Is Database Administrator the Right STEM Career for Your Personality?

Home › STEM Compass › Careers › Database Administrator

+4%Growth 2024–34

6Traits it runs on

Software & TechnologyFamily

DetailMeticulousnessComposurePersistenceDataSkepticismThe Digital WorldSafety & Security

What the work is worth. Records of patients, students, and payments only matter if they are there when needed and never lost. The administrator is the reason they are.

An ordinary day. Keep an organization's data available, fast, backed up, and secure; tune performance, manage access, and recover from failures.

The path in. Bachelor's in computer or information science; vendor certifications carry weight.

From zero. The STEM Farm Data / Analytics / AI Operations track starts at zero-STEM intake and ends in this kind of work, with verified proof at every gate.

Take the STEM Compass assessment Zero to Database Administrator →

The personality behind the work

Detail Orientation. You remember complex facts and catch small errors before they become large ones.
Meticulousness. You record exact notes and follow strict procedures without being told to.
Composure. You stay calm and clear-headed when the situation is urgent and other people are not.
Persistence. You keep going through hours of troubleshooting. A problem that refuses to yield is a reason to stay, not a reason to leave.
Numbers & Data Affinity. You like living in numbers, tables, and measurements; quantitative work feels natural.
Skepticism. You question whether the data is accurate, complete, or biased before you trust any conclusion.

This role rewards people who want a defined routine and a known right answer; the assessment measures that directly as ambiguity tolerance.

Other careers in Software & Technology

Software Developer+15%Web Developer+7%Computer Programmer-6%Computer Systems Analyst+9%Database Architect+4%Computer & Information Research Scientist+20%

Database Administrator by labor market

Every commuting zone in the country, biggest first. Each page carries that market's real economy and the counties inside it.

