How much does an SQL Database Engineer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an SQL Database Engineer in the United States is $77,779 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.
However, an SQL Database Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $93,391
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,714 to $85,951
Key Factors That Influence SQL Database Engineer Salaries
An SQL Database Engineer'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 SQL Database Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an SQL Database Engineer'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:
How Do SQL Database Engineer 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 SQL Database Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $86,116.
California: $85,790.
Massachusetts: $84,646.
District of Columbia$86,116
California$85,790
Massachusetts$84,646
Washington$84,335
New Jersey$84,304
Alaska$84,195
Connecticut$83,122
New York$82,686
Hawaii$81,294
Rhode Island$80,641
Maryland$80,198
Minnesota$79,591
Colorado$79,358
Illinois$79,280
Oregon$78,984
Delaware$78,766
New Hampshire$78,629
Virginia$78,323
Pennsylvania$77,429
Nevada$76,977
North Dakota$76,830
Michigan$76,596
Wisconsin$76,511
Vermont$76,340
Texas$75,865
Maine$75,834
Arizona$75,787
Ohio$75,733
Georgia$75,017
Indiana$74,660
Wyoming$74,590
Utah$74,481
Iowa$74,434
Kansas$74,061
Louisiana$73,952
North Carolina$73,913
Missouri$73,897
Florida$73,594
Montana$73,431
Nebraska$73,275
Kentucky$73,190
South Carolina$72,879
Tennessee$72,684
Idaho$72,606
New Mexico$72,039
Oklahoma$71,914
Alabama$71,455
South Dakota$70,685
Arkansas$70,265
West Virginia$70,040
Mississippi$69,363
Top Paying Cities for SQL Database Engineers
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: $98,102
San Francisco: $97,028
Oakland: $94,983
San Jose, CA$98,102
San Francisco, CA$97,028
Oakland, CA$94,983
New York, NY$89,554
Paramus, NJ$88,465
Queens Village, NY$88,461
Passaic, NJ$88,387
Bergenfield, NJ$88,380
Stamford, CT$88,209
Huntington, NY$88,177
Newark, NJ$87,602
Bridgeport, CT$87,438
Vallejo, CA$87,283
New Brunswick, NJ$87,252
Petaluma, CA$87,205
Middlesex, NJ$87,058
Somerset, NJ$87,003
Santa Cruz, CA$86,902
Boston, MA$86,428
Monterey, CA$86,155
Seattle, WA$85,976
Santa Rosa, CA$85,961
Los Angeles, CA$85,938
Juneau, AK$85,735
Washington, DC$85,650
Orange, CA$85,373
Santa Ana, CA$85,168
Long Beach, CA$85,090
Anaheim, CA$85,074
Anchorage, AK$85,035
Santa Maria, CA$84,802
Everett, WA$84,786
Danbury, CT$84,513
Bremerton, WA$84,405
Tacoma, WA$84,125
New Suffolk, NY$84,124
Sacramento, CA$84,102
Santa Barbara, CA$84,016
Trenton, NJ$83,931
San Diego, CA$83,931
Brockton, MA$83,845
Fairbanks, AK$83,655
Lompoc, CA$83,456
Lowell, MA$83,393
Ventura, CA$83,379
Nashua, NH$83,363
Stockton, CA$83,355
Modesto, CA$82,788
Poughkeepsie, NY$82,616
Olympia, WA$82,469
Kennewick, WA$82,469
New Haven, CT$82,438
Lawrence, MA$82,158
Hartford, CT$82,080
Riverside, CA$82,064
New Bedford, MA$81,986
Richland, WA$81,986
Bakersfield, CA$81,878
San Bernardino, CA$81,846
New Britain, CT$81,839
Atlantic City, NJ$81,839
New London, CT$81,808
Norwich, CT$81,784
Portsmouth, NH$81,769
Boulder, CO$81,604
Portland, OR$81,496
Worcester, MA$81,489
Minneapolis, MN$81,248
Philadelphia, PA$81,139
Honolulu, HI$80,882
Saint Paul, MN$80,845
Vineland, NJ$80,828
Providence, RI$80,602
Chicago, IL$80,376
Bellingham, WA$80,283
Springfield, MA$80,221
Baltimore, MD$80,198
Chico, CA$80,003
Pittsfield, MA$79,793
Manchester, NH$79,645
Spokane, WA$79,303
Denver, CO$79,295
Albany, NY$78,930
Troy, NY$78,899
Nassau, NY$78,815
Schenectady, NY$78,735
Wilmington, DE$78,673
Burlington, VT$78,564
Salem, OR$78,533
Portland, ME$78,292
Yakima, WA$78,214
