jobs in Washington

Database programmer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a database programmer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a database programmer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Rhode Island	$87,090	$63,000	1,059,639	61
2	Massachusetts	$92,990	$67,000	6,859,819	281
3	Delaware	$92,675	$67,000	961,939	32
4	Maryland	$85,812	$62,000	6,052,177	362
5	Pennsylvania	$90,992	$66,000	12,805,537	291
6	New Hampshire	$81,897	$59,000	1,342,795	53
7	Utah	$78,475	$54,000	3,101,833	150
8	North Carolina	$83,398	$61,000	10,273,419	272
9	Illinois	$84,159	$60,000	12,802,023	333
10	Washington	$82,648	$58,000	7,405,743	216
11	Arizona	$77,719	$55,000	7,016,270	208
12	California	$85,747	$59,000	39,536,653	1,019
13	Virginia	$77,816	$57,000	8,470,020	519
14	Connecticut	$78,914	$57,000	3,588,184	110
15	New Jersey	$78,986	$57,000	9,005,644	294
16	Nevada	$76,327	$52,000	2,998,039	59
17	Kentucky	$79,373	$57,000	4,454,189	89
18	Vermont	$72,155	$52,000	623,657	43
19	Texas	$73,382	$52,000	28,304,596	569
20	Oregon	$73,650	$51,000	4,142,776	167
21	District of Columbia	$73,188	$53,000	693,972	126
22	Alaska	$71,741	$59,000	739,795	39
23	Louisiana	$75,048	$54,000	4,684,333	50
24	New York	$76,562	$55,000	19,849,399	345
25	Ohio	$70,130	$51,000	11,658,609	259
26	Georgia	$73,422	$54,000	10,429,379	241
27	South Carolina	$71,798	$53,000	5,024,369	109
28	Kansas	$70,827	$50,000	2,913,123	74
29	Maine	$70,971	$52,000	1,335,907	37
30	Wisconsin	$69,931	$50,000	5,795,483	151
31	Florida	$70,303	$50,000	20,984,400	458
32	Tennessee	$66,493	$48,000	6,715,984	175
33	Alabama	$71,200	$51,000	4,874,747	73
34	Mississippi	$69,919	$50,000	2,984,100	44
35	Montana	$66,424	$46,000	1,050,493	43
36	Michigan	$69,566	$50,000	9,962,311	177
37	West Virginia	$66,105	$48,000	1,815,857	37
38	Arkansas	$64,285	$46,000	3,004,279	64
39	Idaho	$60,543	$41,000	1,716,943	54
40	Indiana	$65,989	$47,000	6,666,818	121
41	Nebraska	$60,910	$43,000	1,920,076	64
42	Wyoming	$56,021	$39,000	579,315	23
43	Missouri	$66,086	$47,000	6,113,532	132
44	Hawaii	$67,862	$54,000	1,427,538	16
45	Minnesota	$64,662	$46,000	5,576,606	153
46	New Mexico	$62,126	$44,000	2,088,070	49
47	Iowa	$64,259	$45,000	3,145,711	69
48	South Dakota	$57,262	$40,000	869,666	30
49	North Dakota	$59,365	$42,000	755,393	23
50	Oklahoma	$61,051	$43,000	3,930,864	43
51	Colorado	$54,799	$38,000	5,607,154	119

Highest paying states for database programmers

Rank	State	Avg. Database Programmer Salary
1	Rhode Island	$87,090
2	Massachusetts	$92,990
3	Delaware	$92,675
4	Maryland	$85,812
5	Pennsylvania	$90,992
6	New Hampshire	$81,897
7	Utah	$78,475
8	North Carolina	$83,398
9	Illinois	$84,159
10	Washington	$82,648
11	Arizona	$77,719
12	California	$85,747
13	Virginia	$77,816
14	Connecticut	$78,914
15	New Jersey	$78,986
16	Nevada	$76,327
17	Kentucky	$79,373
18	Vermont	$72,155
19	Texas	$73,382
20	Oregon	$73,650
21	District of Columbia	$73,188
22	Alaska	$71,741
23	Louisiana	$75,048
24	New York	$76,562
25	Ohio	$70,130
26	Georgia	$73,422
27	South Carolina	$71,798
28	Kansas	$70,827
29	Maine	$70,971
30	Wisconsin	$69,931
31	Florida	$70,303
32	Tennessee	$66,493
33	Alabama	$71,200
34	Mississippi	$69,919
35	Montana	$66,424
36	Michigan	$69,566
37	West Virginia	$66,105
38	Arkansas	$64,285
39	Idaho	$60,543
40	Indiana	$65,989
41	Nebraska	$60,910
42	Wyoming	$56,021
43	Missouri	$66,086
44	Hawaii	$67,862
45	Minnesota	$64,662
46	New Mexico	$62,126
47	Iowa	$64,259
48	South Dakota	$57,262
49	North Dakota	$59,365
50	Oklahoma	$61,051
51	Colorado	$54,799

Database programmer best states FAQs

What is the best state for database programmers?

What is the highest paying state for database programmers?

What is the worst state for database programmers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search for database programmer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs

Total database programmer jobs:	61
Average annual salary:	$87,090
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$63,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$119,000
Location Quotient:	1.68

Best states for a database programmer

10 best states for database programmers in 2026

1. Rhode Island

2. Massachusetts

3. Delaware

4. Maryland

5. Pennsylvania

6. New Hampshire

7. Utah

8. North Carolina

9. Illinois

10. Washington