Newark, NJ New York, NY Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA Chicago, IL Dallas, TX Fort Worth, TX Houston, TX Atlanta, GA Washington, DC Miami, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ Boston, MA–NH San Francisco–Oakland, CA Detroit, MI Seattle–Tacoma, WA Minneapolis, MN Tampa–St. Petersburg, FL San Diego, CA Denver–Aurora, CO Orlando, FL Charlotte, NC–SC Baltimore, MD St. Louis, MO San Antonio, TX Austin, TX Portland, OR–WA Sacramento, CA Pittsburgh, PA Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise, NV Cincinnati, OH–KY Kansas City, MO–KS Columbus, OH Indianapolis, IN Nashville-Davidson, TN Murfreesboro, TN Cleveland, OH San Jose, CA Virginia Beach, VA Newport News, VA Jacksonville, FL Providence, RI–MA Raleigh, NC Milwaukee, WI Oklahoma City, OK Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Richmond, VA Memphis, TN–MS–AR Salt Lake City, UT Fresno, CA Birmingham, AL Grand Rapids, MI Hartford, CT Buffalo, NY Tucson, AZ Tulsa, OK Rochester, NY Greenville, SC Omaha, NE–IA New Orleans, LA Knoxville, TN Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice, FL Bakersfield, CA Albuquerque, NM McAllen, TX Albany–Schenectady, NY Charleston, SC Baton Rouge, LA Allentown–Bethlehem, PA–NJ El Paso, TX–NM Columbia, SC Cape Coral, FL Lakeland, FL Boise City, ID Dayton, OH Stockton, CA Colorado Springs, CO Little Rock, AR Des Moines, IA Daytona Beach–Palm Coast–Port Orange, FL Winston-Salem, NC Madison, WI Wichita, KS Syracuse, NY Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR–MO Harrisburg, PA Jackson, MS Spokane, WA Toledo, OH–MI Chattanooga, TN–GA Reno, NV–CA Portland, ME Scranton, PA Port St. Lucie, FL Huntsville, AL Pensacola, FL–AL Lexington-Fayette, KY Killeen, TX Springfield, MO Wilmington, NC Lansing, MI Fort Wayne, IN Springfield, MA–CT Santa Barbara, CA Savannah, GA Brownsville, TX Nashua, NH–MA Gulfport–Biloxi, MS Myrtle Beach–North Myrtle Beach, SC–NC Lafayette, LA Youngstown, OH Asheville, NC Mobile, AL Spartanburg, SC Anchorage, AK Canton, OH Trenton, NJ Tallahassee, FL Fayetteville, NC Montgomery, AL Shreveport, LA Eugene, OR Davenport, IA–IL Fort Collins, CO Hickory, NC Lubbock, TX Huntington, WV–KY–OH Peoria, IL Gainesville, FL Lincoln, NE Clarksville, TN–KY Rockford, IL Green Bay, WI Columbus, GA–AL South Bend, IN–MI Kennewick–Richland–Pasco, WA Roanoke, VA Sioux Falls, SD Longview, TX College Station–Bryan, TX Tuscaloosa, AL Duluth, MN–WI Cedar Rapids, IA Amarillo, TX Evansville, IN Fargo, ND–MN Lynchburg, VA Bend, OR Erie, PA Kalamazoo, MI Yakima, WA Prescott–Prescott Valley, AZ Tyler, TX Appleton, WI Lake Charles, LA Binghamton, NY Champaign, IL Fort Smith, AR–OK Topeka, KS Rochester, MN Panama City–Panama City Beach, FL Charlottesville, VA Lafayette, IN Burlington, VT Gainesville, GA Yuma, AZ–CA Athens-Clarke County, GA Monroe, LA Medford, OR Columbia, MO Jacksonville, NC Johnson City, TN St. George, UT Joplin, MO Warner Robins, GA Springfield, IL St. Cloud, MN Charleston, WV Houma, LA Bowling Green, KY Dover, DE Billings, MT Coeur d'Alene, ID Saginaw, MI Burlington, NC Abilene, TX Jackson, TN Greenville, NC Redding, CA Eau Claire, WI Idaho Falls, ID Odessa, TX La Crosse, WI–MN Terre Haute, IN Waterloo, IA Bloomington, IN Grand Junction, CO Logan, UT Kahului–Wailuku, HI Jackson, MI Hattiesburg, MS Bangor, ME State College, PA Traverse City–Garfield, MI Rapid City, SD Dothan, AL Valdosta, GA Wichita Falls, TX Rocky Mount, NC Alexandria, LA Dalton, GA Texarkana, TX–AR Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Albany, GA Morgantown, WV Harrisonburg, VA Bismarck, ND Jonesboro, AR Wausau, WI Manhattan, KS Morristown, TN Bozeman, MT Missoula, MT Elizabethtown–Radcliff, KY Wenatchee, WA Pittsfield, MA Ames, IA Mansfield, OH Twin Falls, ID San Angelo, TX Farmington, NM Altoona, PA St. Joseph, MO–KS Brunswick–St. Simons, GA Sheboygan, WI Anniston–Oxford, AL Owensboro, KY Muncie, IN Sandusky–Port Clinton, OH Williamsport, PA Steubenville–Weirton, OH–WV–PA Watertown, NY Beckley, WV Kankakee, IL Grand Forks, ND–MN Mankato, MN Gadsden, AL Cheyenne, WY Paducah, KY–IL Lima, OH Victoria, TX Hot Springs, AR Dubuque, IA–IL Decatur, IL Cape Girardeau, MO–IL Fairbanks, AK Pocatello, ID Parkersburg, WV–OH Columbus, IN Great Falls, MT Casper, WY Elmira, NY Grand Island, NE Minot, ND Lewiston, ID–WA Enid, OK Eagle Pass, TX Tupelo, MS Kearney, NE Ardmore, OK Cookeville, TN Lebanon, NH–VT Leesburg, VA Marion–Herrin, IL Mason City, IA Ottumwa, IA Willmar, MN Clovis, NM Meridian, MS Milledgeville, GA Pikeville, KY Pine Bluff, AR Richmond, KY Roanoke Rapids, NC Alexandria, MN Bardstown, KY Creston, IA Dublin, GA Farmville, VA Granite City, IL Hazard, KY Helena-West Helena, AR Henderson, KY Hilton Head Island, SC Marion, VA McComb, MS Mount Sterling, KY Quincy, IL Snyder, TX Starkville, MS Tifton, GA Yonkers, NY Alamosa, CO Bartlesville, OK Brainerd, MN Brookings, SD Brownwood, TX Burlington, IA–IL Columbia, TN Cumberland, MD–WV–PA Dickinson, ND