Database Administrators Salary
The median pay for a database administrators in Tennessee is $115,500/year ($55.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $128,648 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 15.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $116K actually covers in Tennessee, month by month
About database administrators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Tennessee
Database administrators pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $116K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 16.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Tennessee
Entry-level database administrators (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $116K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Database Administrators salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $124K | +7% | 750 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $98K | -15% | 40 |
| Memphis | $93K | -20% | 250 |
| Chattanooga | $83K | -28% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track database administrators salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a database administrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $116K, rent takes 16.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for database administrators in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database administrators typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,124/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is database administrator a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $116K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for database administrators?
Tennessee pays $116K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do database administrators make in Tennessee?
The median is $115,500 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,050, and experienced database administrators can clear $163,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $116K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,470/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 16.3% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $128,648 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.