Database Architects

15-1243.00 Zone 4 — Considerable Preparation Needed

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.

Also known as: ADP Planner (Automatic Data Processing Planner), Big Data Architect, Big Data Engineer, Cloud Architect, Cloud Infrastructure Architect, Computer Architect, Data Analyst, Data Architect, ...

Annual Salary

$135,980

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$107,900 25th – 75th percentile $169,480
10th percentile $81,630
90th percentile $209,990
U.S. Employment: 64,770

Job Outlook

+8.7%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Much faster than average)

Annual Job Openings 4,000 per year (avg. 2024–2034)
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Experience: Less than 5 years

What You'd Do

  • Provide technical support to junior staff or clients.
  • Set up database clusters, backup, or recovery processes.
  • Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance.
  • Plan and install upgrades of database management system software to enhance database performance.
  • Identify and correct deviations from database development standards.
  • Document and communicate database schemas, using accepted notations.
  • Develop or maintain archived procedures, procedural codes, or queries for applications.
  • Develop load-balancing processes to eliminate down time for backup processes.
  • Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
  • Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.9
Systems Analysis 3.8
Active Listening 3.5
Speaking 3.5
Programming 3.4

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

Computers and Electronics 4.3
Engineering and Technology 4.0
Design 3.7
Mathematics 3.7
English Language 3.1
Administration and Management 2.9
Education and Training 2.6
Customer and Personal Service 2.3

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

Bachelor's
76.2%
Master's
14.3%
Certificate
4.8%
Post-Bacc Cert
4.8%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

Adobe Acrobat AJAX Amazon DynamoDB Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 Amazon Redshift Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation Amazon Web Services AWS software Ansible software Apache Airflow Apache Cassandra Apache Hadoop Apache Hive Apache Kafka Apache Maven Apache Spark Apache Subversion SVN Apache Tomcat Apple macOS Atlassian Confluence Atlassian JIRA Autodesk Revit Bash C C# C++ Cascading style sheets CSS Chef Cisco Webex Django Docker

Work Styles

Personality traits and work styles important for this career

3.0
Attention to Detail
2.5
Dependability
2.4
Intellectual Curiosity
2.1
Achievement Orientation
2.1
Cautiousness
2.0
Innovation
1.9
Integrity

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Oral Comprehension 3.9
Written Comprehension 3.9
Deductive Reasoning 3.9
Oral Expression 3.8
Problem Sensitivity 3.8
Inductive Reasoning 3.8
Information Ordering 3.8
Speech Clarity 3.6

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Working with Computers 4.8
Analyzing Data or Information 4.6
Getting Information 4.4
Processing Information 4.4
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 4.3
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 4.2
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates 4.2
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 4.1

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

E-Mail
5.0
Spend Time Sitting
4.8
Telephone Conversations
4.4
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
4.3
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
4.2
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
4.2
Freedom to Make Decisions
4.2
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
4.2
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
4.1
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
3.8
Contact With Others
3.8
Level of Competition
3.8

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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.