Database Administrators
Also called: Database Administration Manager, Database Administrator (DBA), Database Analyst, Systems Administrator (Systems Admin)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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 16 of its 18 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 0.1% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Database administrators and architects”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 39% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93,900 | $74,230 to $119,170 | 1,840 |
| Alaska | $108,810 | $82,510 to $121,260 | 90 |
| Arizona | $104,280 | $77,250 to $130,160 | 1,120 |
| Arkansas | $82,480 | $71,650 to $108,420 | 420 |
| California | $113,060 | $83,720 to $154,360 | 7,240 |
| Colorado | $118,340 | $80,830 to $145,600 | 1,220 |
| Connecticut | $108,270 | $82,600 to $147,380 | 810 |
| Delaware | $100,910 | $80,940 to $131,460 | 670 |
| District of Columbia | $118,540 | $88,570 to $136,800 | 560 |
| Florida | $104,120 | $74,090 to $136,240 | 3,810 |
| Georgia | $106,810 | $77,260 to $136,450 | 2,460 |
| Hawaii | $85,500 | $71,000 to $127,310 | 100 |
| Idaho | $85,660 | $64,630 to $113,910 | 180 |
| Illinois | $104,650 | $74,390 to $133,710 | 2,340 |
| Indiana | $90,090 | $76,810 to $117,600 | 930 |
| Iowa | $101,210 | $76,130 to $125,630 | 360 |
| Kansas | $100,170 | $77,440 to $135,430 | 440 |
| Kentucky | $87,390 | $62,220 to $117,390 | 650 |
| Louisiana | $98,270 | $60,740 to $127,460 | 290 |
| Maine | $70,500 | $59,340 to $99,400 | 260 |
| Maryland | $124,300 | $101,060 to $151,050 | 2,300 |
| Massachusetts | $129,300 | $93,280 to $158,010 | 2,310 |
| Michigan | $99,830 | $75,740 to $128,020 | 1,150 |
| Minnesota | $100,700 | $71,220 to $131,570 | 1,020 |
| Mississippi | $87,790 | $65,110 to $101,930 | 200 |
| Missouri | $100,270 | $73,500 to $130,950 | 1,140 |
| Montana | $83,120 | $80,470 to $92,610 | 300 |
| Nebraska | $100,020 | $76,920 to $127,230 | 610 |
| Nevada | $109,670 | $86,990 to $133,490 | 380 |
| New Hampshire | $92,110 | $71,050 to $115,780 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $125,860 | $94,020 to $159,880 | 1,810 |
| New Mexico | $98,450 | $80,530 to $117,770 | 570 |
| New York | $105,900 | $78,610 to $141,570 | 3,590 |
| North Carolina | $113,900 | $82,120 to $138,900 | 1,920 |
| North Dakota | $78,730 | $63,260 to $96,120 | 80 |
| Ohio | $97,190 | $71,100 to $127,190 | 1,860 |
| Oklahoma | $95,320 | $65,620 to $126,990 | 790 |
| Oregon | $100,260 | $77,210 to $123,070 | 1,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,110 | $76,990 to $130,930 | 2,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,880 | $41,590 to $73,960 | 170 |
| Rhode Island | $106,020 | $77,710 to $129,190 | 280 |
| South Carolina | $93,640 | $72,910 to $122,570 | 990 |
| South Dakota | $82,540 | $74,980 to $98,690 | 170 |
| Tennessee | $115,500 | $74,570 to $135,720 | 2,020 |
| Texas | $114,400 | $86,410 to $138,480 | 6,430 |
| Utah | $135,750 | $100,860 to $135,750 | 1,200 |
| Vermont | $104,230 | $85,350 to $121,660 | 120 |
| Virginia | $93,320 | $88,610 to $125,110 | 5,940 |
| Washington | $118,140 | $97,330 to $145,800 | 1,730 |
| West Virginia | $73,490 | $53,250 to $98,430 | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $100,020 | $80,110 to $129,380 | 1,220 |
| Wyoming | $82,480 | $64,000 to $106,500 | 100 |
Nationally: $104,620. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 16 of its 18 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes. | 0.03% |
| AI + software | Test changes to database applications or systems. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications. | Not published |
| AI alone | Provide technical support to junior staff or clients. | Not published |
| Not much | Approve, schedule, plan, and supervise the installation and testing of new products and improvements to computer systems, such as the installation of new databases. | Not published |
| AI + software | Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database. | Not published |
See all 18 tasks
| AI + software | Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure. | Not published |
| AI + software | Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance. | Not published |
| AI alone | Train users and answer questions. | 0.06% |
| AI alone | Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system, or direct others in coding descriptions. | 0.03% |
| AI + software | Develop standards and guidelines for the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information. | Not published |
| Not much | Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop data models describing data elements and how they are used, following procedures and using pen, template, or computer software. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Identify and evaluate industry trends in database systems to serve as a source of information and advice for upper management. | Not published |
| AI + software | Select and enter codes to monitor database performance and to create production databases. | Not published |
| AI alone | Review procedures in database management system manuals to make changes to database. | Not published |
| AI + software | Revise company definition of data as defined in data dictionary. | Not published |
| AI alone | Review workflow charts developed by programmer analyst to understand tasks computer will perform, such as updating records. | under 0.01% |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 6 of the 18 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 18 tasks fall under 18 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- #15 Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies
- #28 Analyze scientific or applied data using mathematical principles
- and 3 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design databases | |||
| Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Advise others on the design or use of technologies | |||
| Implement security measures for computer or information systems | |||
| Analyze scientific or applied data using mathematical principles | |||
| Program computer systems or production equipment |
Show all 18 activities
| Plan work activities | |||
| Develop models of systems, processes, or products | |||
| Analyze market or industry conditions | |||
| Develop operational or technical procedures or standards | |||
| Set up computer systems, networks, or other information systems | |||
| Develop technical specifications for products or operations | |||
| Design computer or information systems or applications | |||
| Test performance of computer or information systems | |||
| Train others to use equipment or products | |||
| Direct scientific or technical activities |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Code fixes or debugging17%
- An explanation or answer14%
- An app or website11%
- A SQL or database query11%
- A script or snippet9%
How they worked with Claude
55% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for database administrators specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 128,985 moves out
- 1 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 11%
- 2 Software Developers, Applications (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 7%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 4 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 5 Computer User Support Specialists Very high -3.5% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 134,991 moves in
- 1 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
- 2 Software Developers, Applications (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
- 3 Computer User Support Specialists Very high -3.5% 6%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 5 Network and Computer Systems Administrators Very high -4.1% 4%
The resume data uses 2010 occupation codes. This occupation comes from “Database Administrators”, which today also includes “Database Architects”, so these figures cover it too. Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 2% some college
- 3% associate's
- 89% bachelor's
- 4% post-bachelor's certificate
- 1% master's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 26 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 5% high school
- 11% some college
- 6% associate's
- 48% bachelor's
- 28% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Database administrators and architects” · 1,687 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Database administrators and architects”
3 programs: Computer and Information Sciences, General, Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration and Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
21.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 19.1% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (Database Administrator (NOF); Database Technician). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Database Administrators” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/15-1242.00