Director of Database Administration Salary in the United States

How much does a Director of Database Administration make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Director of Database Administration in the United States is $155,059 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $75.

However, a Director of Database Administration's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $178,642
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $142,326 to $167,403
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $130,733
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
Recruit with AI
View as table View as graph 25% $142,326 10% $130,733 90% $178,642 75% $167,403 $155,059 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Director of Database Administration Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $167,403 $13,950 $3,219 $80
Average $155,059 $12,922 $2,982 $75
25th Percentile $142,326 $11,861 $2,737 $68
Check out Director of Database Administration Job Openings in the United States
Director of HR & Administration

Resilience Group - Norwalk, OH

Search More Director of Database Administration Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Director of Database Administration Salaries

A Director of Database Administration'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Director of Database Administration Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Director of Database Administration'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $72,436
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $104,888
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $117,464
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $137,457
  • Expert (over 8 years): $154,151
Levels Salary
Database ... Level Director of Database Administration$72,436
Database ... Level Director of Database Administration$104,888
Database ... Level Director of Database Administration$117,464
Database ... Level Director of Database Administration$137,457
Director ... Level Director of Database Administration$154,151
$72,436 0 yr
$104,888 < 2 yrs
$117,464 2-4 yrs
$137,457 5-8 yrs
$154,151 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Director of Database Administration 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 Director of Database Administrations. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $171,681.
  • California: $171,030.
  • Massachusetts: $168,751.

Top Paying Cities for Director of Database Administrations

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: $195,576
  • San Francisco: $193,435
  • Oakland: $189,358

What Skills Can Increase a Director of Database Administration's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.31% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • SQL Server (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): Applying SQL server to store and retrieves information or data.
  • AWS (Mentioned in 1.59% 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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.31%
SQL Server 1.92%
AWS 1.59%
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 Director of Database Administration's salary.
  • Business Transformation: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Value Realization: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Storytelling: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Business Transformation
$169,014
9%
Value Realization
$167,464
8%
Storytelling
$164,363
6%
Digital Marketing
$164,363
6%
Insight
$162,812
5%
Oncology
$162,812
5%
Get Latest Data

Director of Database Administration Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Director of Database Administration roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 95% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Retail & Wholesale and MFG Nondurable sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Director of Database Administration positions in Software & Networking or Pharmaceuticals typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Director of Database Administration as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Director of Database Administration

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Retail & Wholesale$232,588$112.050%
MFG Nondurable$217,083$104.040%
Media$201,577$97.030%
Financial Services$193,824$93.025%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$186,071$89.020%

How Education impacts a Director of Database Administration's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Director of Database Administrations enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Director of Database Administration with a Bachelor's Degree is between $149,075 and $157,234).

Director of Database Administration Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Director of Database Administration
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 8.1%
Associates 9.8%
Bachelors 49.2%
Masters 30.5%
Doctorate 2.0%
view as graph

Director of Database Administration Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Director of Database Administration'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 July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Director of Database Administration

Salaries for a Director of Database Administration can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $131,937 in 2023 to around $130,165 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Director of Database Administration salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Director of Database Administration Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$131,937
2024
$131,429
2025
$130,165
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $131,937
2024 $131,429
2025 $130,165
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Director of Database Administration

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

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Director of Database Administration

Here are companies hiring for Director of Database Administration and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Director of Database Administration Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Director of Database Administration job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst