Database Administrators: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Computer and Mathematical · SOC 15-1242 · O*NET 15-1242.00
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.
Database Administrators fall under the Computer and Mathematical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Database Administrators earn a median salary of $104,620 per year, ranking in the top 10% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -0.7% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What parents should know about database administrators right now
If your teen loves organizing information, writing clean logic, and being the person everyone trusts to keep critical data safe, database administration deserves a serious look. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, database administrators earned a median wage of $104,620 in May 2024, with the lowest tenth of earners near $56,820 and the top tenth around $160,890, so the pay ceiling is genuinely strong for a role that usually starts with a bachelor's degree rather than years of graduate school. Be candid with your student about the growth picture, though. The Bureau projects a slight decline of 0.7 percent for these jobs, driven largely by automation. The 2025 wave of autonomous database platforms is the reason. Oracle reports its Autonomous Database boosts DBA team efficiency by roughly 66 percent by automating patching, backups, indexing, and tuning, which means fewer people are needed for routine upkeep. That does not close the door, it just moves it. The DBAs who thrive will handle architecture, security, and data strategy, the judgment work software cannot yet replace. This is an unregulated field with no license, no board exam, and no mandatory apprenticeship, so the practical route is a four-year degree in computer science, information technology, or database administration, then two to five years gaining experience in a related IT job before running databases fully. Optional vendor certifications from Microsoft, Oracle, and AWS help with promotions later but are never legally required. In high school, your teen should load up on math through calculus, take any computer science or AP Computer Science course offered, and learn SQL and Python on free platforms during summers. Encourage a small personal project, building and querying a real database for a club, a sports league, or a family budget, because employers and college admissions both reward demonstrated curiosity. Strong writing and communication matter too, since senior DBAs must explain data risks to non-technical leaders. Steer them toward the strategic, security-minded end of the field, and this remains a stable, well-paid path.
What do database administrators earn?
The median annual wage for database administrators is $104,620. That puts database administrators at #81 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $56,820 |
| 25th percentile | $76,100 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $104,620 |
| 75th percentile | $132,850 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $160,890 |
| Median hourly wage | $50.30/hr |
Is database administrators a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for database administrators is -0.7%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 78K positions in 2024 to 77K in 2034, a net change of -1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do database administrators do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working database administrators, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
- 2.Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
- 3.Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
- 4.Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
- 5.Test changes to database applications or systems.
- 6.Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
- 7.Train users and answer questions.
- 8.Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
Top skills for database administrators
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become database administrator?
The standard path into database administrators begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about database administrators
What is the median salary for database administrators?
The median annual salary for database administrators is $104,620 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is database administrators a growing career?
BLS projects -0.7% growth for database administrators from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become database administrator?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to database administrators?
Related occupations within the Computer and Mathematical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.