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Database Engineer V Salary in the United States

How much does a Database Engineer V make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Database Engineer V in the United States is $168,501 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $81.

However, a Database Engineer V's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $200,631
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $156,597 to $185,319
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $145,759
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Database Engineer V Salaries

A Database Engineer V's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Database Engineer V Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Database Engineer V's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Database Engineer III (4-7 years): $125,764
  • Database Engineer IV (7+ years): $144,416
  • Database Engineer V (7-10 years): $168,501
  • Database Engineer VI (10-12 years): $188,930
  • Database Engineering Supervisor (12+ years): $109,558
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Database Engineer III4-7 years$125,764
Database Engineer IV7+ years$144,416
Database Engineer V7-10 years$168,501
Database Engineer VI10-12 years$188,930
Database Engineering Supervisor12+ years$109,558
View as Graph

How Do Database Engineer Vs Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Database Engineer Vs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $186,564.
  • California: $185,857.
  • Massachusetts: $183,380.

Top Paying Cities for Database Engineer V

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $212,530
  • San Francisco: $210,203
  • Oakland: $205,773

What Skills Can Increase a Database Engineer V's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • People Management (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): People management refers to the practice of recruiting, training, engaging and retaining employees to optimize their talent and maximize their productivity.
  • AWS (Mentioned in 3.77% Job Postings): Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
  • Open Source (Mentioned in 3.07% Job Postings): Open source is a term that originally referred to open source software (OSS). Open source software is code that is designed to be publicly accessible—anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code as they see fit
Skills Demand Percentage
People Management 3.03%
AWS 3.77%
Open Source 3.07%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Database Engineer V's salary.

  • People Management: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Open Source: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Experimenting: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
People Management $190,406
13%
Open Source $180,296
7%
Experimenting $176,926
5%
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Database Engineer V Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Database Engineer V salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $188,627. While startup companies pay approximate $159,574.

Database Engineer V Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $159,574
Growth Stage 51~500 $168,769
Established 501~5000 $182,153
Enterprise 5000+ $188,627

Database Engineer V Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Database Engineer V roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 43% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Database Engineer positions in Transportation or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Database Engineer V as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Database Engineer V

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$202,201$97.020%
Internet$198,831$96.018%
Energy & Utilities$193,776$93.015%
Pharmaceuticals$192,091$92.014%
Aerospace & Defense$188,721$91.012%

Database Engineer V Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Database Engineer V's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$156,597
Average $168,501/year
$185,319
$13,050
Average $14,042/month
$15,443
$3,011
Average $3,240/week
$3,564
$75
Average $81/hour
$89
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $185,319 $15,443 $3,564 $89
Average $168,501 $14,042 $3,240 $81
25th Percentile $156,597 $13,050 $3,011 $75

Database Engineer V Salary Growth & Career Path

Database Engineer V

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Advancement

For a Database Engineer V, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Database Engineer VI role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $188,930 - a projected growth of 12% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Database Engineer V

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Database Engineer V

Here are companies hiring for Database Engineer V and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Database Engineer V

1. Where can a Database Engineer V earn the most?

A Database Engineer V's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Database Engineer V earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Database Engineer V is $212,530.

2. What is the highest pay for Database Engineer V?

The highest pay for Database Engineer V is $200,631.

3. What is the lowest pay for Database Engineer V?

The lowest pay for Database Engineer V is $145,759.

4. What are the responsibilities of Database Engineer V?

Plans, designs, develops, and manages an organization's databases to ensure efficient data storage, access, and security. Collaborates with users to design, code, test, debug, and deploy databases that meet requirements and organizational needs. Monitors database performance, scalability, and security. Evaluates existing database design to determine necessary updates, performance tuning, and integration requirements. Modifies procedures to optimize database designs. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Works autonomously. Goals are generally communicated in "solution" or project goal terms. May provide a leadership role for the work group through knowledge in the area of specialization. Works on advanced, complex technical projects or business issues requiring state of the art technical or industry knowledge. Typically requires 10+ years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Database Engineer V?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Database Engineer V roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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