Best Cities for Database Administratorss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where database administratorss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	UtahState	1.29	$135,750	$135,479	13%
2	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.23	$123,920	$128,815	15%
3	TennesseeState	1.21	$115,500	$126,230	13%
4	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.21	$124,560	$126,457	17%
5	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.20	$122,390	$125,916	16%
6	North CarolinaState	1.15	$113,900	$120,657	14%
7	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.15	$110,160	$120,789	13%
8	MassachusettsState	1.14	$129,300	$119,171	21%
9	TexasState	1.14	$114,400	$119,665	15%
10	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.14	$113,890	$118,883	16%
11	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.12	$123,730	$116,947	16%
12	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.12	$107,410	$116,750	15%
13	New JerseyState	1.11	$125,860	$115,680	17%
14	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.11	$132,370	$116,626	23%
15	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.11	$133,180	$116,518	20%
16	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.10	$110,950	$114,618	17%
17	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.10	$138,620	$115,324	27%
18	GeorgiaState	1.09	$106,810	$114,358	16%
19	MarylandState	1.09	$124,300	$113,828	16%
20	IowaState	1.08	$101,210	$113,464	11%
21	MissouriState	1.08	$100,270	$113,172	12%
22	ColoradoState	1.07	$118,340	$112,277	19%
23	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.07	$103,640	$111,681	15%
24	KansasState	1.06	$100,170	$111,300	12%
25	NevadaState	1.05	$109,670	$109,451	16%
26	WashingtonState	1.05	$118,140	$110,103	19%
27	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.05	$102,070	$110,346	14%
28	LouisianaState	1.04	$98,270	$109,068	13%
29	NebraskaState	1.04	$100,020	$109,311	13%
30	WisconsinState	1.04	$100,020	$108,364	13%
31	Columbus, OHMetro	1.04	$101,450	$108,503	15%
32	AlabamaState	1.03	$93,900	$107,807	12%
33	IllinoisState	1.03	$104,650	$107,444	15%
34	MichiganState	1.03	$99,830	$108,158	13%
35	OhioState	1.03	$97,190	$107,511	13%
36	OklahomaState	1.03	$95,320	$107,706	12%
37	New MexicoState	1.02	$98,450	$107,011	13%
38	Rhode IslandState	1.01	$106,020	$105,493	17%
39	AlaskaState	1.00	$108,810	$104,324	15%
40	ArizonaState	0.99	$104,280	$103,350	17%
41	District of ColumbiaState	0.99	$118,540	$103,710	21%
42	MississippiState	0.99	$87,790	$103,526	12%
43	PennsylvaniaState	0.99	$100,110	$103,206	16%
44	CaliforniaState	0.98	$113,060	$102,132	24%
45	FloridaState	0.98	$104,120	$102,581	20%
46	MinnesotaState	0.98	$100,700	$102,755	15%
47	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.98	$101,610	$102,121	17%
48	South CarolinaState	0.97	$93,640	$101,783	16%
49	VermontState	0.97	$104,230	$101,688	16%
50	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.97	$104,930	$101,382	18%
51	ConnecticutState	0.96	$108,270	$100,623	17%
52	DelawareState	0.95	$100,910	$99,911	16%
53	IndianaState	0.95	$90,090	$99,547	14%
54	KentuckyState	0.94	$87,390	$98,746	13%
55	OregonState	0.93	$100,260	$97,340	19%
56	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.93	$105,590	$97,318	23%
57	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.92	$112,540	$96,601	24%
58	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.92	$108,750	$96,410	22%
59	ArkansasState	0.91	$82,480	$95,574	13%
60	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.91	$103,110	$95,649	21%
61	New YorkState	0.90	$105,900	$94,133	21%
62	South DakotaState	0.87	$82,540	$90,903	14%
63	VirginiaState	0.86	$93,320	$90,164	20%
64	IdahoState	0.85	$85,660	$88,767	17%
65	WyomingState	0.85	$82,480	$88,688	14%
66	New HampshireState	0.83	$92,110	$86,896	21%
67	West VirginiaState	0.83	$73,490	$87,280	14%
68	MontanaState	0.82	$83,120	$86,224	16%
69	North DakotaState	0.81	$78,730	$85,022	15%
70	HawaiiState	0.74	$85,500	$77,727	33%
71	MaineState	0.68	$70,500	$70,641	22%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).