Explore the average database analyst salary trends in the US, including industries that offer lucrative opportunities within this field and factors that can affect how much you earn, like your geographic location, certifications, and experience.
Working as a database analyst can be a lucrative career move. This role is in demand, partially because the big data amassed by businesses, governments, researchers, and individuals continues to grow rapidly. According to Statista, an astounding 149 zettabytes of data were created, collected, shared, and consumed worldwide in 2024 and is projected to reach 394 zettabytes by 2028 [1]. For reference, a zettabyte is equal to one trillion gigabytes—these vast volumes of data call for a practical categorization approach.
Databases address this need by structuring digital information into tables that arrange data points into the appropriate columns and rows. A database analyst is pivotal in ensuring databases’ integrity by supervising development and maintenance processes.
Read on to uncover insights into this role and database analyst salary figures, including lucrative industries and top-paying cities in the United States.
A database analyst designs, maintains, tests, and updates databases. Often confused with database administrators, who typically control access to data, database analysts focus on the infrastructure necessary for collecting and housing data, often governing data recovery and backup procedures. Other key responsibilities in this multifaceted role include:
Oversees the development and modification of database systems
Designs and maintains databases based on company goals
Assists in determining an organization’s data needs
Conduct data analysis to ensure data functionality and integrity
Did you know? REMS, or radiation exposure monitoring system, is a database operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for tracking and recording occupational radiation exposures of DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and members of the public.
According to multiple job listing sites, the average annual pay for a database analyst in the United States ranges from $69,000 to $104,000. For comparison, the following table lists the average yearly base salary provided by various sources.
Several factors influence the compensation you receive as a database analyst. Explore how your education, certification, experience, industry, and location shape your yearly earnings.
According to Zippia the most common qualification among database analysts is a bachelor's degree, held by 69 percent of professionals. A master’s degree is the second most prevalent credential, obtained by 14 percent of database analysts. Trailing closely, approximately 12 percent of individuals in this field possess an associate degree [7].
Database analysts with a master’s degree earn an average salary of $96,821 per year. A bachelor's degree opens up opportunities for an average annual income of $91,945, while an associate degree can yield an average yearly income of $82,748 [7].
Business, computer science, computer information systems, and management information systems are among the popular major options for aspiring database analysts.
Certifications can help you remain current on all trends, industry advancements, and best practices. Below is a sampling of certifications you might consider for enhancing your skill set, along with the average annual salaries for individuals with these credentials, according to Payscale’s data:
Oracle Database Administrator Certified Associate (OCA): $110,000 [8]
Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP): $112,000 [9]
IBM Associate Certified DBA: $104,000 [10]
As your experience level grows, the probability of earning a higher annual income also increases. Here is an estimate of the average base compensation based on different levels of experience, according to Glassdoor [3]:
0–1 year: $71,256
1–3 years: $79,552
4–6 years: $86,730
7–9 years: $92,593
10–14 years: $104,652
15 or more years: $119,580
Select cities or regions may have a higher cost of living or a more robust demand for specific skills, resulting in wages that exceed the national average. Researching salary data specific to different cities can help you make well-informed decisions about your career path.
To illustrate the difference your location can make in your earnings, consider the following list of some top-paying cities for database analysts, according to data aggregated by Zippia [2]:
San Francisco, CA: $105,289
Redmond, WA: $103,104
Las Vegas, NV: $92,413
Jersey City, NJ: $87,444
New York, NY: $87,372
Boston, MA: $86,436
Durham, NC: $84,894
Arlington, VA: $84,232
Wilmington, DE: $83,410
As a database analyst, you can work in any number of industries, giving you many options. However, aligning your skills with industries that offer competitive compensation increases your chances of earning a lucrative salary while meeting your professional goals.
To get a better sense of the pay differential between various sectors, compare the average base salary to this list of some of the highest-paying industries for database analysts, according to Glassdoor’sdata [3]:
Financial services: $121,891
Telecommunications: $99,015
Health care: $100,618
Insurance: $92,597
Human resources: $92,609
Pay also varies among organizations, consistent with their size and financial outlook. The following list of median base salaries highlights top-paying companies for database analysts [3]:
Cisco: $139,000
Wells Fargo: $140,000
Mastercard: $127,000
AT&T: $118,000
Populus Group: $107,000
Broadridge: $114,000
Lupin: $101,000
Bloom: $123,000
V-Soft Consulting Group: $93,000
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 9 percent increase in employment for database administrators and architects, similar roles to database analysts, between 2023 and 2033. The BLS estimation corresponds to more than 9,500 new job opportunities annually in the United States [11].
If you are considering a career as a database analyst, you may also be interested in similar jobs, including Oracle database administrator, database specialist, or database programmer. Let’s take a closer look at these roles.
Average annual salary (US): $112,079 [12]
Job outlook (2023 to 2033): 9 percent [11]
Typical education: You may be able to start working as an Oracle database administrator with certification or an associate degree, although many in this role earn a bachelor’s degree.
As an Oracle database administrator, you develop and maintain Oracle databases, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data within an organization's systems. Furthermore, you may routinely test the databases to proactively identify potential errors.
Average annual salary (US): $84,417 [13]
Job outlook (2023 to 2033): 9 percent [11]
Typical education: As a database specialist, you will likely need to earn a bachelor’s degree in information technology, cloud computing, data analytics, or a related field.
As a database specialist, you will configure database servers, generate test reports, automate processes, backup data, and more. You may also assist in troubleshooting database errors as they occur.
Average annual salary (US): $80,024 [14]
Job outlook (2022 to 2032): 9 percent [11]
Typical education: To become a database programmer, you will likely need to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field.
As a database programmer, your responsibilities include writing scripts and code that aid database management. Additionally, you may generate performance reports and maintain comprehensive documentation for databases.
Explore the nuances of database design with the Database Design and Operational Business Intelligence Specialization on Coursera. This beginner-level course, offered by the University of California, Irvine, encompasses a range of topics, including data warehouse design, data visualization, and SQL coding.
Statista. “Volume of data/information created, captured, copied, and consumed worldwide from 2010 to 2020, with forecasts from 2021 to 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/871513/worldwide-data-created/.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Zippia. “Database analyst salary, https://www.zippia.com/database-analyst-jobs/salary/.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Database analyst salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/database-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Indeed. “Database analyst salary in the United States, https://www.indeed.com/career/database-analyst/salaries.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
ZipRecruiter. “Database Analyst Salary, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Database-Analyst-Salary#Yearly.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Payscale. “Average Database Analyst Salary, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Database_Analyst/Salary.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Zippia. “Best colleges and majors for database analysts, https://www.zippia.com/database-analyst-jobs/education/.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Payscale. “Salary for Certification: Oracle Database Administrator Certified Associate (OCA), https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=Oracle_Database_Administrator_Certified_Associate_(OCA)/Salary.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Payscale. “Salary for Certification: Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=Certified_Data_Management_Professional_(CDMP)/Salary.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Payscale. “Salary for Certification: IBM Certified Database Associate -- DB2 Fundamentals, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Certification=IBM_Certified_Database_Associate_--_DB2_Fundamentals/Salary.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Database administrators and architects, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Oracle database administrators salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/oracle-database-administrators-salary-SRCH_KO0,30.htm.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Database specialist salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/database-specialist-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Database programmer salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/database-programmer-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm.” Accessed January 27, 2025.
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