Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Database Architect is a professional role in the Computer and Mathematical job family, focused on Database Architect work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Database Architects do
Typical education: Bachelor's Degree
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.
Top skills:Reading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingSystems AnalysisSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Database Architect salary by industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
24,320 workers
$153,500
Information
10,540 workers
$154,000
Finance and Insurance
9,370 workers
$154,500
Management of Companies and Enterprises
6,830 workers
$148,000
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
4,050 workers
$149,000
Health Care and Social Assistance
2,310 workers
$137,500
Wholesale Trade
2,290 workers
$143,500
Sectors 31, 32, and 33 – Manufacturing
1,630 workers
$144,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Database Architect pays 24% above the average across 21 roles in the Computer and Mathematical job family (family average $121,000).
The average base salary for a Database Architect in the United States is $149,500 per year, or about $71.88 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $113,000 and $175,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Computer and Mathematical roles?
The Computer and Mathematical job family averages $121,000 across 21 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