Rochester, MN$77,973
Reno, NV$77,934
Fresno, CA$77,934
Milwaukee, WI$77,864
Detroit, MI$77,786
Ann Arbor, MI$77,773
Allentown, PA$77,763
Colorado Springs, CO$77,631
Syracuse, NY$77,592
Carson City, NV$77,592
Houston, TX$77,483
Eugene, OR$77,444
Gary, IN$77,351
Springfield, OR$77,289
Bismarck, ND$77,273
Galveston, TX$77,219
Medford, OR$77,102
Fort Collins, CO$77,071
Concord, NH$77,032
Austin, TX$77,009
Mesa, AZ$76,845
Reading, PA$76,837
Phoenix, AZ$76,830
Dallas, TX$76,806
Saint Cloud, MN$76,732
Madison, WI$76,627
Utica, NY$76,417
Rochester, NY$76,293
Des Moines, IA$76,285
Raleigh, NC$76,277
Atlanta, GA$76,161
Battle Creek, MI$76,137
Salt Lake City, UT$76,114
Lancaster, PA$75,997
Harrisburg, PA$75,889
Kansas City, MO$75,811
Champaign, IL$75,795
Kansas City, KS$75,795
Fort Worth, TX$75,787
Columbus, OH$75,774
Boca Raton, FL$75,756
Pittsburgh, PA$75,725
Richmond, VA$75,694
Indianapolis, IN$75,679
Cleveland, OH$75,671
Las Vegas, NV$75,577
Cincinnati, OH$75,577
Petersburg, VA$75,461
Huntsville, AL$75,344
Lansing, MI$75,292
Lebanon, PA$75,282
Pueblo, CO$75,274
Appleton, WI$75,251
Buffalo, NY$75,220
Dayton, OH$75,196
Racine, WI$75,181
Charlotte, NC$75,173
Saint Louis, MO$75,150
York, PA$75,103
Elkhart, IN$75,103
Gastonia, NC$75,088
Billings, MT$75,070
Beaumont, TX$75,049
Lorain, OH$75,033
Benton Harbor, MI$75,017
Toledo, OH$75,002
Binghamton, NY$74,963
Rock Hill, SC$74,955
Rockford, IL$74,916
Springfield, IL$74,885
Elyria, OH$74,877
Fargo, ND$74,877
Flagstaff, AZ$74,823
Fort Lauderdale, FL$74,776
Duluth, MN$74,730
Miami, FL$74,730
Cheyenne, WY$74,675
Grand Forks, ND$74,675
Bangor, ME$74,504
Cedar Rapids, IA$74,419
Durham, NC$74,386
Louisville, KY$74,380
Grand Rapids, MI$74,364
Hialeah, FL$74,356
Casper, WY$74,247
Scranton, PA$74,154
New Orleans, LA$74,131
Virginia Beach, VA$74,123
Akron, OH$74,084
Peoria, IL$73,983
Sarasota, FL$73,967
Nashville, TN$73,913
Omaha, NE$73,913
Green Bay, WI$73,913
Baton Rouge, LA$73,874
Charleston, SC$73,859
Jamestown, NY$73,820
Davenport, IA$73,820
Tucson, AZ$73,781
Saint Petersburg, FL$73,734
Tampa, FL$73,719
Evansville, IN$73,672
Port Arthur, TX$73,672
Bradenton, FL$73,641
Santa Fe, NM$73,501
Orlando, FL$73,361
Clearwater, FL$73,337
Canton, OH$73,174
La Crosse, WI$73,174
Albuquerque, NM$73,127
Newport News, VA$73,120
High Point, NC$73,096
Ogden, UT$73,065
Corpus Christi, TX$73,003
Norfolk, VA$72,956
Laramie, WY$72,956
Rock Island, IL$72,910
Saginaw, MI$72,894
Jacksonville, FL$72,886
Salisbury, NC$72,871
Boise, ID$72,855
Moline, IL$72,816
Fort Myers, FL$72,793
Memphis, TN$72,777
Tulsa, OK$72,739
Waterloo, IA$72,692
Spartanburg, SC$72,614
Lincoln, NE$72,575
Fort Wayne, IN$72,560
Provo, UT$72,552
Cedar Falls, IA$72,459
San Antonio, TX$72,427
Greensboro, NC$72,396
South Bend, IN$72,389
Savannah, GA$72,303
Muskegon, MI$72,272
Birmingham, AL$72,264
Winston Salem, NC$72,226
Lake Charles, LA$72,039
Anderson, IN$72,023
Lexington, KY$72,000
Augusta, GA$71,976
Greenville, SC$71,976
Lima, OH$71,914
Wichita, KS$71,906
Tuscaloosa, AL$71,906
Columbia, SC$71,836
Springfield, OH$71,821
Asheville, NC$71,696
Bloomington, IN$71,642
Knoxville, TN$71,362
Shreveport, LA$71,354
Wilmington, NC$71,253
Roanoke, VA$71,253
Topeka, KS$71,113
Frankfort, KY$71,104
Oklahoma City, OK$71,051
Chillicothe, OH$71,020
Longview, TX$71,012
Melbourne, FL$71,004
Sioux Falls, SD$70,880
Mobile, AL$70,872
Terre Haute, IN$70,841
Altoona, PA$70,794
Amarillo, TX$70,740
Killeen, TX$70,716
Fayetteville, AR$70,654
Chattanooga, TN$70,631
Sioux City, IA$70,561
Idaho Falls, ID$70,545
Lynchburg, VA$70,483
Gainesville, FL$70,382
Portsmouth, OH$70,343
Little Rock, AR$70,327
Lafayette, LA$70,296
Youngstown, OH$70,296
Daytona Beach, FL$70,250
Clarksville, TN$70,242
Pensacola, FL$70,234
Temple, TX$70,229
