Technology · 68 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Database Architect (2025)

The median Database Architect salary is $138,620 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Tulsa, OK offers the best purchasing power at $130,668 adjusted.

The 68 cities below are ranked by median wage for Database Architect, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Database Architect relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$106,424

National Median

$138,620

Highest City

$76,820

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$138,620	$83,870, $217,830	195.8	$70,797	580
2	Seattle, WA	$133,180	$71,080, $181,520	149.4	$89,143	1,010
3	Boston, MA	$132,370	$72,510, $176,570	152.1	$87,028	1,910
4	San Francisco, CA	$127,760	$66,750, $210,810	179.6	$71,136	1,470
5	Bridgeport, CT	$125,760	$65,560, $161,230	137.5	$91,462	200
6	Tampa, FL	$124,560	$57,850, $156,850	99.6	$125,060	670
7	Nashville, TN	$123,920	$61,580, $163,600	100.3	$123,549	750
8	Austin, TX	$123,830	$62,550, $162,800	103	$120,223	1,110
9	Baltimore, MD	$123,730	$75,570, $170,850	114.2	$108,345	1,190
10	Raleigh, NC	$122,950	$76,360, $163,550	99.8	$123,196	510
11	Dallas, TX	$122,390	$65,300, $163,320	104.1	$117,570	2,430
12	New York, NY	$121,550	$70,890, $185,400	187.2	$64,931	3,630
13	Anchorage, AK	$121,260	$71,560, $129,150	127	$95,480	50
14	Sacramento, CA	$120,500	$62,410, $165,340	124.7	$96,632	410
15	Denver, CO	$120,120	$67,040, $165,190	112.8	$106,489	800
16	Colorado Springs, CO	$118,170	$56,770, $167,570	104.5	$113,081	110
17	Houston, TX	$116,030	$60,730, $159,890	96.5	$120,238	1,090
18	Orlando, FL	$115,100	$54,560, $162,760	103.1	$111,639	580
19	Charlotte, NC	$113,890	$64,770, $164,220	96.7	$117,777	550
20	Jacksonville, FL	$113,500	$63,310, $169,800	95.1	$119,348	300
21	Tulsa, OK	$113,420	$60,210, $150,540	86.8	$130,668	140
22	Los Angeles, CA	$112,540	$60,900, $168,050	166	$67,795	2,280
23	Atlanta, GA	$110,950	$52,580, $163,430	99.2	$111,845	1,780
24	Las Vegas, NV	$110,740	$69,330, $147,360	109	$101,596	270
25	Detroit, MI	$110,160	$63,450, $153,710	95.1	$115,836	510
26	Des Moines, IA	$109,750	$61,420, $157,350	93.3	$117,631	130
27	Chicago, IL	$109,680	$60,150, $164,050	107.3	$102,218	1,870
28	Washington, DC	$108,750	$66,560, $171,170	152.8	$71,171	3,730
29	Hartford, CT	$108,270	$65,790, $157,350	112.6	$96,155	310
30	San Antonio, TX	$107,410	$68,050, $151,650	91.5	$117,388	390
31	Reno, NV	$107,270	$59,990, $153,920	106.5	$100,723	50
32	San Diego, CA	$106,820	$59,300, $171,120	160.2	$66,679	730
33	Omaha, NE	$106,270	$66,230, $156,540	91.8	$115,763	350
34	Madison, WI	$105,680	$67,470, $132,910	103.8	$101,811	410
35	Miami, FL	$105,590	$53,880, $164,430	123.1	$85,776	860
36	Philadelphia, PA	$104,930	$65,150, $166,960	118.4	$88,623	1,580
37	St. Louis, MO	$104,650	$62,320, $154,280	90	$116,278	550
38	Phoenix, AZ	$104,280	$59,900, $158,930	100.7	$103,555	810
39	Kansas City, MO	$103,640	$62,200, $155,980	95.4	$108,637	440
40	Portland, OR	$103,110	$62,400, $140,810	130.1	$79,254	730
41	Cincinnati, OH	$102,360	$57,790, $156,770	91.2	$112,237	400
42	Providence, RI	$102,310	$58,600, $158,450	119.4	$85,687	320
43	Albany, NY	$102,160	$58,940, $130,880	100.7	$101,450	400
44	Pittsburgh, PA	$102,070	$58,340, $165,250	92.3	$110,585	470
45	Birmingham, AL	$101,850	$61,220, $136,770	90.4	$112,666	540
46	Minneapolis, MN	$101,610	$61,600, $151,590	106.2	$95,678	790
47	Milwaukee, WI	$101,510	$58,170, $157,080	97.4	$104,220	310
48	Columbus, OH	$101,450	$52,980, $144,430	93.1	$108,969	430
49	Tucson, AZ	$100,790	$66,690, $130,920	95.4	$105,650	130
50	Indianapolis, IN	$99,990	$58,970, $152,860	90.1	$110,977	430
51	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$99,870	$56,950, $152,430	122.4	$81,593	370
52	Richmond, VA	$99,690	$55,690, $158,160	102.1	$97,640	600
53	Spokane, WA	$99,140	$61,730, $149,780	97.4	$101,786	70
54	Albuquerque, NM	$98,450	$65,700, $141,580	94	$104,734	240
55	Louisville, KY	$96,850	$52,070, $141,030	90.2	$107,373	190
56	Memphis, TN	$92,680	$47,270, $142,100	84	$110,333	250
57	Greensboro, NC	$92,500	$54,750, $134,320	91.3	$101,314	70
58	Fresno, CA	$90,860	$54,140, $153,570	105.5	$86,123	100
59	Little Rock, AR	$89,990	$63,330, $130,840	88.2	$102,029	210
60	Bakersfield, CA	$89,070	$52,760, $136,850	100.6	$88,539	90
61	Lexington, KY	$88,490	$47,670, $127,500	91.3	$96,922	110
62	Greenville, SC	$86,800	$53,190, $133,380	90.1	$96,337	180
63	Wichita, KS	$84,260	$52,860, $137,190	84	$100,310	70
64	Boise, ID	$82,620	$50,460, $139,990	102.1	$80,921	120
65	Rochester, NY	$81,490	$49,570, $138,070	92.9	$87,718	130
66	Oklahoma City, OK	$81,070	$57,580, $134,040	86.5	$93,723	440
67	New Orleans, LA	$76,990	$52,940, $140,720	95.9	$80,282	70
68	Buffalo, NY	$76,820	$52,610, $141,420	92.5	$83,049	210

