Database Administrator Salary in Washington, DC
Database Administrators in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $108,750 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $79,060 take-home, or $6,588 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median database administrator salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$15,095
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,743
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,577
- District of Columbia income tax$6,275
- Take-home pay$79,060
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.50% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Database Administrator pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $66,560 | $32.00 | $52,775 | $4,398 |
| 25th percentile | $92,350 | $44.40 | $68,917 | $5,743 |
| Median (50th) | $108,750 | $52.28 | $79,060 | $6,588 |
| 75th percentile | $141,840 | $68.19 | $99,126 | $8,260 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $171,170 | $82.29 | $116,680 | $9,723 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $108,750 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median database administrator's $79,060 take-home pay has the buying power of $72,610 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Washington, DC has 2.6× the national concentration of database administrator jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for database administrators, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #3 of 3 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas, TX | $122,390 | $94,920 | $92,074 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $121,550 | $88,209 | $78,364 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $108,750 | $79,060 | $72,610 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 3 metros →
About the job: database administrators
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.1% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a database administrator make in Washington, DC?
The median database administrator salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $108,750 a year, or about $52.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $92,350 and $141,840.
What is a database administrator’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $108,750 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $79,060 a year ($6,588 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $6,275 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a database administrator?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $104,620. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $72,610 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #3 of 3 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a database administrator afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 30% of a median database administrator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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