Database Administrator.
Houston.
$105,000
median salary, at the national average
$76,000 to $133,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Database Administrator pay in Houston at $105,000, within a range of $76,000 to $133,000. That is right at the national average. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Database Administrator in Houston, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $116,030 for Database Administrators (SOC 15-1242) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area, based on 1,090 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$60,730
25th percentile
$85,040
Median
$116,030
75th percentile
$141,080
90th percentile
$159,890
Workers surveyed
1,090
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Database Administrators (SOC 15-1242) rather than Database Administrator specifically. The Houstonrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1242Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $95,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$68,000
to $84,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$89,000
to $110,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$116,000
to $137,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$131,000
to $163,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$105,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $127,000
How Houston compares.
Houston, TX
$105,000
Cost of living: 3% below average
National Average
$105,000
Same as local rate
Database Administrator salary by city.
Salary by role in Houston.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Database Administrator roles in Houston, here is what you are walking into. Houston's economy is deeply rooted in energy, with a growing presence in healthcare, aerospace, and technology. The Texas Medical Center is the world's largest, driving massive demand for clinical and research roles. Houston's low cost of living and no state income tax make it an attractive destination for professionals seeking strong purchasing power. DBAs managing mission-critical Oracle, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL clusters for Fortune 500 companies earn the highest base salaries. Expertise in performance tuning, disaster recovery design, and database migration to cloud-managed services adds 15 to 20% over general administration. Financial and healthcare data compliance knowledge commands additional premiums.
Junior DBAs start at $58,000 to $75,000, progressing to mid-level at $82,000 to $115,000 within three to four years. Senior DBAs earn $120,000 to $145,000, while database architects and directors of data infrastructure reach $155,000 to $210,000 at enterprise organizations. In Houston, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Annual bonuses of 8 to 12% are standard, with on-call stipends adding $5,000 to $10,000. Many employers cover Oracle or Microsoft certification costs, and senior DBAs at large enterprises receive retention bonuses of $10,000 to $25,000. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, giving Houston workers strong take home pay. The city's overall cost of living is below the national average, further stretching your salary. When someone quotes you $105,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize industry specialization in energy or healthcare. Houston employers pay significant premiums for domain expertise in these sectors over generalist candidates. The range for Database Administrators in Houston runs from $76,000 to $133,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Construction Manager in Houston earns $104,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
Database Administrator salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Houston.
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