Database Architects Salary
The median pay for a database architects in Madison, WI is $155,160/year ($74.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $97K at the entry level to $163K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $159,482 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 12.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $155K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 architects
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What this looks like in Madison
Madison sits well above the national pay line for database architects, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $140K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 12.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Madison offers a genuinely strong financial position for database architectss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for database architects in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $148K | $153K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $147K | $142K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $134K | $128K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $132K | $132K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level database architects (10th percentile) start around $97K. Mid-career wages sit at $155K. Top earners bring in $163K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Database Architects pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Database Architects salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $170K | +22% | 6,210 |
| Massachusetts | $162K | +16% | 2,690 |
| Virginia | $160K | +15% | 5,260 |
| Arizona | $156K | +12% | 1,200 |
| Colorado | $155K | +11% | 1,950 |
| Texas | $151K | +9% | 8,270 |
| District of Columbia | $150K | +8% | 790 |
| Delaware | $148K | +6% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $144K | +4% | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $143K | +2% | 1,590 |
| New York | $141K | +1% | 3,850 |
| Rhode Island | $140K | +1% | 160 |
| Nevada | $140K | +1% | 420 |
| New Hampshire | $140K | +0% | 120 |
| Georgia | $140K | +0% | 2,590 |
| Florida | $138K | -1% | 1,810 |
| Oregon | $138K | -1% | 730 |
| Wisconsin | $138K | -1% | 520 |
| South Dakota | $137K | -2% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $135K | -3% | 4,070 |
| Nebraska | $134K | -4% | 610 |
| Hawaii | $134K | -4% | 60 |
| Maine | $133K | -5% | 190 |
| Minnesota | $133K | -5% | 1,240 |
| Maryland | $133K | -5% | 1,370 |
| Ohio | $133K | -5% | 1,820 |
| Indiana | $133K | -5% | 500 |
| Utah | $132K | -6% | 630 |
| Michigan | $131K | -6% | 1,390 |
| South Carolina | $130K | -7% | 1,160 |
| Kansas | $130K | -7% | 360 |
| Washington | $129K | -8% | 2,990 |
| Kentucky | $125K | -10% | 350 |
| Iowa | $124K | -11% | 240 |
| Idaho | $121K | -13% | 260 |
| New Jersey | $121K | -13% | 3,090 |
| New Mexico | $118K | -15% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $115K | -17% | 650 |
| Alaska | $113K | -19% | 70 |
| Missouri | $111K | -21% | 1,410 |
| Oklahoma | $110K | -21% | 860 |
| Montana | $110K | -21% | N/A |
| North Dakota | $109K | -22% | 60 |
| Alabama | $105K | -24% | 270 |
| Arkansas | $104K | -25% | 360 |
| Mississippi | $98K | -29% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track database architects salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a database architect afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $155K, rent takes 12.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for database architects in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new database architects typically earn — is $97K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,849/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 20% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is database architect a high-paying job in Madison?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $155K here vs. $140K nationally.
How does Madison compare to the national average for database architects?
Madison pays $155K median vs. the U.S. average of $140K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $159K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do database architects make in Madison, WI?
The median is $155,160 a year, that works out to about $75 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $97,490, and experienced database architects can clear $162,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $155K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,136/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 12.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a database architects salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 architects salary is worth about $159,482 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do database architects 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.