Database Administrators
Information TechnologyO*NET 15-1242.00United States
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases.
- Median annual earnings
- $104,072
- Projected change
- +3.5%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 72.88K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
92.9% of the workforce
Growing to 75.47K by 2035
Explore this career by location
Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.
Showing United States
Loading available locations…
Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
Loading related ASU learning
The work
What database administrators do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
- Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
- Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
- Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
- Test changes to database applications or systems.
- Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
- Train users and answer questions.
- Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
- Develop standards and guidelines for the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information.
- Approve, schedule, plan, and supervise the installation and testing of new products and improvements to computer systems, such as the installation of new databases.
- Develop data models describing data elements and how they are used, following procedures and using pen, template, or computer software.
- Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system, or direct others in coding descriptions.
- Select and enter codes to monitor database performance and to create production databases.
- Review procedures in database management system manuals to make changes to database.
- Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $59,500
- 25th percentile
- $78,810
- 50th percentile
- $104,072
- 75th percentile
- $135,098
- 90th percentile
- $163,441
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $104,072 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+3.5%average or slower
202572,881 jobs
2035 projected75,468 jobs
2,587 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 92.9%
- Associate degree
- 3.5%
- Some college
- 2.2%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 1.3%
- Certificate
- 0.2%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Data Engineers19,408 postings
- 02Database Administrators4,813 postings
- 03Salesforce Administrators1,965 postings
- 04Lead Data Engineers1,763 postings
- 05Oracle Database Administrators1,316 postings
- 06SQL Database Administrators1,152 postings
- 07ETL Developers781 postings
- 08SQL Developers768 postings
- 09Principal Engineers756 postings
- 10Azure Engineers721 postings
- 11Staff Data Engineers690 postings
- 12Database Engineers689 postings
- 13Data Engineers/Consultants582 postings
- 14Manager/Data Engineers562 postings
- 15Analytics Engineers522 postings
- 16Oracle PL/SQL Developers476 postings
- 17Peoplesoft Developers379 postings
- 18Salesforce Consultants375 postings
- 19Salesforce Technical Leads350 postings
- 20Big Data Engineers348 postings
Top employers
- 01Robert Half925 postings
- 02Insight Global798 postings
- 03Capital One617 postings
- 04CVS Health610 postings
- 05Accenture538 postings
- 06IBM430 postings
- 07Old Dominion Freight Line376 postings
- 08TEKsystems338 postings
- 09Beacon Hill Staffing Group317 postings
- 10Deloitte315 postings
- 11Cognizant Technology Solutions309 postings
- 12Genesis10308 postings
- 13Everforth Apex282 postings
- 14General Motors282 postings
- 15Amazon280 postings
- 16Tata Consultancy Services277 postings
- 17Akkodis261 postings
- 18E-Solutions Group251 postings
- 19Carrington243 postings
- 20Kforce236 postings
Keep looking