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:
So what does $116K get you in Tennessee?
About database administrators
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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 quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
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 $3,543/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 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.