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Database Administrators

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeLower pressure

What they do

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $104,620 Median per year · $50.30/hr Most earn $60,230–$163,320

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
  • Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
  • Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance.
  • Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
  • Review procedures in database management system manuals to make changes to database.
  • Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.

Job outlook

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 3,300 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Computer systems design and related services13.7%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools6.6%
  • Management of companies and enterprises6.6%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals4.7%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals4.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Database Administrator is not usually an entry-level job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, work a few years in another IT role, and then move into database work, usually after about 4 to 6 years of related experience in total.

  1. Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field

    4 years

    You learn programming, data structures, and how databases are designed, which gives you the foundation for every IT role that follows.

  2. Network and Computer Systems Administrator

    2-4 years

    You keep servers, networks, and systems running and solve real technical problems, which builds the hands-on troubleshooting skills that database work depends on.

  3. Database Administrator

    Ongoing role after the steps above

    You manage, secure, tune, and back up company databases, and you handle performance problems and capacity planning day to day.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Database Administrator

    3-5 years as a Database Administrator of experience first

    You take on harder problems, mentor other administrators, and lead major changes to database systems and security.

  2. Database Architect

    4-6 years of database experience of experience first

    You shift from running existing databases to designing how an organization stores and organizes its data across systems.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take computer science or programming classesAny introductory coding class gives you the logic skills that database work builds on.
  • Take math and statistics coursesStrong math skills help with the logic and reasoning used in organizing and querying data.
  • Join a coding, robotics, or tech clubWorking on team projects shows you how real software and systems are built and maintained.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer for tech supportHelping classmates, teachers, or family with computer problems builds troubleshooting habits that matter in IT.
  • Try a spreadsheet or beginner database toolPracticing with spreadsheets and simple databases helps you get comfortable thinking about tables, rows, and fields.

In college

  • Major in computer science or information systemsThese majors cover databases, networks, and systems, which is the core knowledge this career requires.
  • Take a database or SQL courseA dedicated database course gives you practical skills in designing, querying, and maintaining databases.
  • Work an IT help desk or campus tech jobCampus IT jobs give you real troubleshooting experience and a reference for your first full-time IT role.
  • Pursue an internship in IT, systems, or dataAn internship lets you see how companies manage databases and often leads to a job offer or valuable references.
  • Join a student tech organization and consider a vendor certificationStudent tech groups help you network and learn, and entry-level database or systems certifications show employers you have specific skills.

Tips for getting started

  • Learn SQL early. It is the main language of database work, and you can practice it for free on many websites and in spreadsheet tools.
  • Look for IT help desk, tech support, or campus computer lab jobs. Hands-on troubleshooting experience is often what gets people hired into their first IT role.
  • Build something small with a real database, like a personal project tracking books, games, or club events. Being able to explain what you built helps in interviews.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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