Database Administrators Salary
The median pay for a database administrators in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $108,750/year ($52.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $99,881 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 33.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $109K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Database administrators pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $109K locally vs. $105K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $2,246/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for database administrators in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $124K | $118K |
| Richmond | $100K | $102K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $93K | $95K |
| Charlottesville | $94K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level database administrators (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $105K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a database administrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 34.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for database administrators in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database administrators typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,994/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $109K locally vs. $105K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for database administrators?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — below the national median.
How much do database administrators make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $108,750 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,560, and experienced database administrators can clear $171,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,541/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 34.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a database administrators salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median database administrators salary is worth about $99,881 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.