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The median salary for Database Architects in California is $170,165 per year ($81.81/hr). This is 22% higher than the national median of $139,506.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$48.66
$101,213
+17.4%
P25
$63.89
$132,891
+21.5%
P50MEDIAN
$81.81
$170,165
+22.0%
P75
$97.66
$203,133
+20.0%
P90Top earners
$109.57
$227,906
+11.7%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Database Architects
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Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+8.7%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
4K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
67K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
15% from new growth86% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
NAICS 541500
16K
$148,680
Management of Companies and Enterprises
NAICS 551100
7K
$139,320
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Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median database architects salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Database Architects in California is approximately $170,165, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 22% higher than the national median of $139,506. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.