GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Database Administrators
Best States to Be a Database Administrators
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a database administrators salary goes furthest in Utah — a $135,750 BLS median worth $131,062 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 130.9).
Which US states are best for a database administrators after cost of living and tax?
For a database administrators, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Utah #1: a $135,750 BLS median becomes $131,062 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 130.9). Maine ranks last ($69,403, index 69.3). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Utah ranks #1 of 51 states for a database administrators. Index 100 = the average state; 130.9 means pay goes 30.9% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedDatabase Administrators — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | $135,750 | $6,177 | 98.9 | $131,062 | 130.9 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $115,500 | — | 91.9 | $125,721 | 125.5 |
| 3 | Texas | $114,400 | — | 97.1 | $117,869 | 117.7 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $129,300 | $6,245 | 105.8 | $116,356 | 116.2 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $113,900 | $4,299 | 94.3 | $116,194 | 116.0 |
| 6 | Maryland | $124,300 | $5,618 | 105.0 | $113,075 | 112.9 |
| 7 | Iowa | $101,210 | $3,806 | 87.8 | $110,987 | 110.8 |
| 8 | Colorado | $118,340 | $4,547 | 103.1 | $110,423 | 110.2 |
| 9 | Washington | $118,140 | — | 107.0 | $110,398 | 110.2 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $125,860 | $5,827 | 108.8 | $110,319 | 110.1 |
| 11 | Nevada | $109,670 | — | 100.0 | $109,693 | 109.5 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $98,270 | $2,573 | 88.2 | $108,491 | 108.3 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $100,020 | $4,105 | 90.1 | $106,451 | 106.3 |
| 14 | Alaska | $108,810 | — | 102.4 | $106,302 | 106.1 |
| 15 | Missouri | $100,270 | $3,832 | 90.8 | $106,190 | 106.0 |
| 16 | Kansas | $100,170 | $4,790 | 90.1 | $105,898 | 105.7 |
| 17 | Georgia | $106,810 | $5,110 | 96.3 | $105,615 | 105.4 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $95,320 | $3,990 | 87.8 | $103,969 | 103.8 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $98,450 | $3,547 | 92.2 | $102,918 | 102.8 |
| 20 | Ohio | $97,190 | $1,890 | 92.8 | $102,722 | 102.6 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $100,020 | $4,149 | 94.1 | $101,888 | 101.7 |
| 22 | Vermont | $104,230 | $4,497 | 98.0 | $101,812 | 101.6 |
| 23 | Arizona | $104,280 | $2,132 | 100.7 | $101,461 | 101.3 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $118,540 | $7,201 | 109.9 | $101,309 | 101.1 |
| 25 | Alabama | $93,900 | $4,430 | 88.8 | $100,728 | 100.6 |
| 26 | Florida | $104,120 | — | 103.4 | $100,683 | 100.5 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $108,270 | $4,380 | 103.6 | $100,270 | 100.1 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $106,020 | $3,477 | 102.3 | $100,257 | 100.1 |
| 29 | Illinois | $104,650 | $5,039 | 100.0 | $99,653 | 99.5 |
| 30 | Michigan | $99,830 | $3,996 | 96.2 | $99,602 | 99.4 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $100,110 | $3,073 | 97.6 | $99,451 | 99.3 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $87,790 | $3,058 | 87.0 | $97,446 | 97.3 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $100,700 | $5,359 | 98.6 | $96,674 | 96.5 |
| 34 | California | $113,060 | $6,393 | 110.7 | $96,340 | 96.2 |
| 35 | Delaware | $100,910 | $5,319 | 99.8 | $95,775 | 95.6 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $93,640 | $4,198 | 93.7 | $95,405 | 95.3 |
| 37 | Indiana | $90,090 | $2,673 | 93.3 | $93,666 | 93.5 |
| 38 | New York | $105,900 | $5,306 | 107.9 | $93,211 | 93.1 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $87,390 | $3,365 | 90.2 | $93,197 | 93.0 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $82,540 | — | 88.6 | $93,175 | 93.0 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $82,480 | $3,008 | 86.9 | $91,413 | 91.3 |
| 42 | Oregon | $100,260 | $7,969 | 103.4 | $89,290 | 89.1 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $82,480 | — | 92.7 | $88,984 | 88.8 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | $92,110 | — | 104.2 | $88,427 | 88.3 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $78,730 | $297 | 89.0 | $88,167 | 88.0 |
| 46 | Virginia | $93,320 | $4,566 | 101.1 | $87,785 | 87.6 |
| 47 | Idaho | $85,660 | $3,758 | 95.5 | $85,767 | 85.6 |
| 48 | Montana | $83,120 | $3,766 | 94.6 | $83,844 | 83.7 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $73,490 | $2,607 | 89.5 | $79,201 | 79.1 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $85,500 | $4,968 | 110.0 | $73,244 | 73.1 |
| 51 | Maine | $70,500 | $3,144 | 97.0 | $69,403 | 69.3 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Utah, a $135,750 salary is worth about $131,062 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $6,177 (flat 4.55%) · take-home $129,573 · BEA cost of living 98.9 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $153,241, a $22,179 gain over Utah.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $153,241 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $150,058 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $149,282 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $149,250 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $148,802 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $148,783 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $147,763 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $147,197 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $146,454 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $145,190 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $144,545 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $144,370 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Database Administrators — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a database administrators?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Utah is the best state for a database administrators: a BLS median of $135,750 is worth $131,062 after the 2025 state income tax ($6,177) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 98.9), an index of 130.9 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Utah has the highest headline BLS median for a database administrators at $135,750, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 130.9). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a database administrators salary go least far?
- Maine ranks last of 51 states for a database administrators: a $70,500 BLS median is worth only $69,403 after tax and cost of living (index 69.3). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a database administrators is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.