Database Administrators Salary
The median pay for a database administrators in Pennsylvania is $100,110/year ($48.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $105,412 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 20.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $100K get you in Pennsylvania?
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Database administrators pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $100K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level database administrators (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $100K spread from bottom to top.
Database Administrators salary by metro in Pennsylvania
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $105K | +5% | 1,580 |
| Pittsburgh | $102K | +2% | 470 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $100K | +0% | 190 |
| Lancaster | $87K | -13% | 50 |
| York-Hanover | $86K | -14% | 40 |
| Reading | $84K | -16% | 60 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $83K | -17% | 150 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $80K | -20% | 50 |
| Erie | $75K | -26% | 30 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a database administrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for database administrators in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database administrators typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,527/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $100K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for database administrators?
Pennsylvania pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do database administrators make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $100,110 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,780, and experienced database administrators can clear $158,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,312/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 21.4% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $105,412 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.