Database Administrators Salary
The median pay for a database administrators in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $109,750/year ($52.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $119,684 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 19% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $110K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Database administrators pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $110K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,318/month, 19.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for database administrators in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | $102K | $111K |
| Cedar Rapids | $82K | $93K |
| Sioux Falls | $85K | $93K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $110K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level database administrators (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $96K 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a database administrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $110K, rent takes 19.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for database administrators in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database administrators typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,685/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $110K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for database administrators?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $110K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $120K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do database administrators make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $109,750 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,420, and experienced database administrators can clear $157,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,647/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 19.8% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median database administrators salary is worth about $119,684 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.