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Database Architect paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Tulsa, OK	$130,668	$113,420	86.8
2	Tampa, FL	$125,060	$124,560	99.6
3	Nashville, TN	$123,549	$123,920	100.3
4	Raleigh, NC	$123,196	$122,950	99.8
5	Houston, TX	$120,238	$116,030	96.5
6	Austin, TX	$120,223	$123,830	103
7	Jacksonville, FL	$119,348	$113,500	95.1
8	Charlotte, NC	$117,777	$113,890	96.7
9	Des Moines, IA	$117,631	$109,750	93.3
10	Dallas, TX	$117,570	$122,390	104.1
11	San Antonio, TX	$117,388	$107,410	91.5
12	St. Louis, MO	$116,278	$104,650	90
13	Detroit, MI	$115,836	$110,160	95.1
14	Omaha, NE	$115,763	$106,270	91.8
15	Colorado Springs, CO	$113,081	$118,170	104.5
16	Birmingham, AL	$112,666	$101,850	90.4
17	Cincinnati, OH	$112,237	$102,360	91.2
18	Atlanta, GA	$111,845	$110,950	99.2
19	Orlando, FL	$111,639	$115,100	103.1
20	Indianapolis, IN	$110,977	$99,990	90.1
21	Pittsburgh, PA	$110,585	$102,070	92.3
22	Memphis, TN	$110,333	$92,680	84
23	Columbus, OH	$108,969	$101,450	93.1
24	Kansas City, MO	$108,637	$103,640	95.4
25	Baltimore, MD	$108,345	$123,730	114.2
26	Louisville, KY	$107,373	$96,850	90.2
27	Denver, CO	$106,489	$120,120	112.8
28	Tucson, AZ	$105,650	$100,790	95.4
29	Albuquerque, NM	$104,734	$98,450	94
30	Milwaukee, WI	$104,220	$101,510	97.4
31	Phoenix, AZ	$103,555	$104,280	100.7
32	Chicago, IL	$102,218	$109,680	107.3
33	Little Rock, AR	$102,029	$89,990	88.2
34	Madison, WI	$101,811	$105,680	103.8
35	Spokane, WA	$101,786	$99,140	97.4
36	Las Vegas, NV	$101,596	$110,740	109
37	Albany, NY	$101,450	$102,160	100.7
38	Greensboro, NC	$101,314	$92,500	91.3
39	Reno, NV	$100,723	$107,270	106.5
40	Wichita, KS	$100,310	$84,260	84
41	Richmond, VA	$97,640	$99,690	102.1
42	Lexington, KY	$96,922	$88,490	91.3
43	Sacramento, CA	$96,632	$120,500	124.7
44	Greenville, SC	$96,337	$86,800	90.1
45	Hartford, CT	$96,155	$108,270	112.6
46	Minneapolis, MN	$95,678	$101,610	106.2
47	Anchorage, AK	$95,480	$121,260	127
48	Oklahoma City, OK	$93,723	$81,070	86.5
49	Bridgeport, CT	$91,462	$125,760	137.5
50	Seattle, WA	$89,143	$133,180	149.4
51	Philadelphia, PA	$88,623	$104,930	118.4
52	Bakersfield, CA	$88,539	$89,070	100.6
53	Rochester, NY	$87,718	$81,490	92.9
54	Boston, MA	$87,028	$132,370	152.1
55	Fresno, CA	$86,123	$90,860	105.5
56	Miami, FL	$85,776	$105,590	123.1
57	Providence, RI	$85,687	$102,310	119.4
58	Buffalo, NY	$83,049	$76,820	92.5
59	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$81,593	$99,870	122.4
60	Boise, ID	$80,921	$82,620	102.1
61	New Orleans, LA	$80,282	$76,990	95.9
62	Portland, OR	$79,254	$103,110	130.1
63	Washington, DC	$71,171	$108,750	152.8
64	San Francisco, CA	$71,136	$127,760	179.6
65	San Jose, CA	$70,797	$138,620	195.8
66	Los Angeles, CA	$67,795	$112,540	166
67	San Diego, CA	$66,679	$106,820	160.2
68	New York, NY	$64,931	$121,550	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Database Architect salary at $138,620. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Tulsa, OK offers the most purchasing power at $130,668 adjusted.

The national median Database Architect salary is $106,424 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $76,820 to $138,620 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.