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Careers/Database Administrator
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Database Administrator

Medium demand

Keep the data that powers organizations running securely, reliably, and fast

$XX,000 – $XXX,000XX% Remote5 levels
Junior DBA → Database Administrator → Senior DBA → Principal DBA → Head of Data Infrastructure
$XXXk
Max salary (US)
XX%
Remote
5
Career levels
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About the profession

Database Administrators manage, optimize, and secure the database systems that store and serve an organization's critical data. They handle installation, configuration, performance tuning, backup and recovery, security, and high-availability architecture. In 2026, the role has evolved to encompass cloud-managed databases, distributed systems, and database reliability engineering alongside traditional DBA duties.

Why choose it

Strong job stability — databases are foundational to all businesses
Good remote work options (80%) with on-call flexibility
Clear career progression with steadily increasing compensation
High demand across every industry vertical
Opportunity to specialize in cloud, performance, or security

How to Get Started

1

Take a personality test to see if Database Administrator fits your profile

Career Match Test
2

Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior

Jump to Career Path
3

Start learning — check the Learning Path for free courses

Jump to Learning Path
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Career Path

Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level

Career Ladder

Junior DBA → Database Administrator → Senior DBA → Principal DBA → Head of Data Infrastructure

Where are you on this career path?

Click a level below to set your current position

Salary Growth

L1
$70K$95K
L2
$95K$130K
L3
$130K$160K
L4
$160K$195K
L5
$170K$240K
Entry → Top level growth3x
🌱
1
12-24 months
🔧
2
24-36 months
🎖️
3
30-48 months
🏆
4
36-60 months
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5

5

Levels

240K

Top Salary

11+ years+

Years

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Learning Path

Skills you need to develop and courses to get there

🚀

Set your current level first

Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.

Go to Career Path
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Career levels

Timeline: 0-2 years | Entry Level Base: $70,000 - $95,000/year With bonuses: $73,000 - $105,000 Top markets (SF/NYC): $85,000 - $115,000 Monitor database health, performance…

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Skills used in this career

Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives

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Market 2026–2030

Trends, AI impact, prospects

Open positions globally: 95,000+ Annual growth rate: 8-12% Average time to fill: 40-55 days Remote positions: 70-80% of all listings Tech: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle,…

💰 Salary Range

US data

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🎯 Is Database Administrator right for you?

Take these tests to find out if this career matches your personality:

Psychology of Database Administrator
Big Five profile, MBTI distribution, strengths & blind spots