Hopkinsville, KY$70,001
Erie, PA$69,985
Florence, SC$69,954
Charleston, WV$69,830
Great Falls, MT$69,791
Macon, GA$69,682
Tallahassee, FL$69,674
Fayetteville, NC$69,659
Waco, TX$69,643
Helena, MT$69,589
Pine Bluff, AR$69,559
Vincennes, IN$69,464
Lubbock, TX$69,433
Alamogordo, NM$69,386
Twin Falls, ID$69,316
Rapid City, SD$69,293
Jackson, MS$69,153
Huntington, WV$69,148
Greenville, MS$69,145
Parkersburg, WV$69,066
Montgomery, AL$69,052
Wichita Falls, TX$68,974
Springfield, MO$68,974
Biloxi, MS$68,935
Monroe, LA$68,857
Johnstown, PA$68,803
Sumter, SC$68,772
Columbus, GA$68,764
Pascagoula, MS$68,616
Abilene, TX$68,616
Kingsport, TN$68,414
Albany, GA$68,414
Gulfport, MS$68,391
Alexandria, LA$68,134
Fort Smith, AR$67,940
El Paso, TX$67,730
Las Cruces, NM$67,380
Harlingen, TX$67,182
Pocatello, ID$67,170
Florence, AL$67,068
Brownsville, TX$67,053
Mcallen, TX$66,890
Dothan, AL$66,781
Columbus, MS$66,319
Altus, OK$65,956
Lawton, OK$65,808
Pierre, SD$65,528
What Skills Can Increase an SQL Database Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 3.55% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Computer Science (Mentioned in 3.76% Job Postings): Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
Data Modeling (Mentioned in 2.12% Job Postings): Data modeling in software engineering is the process of creating a data model for an information system by applying certain formal techniques.
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 an SQL Database Engineer's salary.
Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Data Warehousing: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
SQL Database Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For SQL Database Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 113% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, SQL Database Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view SQL Database Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an SQL Database Engineer
Understanding how an SQL Database Engineer'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$68,714
Average$77,779/year
$85,951
$5,726
Average$6,482/month
$7,163
$1,321
Average$1,496/week
$1,653
$33
Average$37/hour
$41
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$85,951
$7,163
$1,653
$41
Average
$77,779
$6,482
$1,496
$37
25th Percentile
$68,714
$5,726
$1,321
$33
Salaries of Jobs related to SQL Database Engineer
SQL Database Developer$166,766
Junior SQL Database Administrator$121,254
Sql Database Administrator$113,249
SQL Server Database Developer$112,795
Senior SQL Database Administrator$106,448
Sql Database Analyst$94,297
SQL Engineer$84,259
Database Engineer$75,498
SQL Server Database Administrator$74,151
MS SQL Database Administrator$73,667
MS SQL Server Database Administrator$70,873
Salary Trends for SQL Database Engineer
Salaries for an SQL Database Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $84,327 in 2023
to around $82,130 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of SQL Database Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of SQL Database Engineer Over Time
$???
$84,327
$84,085
$82,130
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$84,327
2024
$84,085
2025
$82,130
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for SQL Database Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for SQL Database Engineer
Here are companies hiring for SQL Database Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about SQL Database Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for SQL Database Engineer?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for SQL Database Engineer roles,
with salaries approximately 40% 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.
