Database Architect salary in the U.S.
Database Architects in the U.S. earn a median of $139,500 a year ($67.07 an hour), based on BLS data for 67,140 workers.
Pay ranges from $86,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $204,000 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $144,440, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for database architects in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $86,240 | $41.46 |
| 25th percentile | $109,370 | $52.58 |
| Median | $139,500 | $67.07 |
| 75th percentile | $169,290 | $81.39 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $204,000 | $98.08 |
| Average (mean) | $144,440 | $69.44 |
Half of database architects earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $11,625 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,812.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,365.38 |
| Weekly | $2,682.69 |
| Hourly | $67.07 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Database Architect salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $170,160 | 6,210 |
| Massachusetts | $161,650 | 2,690 |
| Virginia | $160,360 | 5,260 |
| Arizona | $156,100 | 1,200 |
| Colorado | $154,560 | 1,950 |
| Texas | $151,370 | 8,270 |
| District of Columbia | $150,010 | 790 |
| Delaware | $147,800 | n/a |
| Connecticut | $144,460 | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $142,500 | 1,590 |
| New York | $141,350 | 3,850 |
| Rhode Island | $140,320 | 160 |
| Nevada | $140,200 | 420 |
| New Hampshire | $139,990 | 120 |
| Georgia | $139,500 | 2,590 |
| Florida | $138,320 | 1,810 |
| Oregon | $138,250 | 730 |
| Wisconsin | $137,810 | 520 |
| South Dakota | $136,540 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $134,630 | 4,070 |
| Nebraska | $134,320 | 610 |
| Hawaii | $134,040 | 60 |
| Maine | $133,120 | 190 |
| Minnesota | $133,050 | 1,240 |
| Maryland | $132,940 | 1,370 |
| Ohio | $132,910 | 1,820 |
| Indiana | $132,830 | 500 |
| Utah | $131,740 | 630 |
| Michigan | $131,000 | 1,390 |
| South Carolina | $130,000 | 1,160 |
| Kansas | $129,990 | 360 |
| Washington | $128,760 | 2,990 |
| Kentucky | $125,400 | 350 |
| Iowa | $124,040 | 240 |
| Idaho | $121,380 | 260 |
| New Jersey | $120,790 | 3,090 |
| New Mexico | $117,950 | 120 |
| Tennessee | $115,170 | 650 |
| Alaska | $112,500 | 70 |
| Missouri | $110,570 | 1,410 |
| Oklahoma | $110,110 | 860 |
| Montana | $109,990 | n/a |
| North Dakota | $109,430 | 60 |
| Alabama | $105,450 | 270 |
| Arkansas | $104,070 | 360 |
| Mississippi | $98,420 | 100 |
| Puerto Rico | $95,620 | 60 |
Best-paying metro areas for database architects
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $197,960 | 1,120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $175,860 | 1,600 |
| Reno, NV | $170,390 | 80 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $169,310 | 230 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $168,390 | 60 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $163,590 | 1,500 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $163,350 | 170 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $162,870 | 4,740 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $162,640 | 1,360 |
| Springfield, MA | $161,730 | 50 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $161,650 | 2,120 |
| Bloomington, IL | $161,430 | 90 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $160,480 | n/a |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $160,300 | 110 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $159,240 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most database architects
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,460 | $131,540 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,740 | $162,870 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,320 | $154,770 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,500 | $105,430 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,120 | $161,650 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,110 | $139,500 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,600 | $175,860 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,560 | $138,870 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,530 | $155,740 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,500 | $163,590 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,360 | $162,640 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,260 | $147,490 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,120 | $197,960 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,110 | $139,960 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,090 | $134,010 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $135,980 | $65.38 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $61,860 | $29.74 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $105,850 | $50.89 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,580 | $56.05 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $99,130 | $47.66 |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 | $62.11 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $104,300 | $50.14 |
| Computer Network Architect | $134,050 | $64.45 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $76,220 | $36.64 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $104,000 | $50.00 |
| Computer Programmer | $100,390 | $48.26 |
| Web Developer | $92,650 | $44.54 |
| Database Administrator | $104,620 | $50.30 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $140,300 | $67.45 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-1243. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a database architect make in the U.S.?
The median salary for database architects in the U.S. is $139,500 a year, or $67.07 an hour. Pay ranges from $86,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $204,000 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid database architects make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of database architects in the U.S. earn at least $204,000 a year. The top 25% earn $169,290 or more.
What is the starting pay for database architects in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $86,240 a year, and a quarter of database architects earn $109,370 or less.
How many database architects work in the U.S.?
About 67,140 database architects are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.