Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Using computers, software, digital systems, and technology to complete work and solve problems.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Identifying problems, considering possible solutions, and choosing appropriate actions.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Database Administrator or Architect Database administrators usually have a bachelor’s degree in an information- or computer-related subject such as computer science. Database administrators (DBAs) and architects typically need a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology or a related field.
Education
Database administrators and architects typically need a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology or a related field, such as engineering; some DBAs study business. Employers may prefer to hire applicants who have a master’s degree focusing on data or database management, typically either in computer science, information systems, or information technology. Database administrators and architects need an understanding of database languages, such as Structured Query Language, or SQL. DBAs will need to become familiar with whichever programming language their firm uses.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Certification is typically offered directly from software vendors or vendor-neutral certification providers. Employers may require their database administrators and architects to be certified in the products they use. Advancement Database administrators and architects may advance to become computer and information systems managers. Experienced database administrators may advance to become database architects.
Your Next Step
Compare colleges and education options that can support the typical entry-level education for this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of database administrators and architects is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 7,300 openings for database administrators and architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Projected employment of database administrators and architects varies by occupation. (See table.) Database administrators and architects will be needed to organize and present information to stakeholders in a user-friendly format. As organizations continue to improve their systems and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to process their data, database architects will be critical to ensuring proper database design, transition, backup, and security. Employment in this occupation is projected to grow in response to the growing need to provide quality data infrastructure that can support high-tech innovation. Demand for database administrators may be limited as fewer of these workers are expected to be needed as many companies operate in the cloud, allowing fewer administrators to serve more companies at the same time. Moreover, some database administrators are expected to upskill to other roles, such as database architects or software developers. Database Administrators and Architects Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Database architects 9% Computer occupations 6% Database administrators and architects 4% Total, all occupations 3% Database administrators 0% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Database Administrators and Architects Do
Database administrators and architects create or organize systems to store and secure a variety of data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They also make sure that the data are available to authorized users.
Duties
Database administrators and architects typically do the following:
- Identify user needs to create and administer databases
- Design and build new databases
- Ensure that organizational data are secure
- Back up and restore data to prevent data loss
- Ensure that databases operate efficiently and without error
- Make and test modifications to database structure when needed
- Maintain databases and update permissions
Database administrators, often called DBAs, make sure that data analysts and other users can easily use databases to find the information they need. They also ensure that systems perform as they should by monitoring database operation and providing support.
Many databases contain personal, proprietary, or financial information. Database administrators often are responsible for planning security measures to protect this important information.
Database architects design and build new databases for systems and applications. They research the technical requirements of an organization during the design phase and then create models for building the database. Finally, they code new data architecture, integrating existing databases or infrastructure, and check for errors or inefficiencies.
The duties of database administrators and database architects may overlap. For example, administrators and architects may be generalists who work on both systems and applications. However, some DBAs specialize in certain tasks, such as maintenance, that vary with an organization and its needs. Two common specialties are as follows:
System DBAs are responsible for the physical and technical aspects of a database, such as installing upgrades and patches to fix program bugs. They ensure that the firm’s database management systems work properly.
Application DBAs do all the tasks of a general DBA focusing solely on a database for a specific application or set of applications, such as customer-service software. They may write or debug programs and must be able to manage the applications that work with the database.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Database administrators held about 75,000 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of database administrators were as follows:
| Computer systems design and related services | 14% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 11 |
| Information | 8 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 7 |
Database architects held about 69,500 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of database architects were as follows:
| Computer systems design and related services | 23% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 9 |
| Administrative and support services | 6 |
| Computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services | 6 |
Database administrators and architects work in nearly all industries. For example, in retail they may design databases that track buyers’ shipping information; in healthcare, they may manage databases that secure patients’ medical records.
Work Schedules
Most database administrators and architects work full time.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Analytical skills. DBAs monitor a database system’s performance to determine when action is needed. They must evaluate information from a variety of sources to decide on an approach. Communication skills. Most database administrators and architects work on teams and need to convey information effectively to developers, managers, and other workers. Detail oriented. Working with databases requires an understanding of complex systems, in which a minor error can cause major problems. Problem-solving skills. When database problems arise, administrators and architects must troubleshoot and correct the problems.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about database administrators and architects by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.