Salary AI Book a Demo

Database Designer Salary in the United States

How much does a Database Designer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Database Designer in the United States is $126,775 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $143,155
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $117,292 to $135,349
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $108,658
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Database Designer Salaries

A Database Designer'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 Database Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Database Designer'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): $81,117
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $107,775
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $127,434
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $141,420
  • Expert (over 8 years): $162,785
Levels Salary
Data Arch... Level Database Designer$81,117
Data Arch... Level Database Designer$107,775
Database ... Level Database Designer$127,434
Data Arch... Level Database Designer$141,420
Data Arch... Level Database Designer$162,785
View as Graph

How Do Database Designer 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 Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $140,365.
  • California: $139,833.
  • Massachusetts: $137,969.

Top Paying Cities for Database Designers

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: $159,901
  • San Francisco: $158,151
  • Oakland: $154,818

What Skills Can Increase a Database Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 3.65% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Modeling (Mentioned in 3.58% Job Postings): Data modeling in software engineering is the process of creating a data model for an information system by applying certain formal techniques.
  • Agile (Mentioned in 2.28% Job Postings): Agile is a development process where feedback is continuously gathered from users to create the best user experience.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 3.65%
Data Modeling 3.58%
Agile 2.28%
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 Designer's salary.

  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
  • Team Building: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
  • AWS: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Innovation $129,311
2%
Team Building $129,311
2%
AWS $129,311
2%
Get Latest Data

Database Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Database Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 28% above the average. In contrast, Database Designer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Database Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Database Designer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$162,272$78.028%
Pharmaceuticals$155,933$75.023%
Aerospace & Defense$149,594$72.018%
Healthcare$143,256$69.013%
Construction$136,917$66.08%

How Education impacts a Database Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Database Designers enter the field with a Associate'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 Database Designer with a Associate's Degree is between $125,719 and $134,054).

Database Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Database Designer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.5%
High School 4.7%
Associates 4.7%
Bachelors 60.0%
Masters 27.1%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Database Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Database Designer'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 September 01, 2026
$117,292
Average $126,775/year
$135,349
$9,774
Average $10,565/month
$11,279
$2,256
Average $2,438/week
$2,603
$56
Average $61/hour
$65
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $135,349 $11,279 $2,603 $65
Average $126,775 $10,565 $2,438 $61
25th Percentile $117,292 $9,774 $2,256 $56

Most common benefits for Database Designer

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

Common company salaries for Database Designer

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

Find Your Next Database Designer Job

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

For Employees

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

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

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

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Database Designer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Database Designer?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Database Designer roles, with salaries approximately 28% 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.

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