Elko, NV Farmington, MO Fredericksburg, VA Garden City, KS Greendale–Lawrenceburg–Hidden Valley, IN–OH Greenville, MS Greenville, TX Hays, KS Houghton Lake, MI Kirksville, MO Lake City, FL Las Vegas, NM Milbank, SD Mitchell, SD Norfolk, NE North Platte, NE Oxford, MS Rice Lake, WI Safford, AZ Sedalia, MO Tallulah, LA Waynesville, NC West Plains, MO Aberdeen, SD Alliance, NE Americus, GA Batesville, AR Bluefield, WV–VA Bradford, PA–NY Cadillac, MI Centralia, IL Chamberlain, SD Columbus, NE De Queen, AR Dodge City, KS Douglas, GA Dumas, TX Edwards–Avon, CO Evanston, WY Findlay, OH Fort Leonard Wood–St. Robert–Waynesville, MO Germantown, MD Graham, TX Hammond, IN Hastings, NE Hutchinson, KS Marinette–Menominee, WI–MI Maysville, KY–OH McCook, NE Natchez, MS–LA O'Neill, NE Olney, IL Ord, NE Plainview, TX Portsmouth, OH–KY Somerset, KY Storm Lake, IA Warrenton–New Baltimore, VA Washington, NC Williston, ND Worthington, MN Yankton, SD Alice, TX Alpena, MI Altus, OK Andalusia, AL Andrews, NC Athens, OH Beloit, KS Boone, NC Bowman, ND Broken Bow, NE Carrington, ND Chillicothe, MO Colby, KS Concordia, KS Danville, KY Denison, IA El Dorado, AR Elkins, WV Emporia, KS Falls City, NE Fort Dodge, IA Gallup, NM Glasgow, KY Grafton, ND Greenwood, MS Guymon, OK Harrisburg, IL Jamestown, ND Lamar, CO Liberal, KS Lisbon, ND Lufkin, TX Marquette, MI McAlester, OK Mexia, TX Miami, OK Moberly, MO Mobridge, SD Muskogee, OK Nacogdoches, TX Nebraska City, NE Osceola, IA Otsego, MN Pampa, TX Parsons, KS Pierre, SD Platteville, WI Plattsburgh, NY Poplar Bluff, MO Pratt, KS Richfield, UT Salina, KS Scott City, KS Sidney, NE Sioux Center, IA Spirit Lake, IA Sterling, CO Tappahannock, VA The Dalles, OR Trenton, MO Valentine, NE Weatherford, OK Wise–Norton, VA Woodstock, GA Woodward, OK Aberdeen, WA Alpine, TX Ashland, WI Blytheville, AR Brady, TX Childress, TX Colstrip, MT Covington, VA Decorah, IA Devils Lake, ND Dyersburg, TN Gillette, WY Glasgow, MT Gonzales, TX Great Bend, KS Greensburg, IN Hamilton, AL Harrison, AR Heber Springs, AR Hobbs, NM Houghton–Hancock, MI Hugoton, KS Iowa Falls, IA Ironwood, MI–WI Jackson, WY Kalispell, MT Kenai, AK Kerrville, TX Klamath Falls–Altamont, OR Laramie, WY Lexington, VA Logansport, IN Martinsville, VA Maryville, MO Middlesborough, KY–TN Miles City, MT Mountain Home, AR Norton, KS Paris, TN Parkston, SD Petoskey, MI Rhinelander, WI Richmond, IN–OH Riverton, WY Rugby, ND Russellville, AR Sault Ste. Marie, MI Searcy, AR Shelby, MT Sheridan, WY Steamboat Springs, CO Stillwater, OK Susanville, CA Sweetwater, TX Uvalde, TX Vernal, UT Vernon, TX Village of Four Seasons, MO Vincennes, IN Washington Court House, OH Alamogordo, NM Atwood, KS Baker, MT Burley, ID Burlington, CO Chincoteague, VA Cody, WY Condon, OR Crescent City, CA Crossville, TN Goodland, KS Gunnison, CO Juneau, AK Keene, NH La Grande, OR Lewistown, MT Livingston, MT Ludington, MI Magnolia, AR McCall, ID Moab, UT Moses Lake, WA Nevada, MO Newport, OR North Eagle Butte, SD Philip, SD Plentywood, MT Price, UT Rock Springs, WY Roseau, MN Roseburg, OR Roswell, NM Salmon, ID Seminole, TX Sequim, WA Summersville, WV Toms River, NJ Torrington, WY Trinidad, CO Ukiah, CA Valley City, ND Winner, SD Akutan, AK Bethel, AK Buffalo, SD Burns, OR Chester, MT Delta, UT Dillingham, AK Dillon, MT Eastpoint, FL Enterprise, OR Eureka, CA Fort Stockton, TX Friday Harbor, WA Grand Marais, MN Haines, AK Harlan, KY Hilo, HI Honolulu, HI Hooper Bay, AK Hyannis, NE International Falls, MN John Day, OR Jordan, MT Kapaa, HI Ketchikan, AK Kodiak–Mill Bay, AK Kotzebue, AK Lakeview, OR Malta, MT Matador, TX Metlakatla, AK Nantucket, MA Nome, AK Petersburg, AK Presque Isle, ME Salida, CO Sanderson, TX Sitka, AK Skagway, AK Taos, NM Thompson Falls, MT Unalaska, AK Utqiaġvik, AK Vineyard Haven–Edgartown–Oak Bluffs, MA Winnett, MT Wrangell city and, AK Zapata–Medina, TX

How people searched for this

Questions people ask

What traits does a database administrator need?

Detail orientation, meticulousness, composure, persistence, numbers & data affinity and skepticism. STEM Compass scores each of them and shows your gap or margin on every one.

How fast is database administrator employment growing?

+4% between 2024 and 2034 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

How do I start from zero?

The STEM Farm Data / Analytics / AI Operations track begins at zero-STEM intake — no degree, no experience assumed — and ends in this kind of work with verified proof at every gate.

Sources. Career traits, education paths and value lines are the STEM Compass assessment library. Employment growth is U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034. County economic types are USDA Economic Research Service County Typology Codes (2025); labor markets are Census commuting zones (2020). Salary is not shown anywhere in this campaign on purpose: the assessment measures fit and what the work is worth to the world.

Is Database Administrator your STEM career?