Database Administrators Salary
The median pay for a database administrators in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $122,950/year ($59.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $125,255 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,750/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $123K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). 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 Raleigh-Cary
Raleigh-Cary sits well above the national pay line for database administrators, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,750/month, 23.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Raleigh-Cary offers a genuinely strong financial position for database administratorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for database administrators in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $114K | $117K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $118K | $121K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $93K | $100K |
| Winston-Salem | $109K | $118K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level database administrators (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $123K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $87K 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 Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a database administrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
Yes — at the median salary of $123K, rent takes 23.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for database administrators in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database administrators typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,582/month. At HUD’s $1,750/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 Raleigh-Cary?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $123K here vs. $105K nationally.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for database administrators?
Raleigh-Cary pays $123K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do database administrators make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $122,950 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,360, and experienced database administrators can clear $163,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $123K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,438/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 23.5% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 $125,255 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.