Data Scientist
Median wage · national
$120,230
Range: $86K – $159K
Employed
262K
Openings/yr
25K
Typically: bachelor's degree
STEM
Database Architects
With a national median of $139,500 and +9.4% projected job growth through 2035, Database Architects offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
About Database Architects
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a database architects: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Information Systems and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
- Median Wage
- $139,500
- Employed Nationally
- 67K
- Openings / Year
- 3,900
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
ADP Planner (Automatic Data Processing Planner)
Big Data Architect
Big Data Engineer
Cloud Architect
Cloud Infrastructure Architect
How Much Do Database Architects Make?
Most database architects take home around $139,500 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $109,370 and $169,290, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$139,500
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$109K–$169K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$109,370
Entry-level
$139,500
Median
$169,290
Experienced
What Do Database Architects Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Develop and document database architectures.
- Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- Develop database architectural strategies at the modeling, design and implementation stages to address business or industry requirements.
- Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.
- Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Who Thrives Here
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
Where Do Database Architects Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Database Architects?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +9.4%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 3,900 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +9.4%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Faster than average.
3,900
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
67K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Database Architects professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $139,500 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 8,270 | $151,370 | +8.5% |
| 2 | California | 6,210 | $170,160 | +22.0% |
| 3 | Virginia | 5,260 | $160,360 | +15.0% |
| 4 | North Carolina | 4,070 | $134,630 | -3.5% |
| 5 | New York | 3,850 | $141,350 | +1.3% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 10 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Computer Science program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Information Systems | 103,827 | $92,374 | 1,579 |
| 2 | Computer Science | 72,693 | $107,009 | 1,053 |
| 3 | IT Administration | 46,791 | $85,063 | 1,271 |
| 4 | Information Science | 20,202 | $85,294 | 473 |
| 5 | Computer Engineering | 18,973 | $109,015 | 418 |
| 6 | Computer Software & Media | 14,684 | $58,894 | 726 |
| 7 | Computer Systems Networking | 13,734 | $73,587 | 618 |
| 8 | Management Information Systems | 11,695 | $83,290 | 561 |
| 9 | Data Science | 4,416 | — | 256 |
| 10 | Systems Engineering | 4,148 | $105,185 | 119 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Database Architects
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 97 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 96 | — | — |
| 4 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 5 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 94 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| 6 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Database Architects, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Database Architects pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Database Architects Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Database Architects a compelling path. The 3 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $139,500 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Fast-growing field At +9.4% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $169,290 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $139,500 median while building the experience employers require.
Database Architects Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Database Architects professionals earn?
Around $139,500 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $109,370 and $169,290. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Database Architects a good career?
Yes, the data is strong. Median pay of $139,500 with +9.4% projected growth through 2035 is a combination most fields cannot match. The real variable is early career: workers around the 25th percentile earn $109,370, so your first employer and location will shape your trajectory more than the national number suggests.
How long does it take to work as Database Architects?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Information Systems are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $139,500 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Database Architects?
Employment is projected to change by +9.4% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 3,900 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 67K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
Why do Database Architects salaries vary so widely?
The $59,920 gap between the 25th ($109,370) and 75th ($169,290) percentile reflects how much employer type, industry, specialization, and geography affect pay. Entry-level roles and lower-demand markets cluster near the bottom; senior, specialized, or high-cost-metro positions push the top. In fields with this much spread, where you work and what you specialize in often matters more than years of experience.
What skills do Database Architects professionals need?
Mainly Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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