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Salary comparison

Database Architects vs. Software Developers: Salary Comparison (2026)

Database Architectss earn a median salary of $135,980/year, while Software Developerss earn $133,080/year - a difference of $2,900. Database Architectss earn more on average. Both salaries are based on national BLS data.

Database Architects
Software Developers
Median salary
$135,980
$133,080
Hourly rate
$65.37/hr
$63.98/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$81,630
$79,850
Senior level (90th %)
$209,990
$211,450
Education required
Varies
Varies
U.S. employment
64,770
1,654,440
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Technology
Technology
Full Database Architects salary breakdownView →Full Software Developers salary breakdownView →How to become a database architectsGuide →How to become a software developersGuide →