Database Administrators Salary
The median pay for a database administrators in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $98,180/year ($47.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $97,246 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,787/month, or 28.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About database administrators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Database administrators pay in Charleston-North Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,787/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for database administrators in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $83K | $89K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $87K | $93K |
| Spartanburg | $90K | $99K |
| Florence | $97K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level database administrators (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Database Administrators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Database Administrators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | $136K | +30% | 1,200 |
| Massachusetts | $129K | +24% | 2,310 |
| New Jersey | $126K | +20% | 1,810 |
| Maryland | $124K | +19% | 2,300 |
| District of Columbia | $119K | +13% | 560 |
| Colorado | $118K | +13% | 1,220 |
| Washington | $118K | +13% | 1,730 |
| Tennessee | $116K | +10% | 2,020 |
| Texas | $114K | +9% | 6,430 |
| North Carolina | $114K | +9% | 1,920 |
| California | $113K | +8% | 7,240 |
| Nevada | $110K | +5% | 380 |
| Alaska | $109K | +4% | 90 |
| Connecticut | $108K | +3% | 810 |
| Georgia | $107K | +2% | 2,460 |
| Rhode Island | $106K | +1% | 280 |
| New York | $106K | +1% | 3,590 |
| Illinois | $105K | +0% | 2,340 |
| Arizona | $104K | -0% | 1,120 |
| Vermont | $104K | -0% | 120 |
| Florida | $104K | -0% | 3,810 |
| Iowa | $101K | -3% | 360 |
| Delaware | $101K | -4% | 670 |
| Minnesota | $101K | -4% | 1,020 |
| Missouri | $100K | -4% | 1,140 |
| Oregon | $100K | -4% | 1,060 |
| Kansas | $100K | -4% | 440 |
| Pennsylvania | $100K | -4% | 2,450 |
| Nebraska | $100K | -4% | 610 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -4% | 1,220 |
| Michigan | $100K | -5% | 1,150 |
| New Mexico | $98K | -6% | 570 |
| Louisiana | $98K | -6% | 290 |
| Ohio | $97K | -7% | 1,860 |
| Oklahoma | $95K | -9% | 790 |
| Alabama | $94K | -10% | 1,840 |
| South Carolina | $94K | -10% | 990 |
| Virginia | $93K | -11% | 5,940 |
| New Hampshire | $92K | -12% | 250 |
| Indiana | $90K | -14% | 930 |
| Mississippi | $88K | -16% | 200 |
| Kentucky | $87K | -16% | 650 |
| Idaho | $86K | -18% | 180 |
| Hawaii | $86K | -18% | 100 |
| Montana | $83K | -21% | 300 |
| South Dakota | $83K | -21% | 170 |
| Arkansas | $82K | -21% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -21% | 100 |
| North Dakota | $79K | -25% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $73K | -30% | 240 |
| Maine | $71K | -33% | 260 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track database administrators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a database administrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 29.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for database administrators in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database administrators typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,536/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is database administrator a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for database administrators?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do database administrators make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $98,180 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,940, and experienced database administrators can clear $148,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,067/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 29.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a database administrators salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median database administrators salary is worth about $97,246 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do database administrators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.