Database Architects Career, Salary and Skills
Database Architects have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $139,500 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 67,140. Wage data is published for 179 locations.
Occupation description
Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
O*NET code
15-1243.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$139,500
Hourly median
$67.07
Employment
67,140
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.50 | 3.75 |
| Speaking | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Programming | 3.38 | 4.12 |
| Active Learning | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.25 | 3.75 |
Typical tasks
- Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- Develop database architectural strategies at the modeling, design and implementation stages to address business or industry requirements.
- Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.
- Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
- Design database applications, such as interfaces, data transfer mechanisms, global temporary tables, data partitions, and function-based indexes to enable efficient access of the generic database structure.
- Develop methods for integrating different products so they work properly together, such as customizing commercial databases to fit specific needs.
- Create and enforce database development standards.
- Develop and document database architectures.
Technology
- KornShell
- LAMP Stack
- LexisNexis
- Linux
- LogMeIn GoToMeeting
- 3M Post-it App
- Ab Initio
- Access management software
- Acronis Recovery Expert
- Adeptia ETL Suite
- ADO.NET
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Advanced business application programming ABAP
Database Architects salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Database Architects Salary in TXMedian $151,370 · Employment 8,270
- Database Architects Salary in CAMedian $170,160 · Employment 6,210
- Database Architects Salary in New York, NYMedian $131,540 · Employment 5,460
- Database Architects Salary in VAMedian $160,360 · Employment 5,260
- Database Architects Salary in Washington, DCMedian $162,870 · Employment 4,740
- Database Architects Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $154,770 · Employment 4,320
- Database Architects Salary in NCMedian $134,630 · Employment 4,070
- Database Architects Salary in NYMedian $141,350 · Employment 3,850
- Database Architects Salary in NJMedian $120,790 · Employment 3,090
- Database Architects Salary in WAMedian $128,760 · Employment 2,990
- Database Architects Salary in MAMedian $161,650 · Employment 2,690
- Database Architects Salary in GAMedian $139,500 · Employment 2,590
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- Project Management SpecialistsNational median $102,320
- Operations Research AnalystsNational median $88,940
- Business Intelligence AnalystsNational median $120,230
- Information Security EngineersNational median $116,580
- Computer and Information Systems ManagersNational median $175,140
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.