Database Architects in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California database architects fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $132,880 and $203,130, with a median of $170,160.
Database Architects in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 893 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $175,457. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 75 | $128,395 |
| Level II — qualified | 270 | $151,720 |
| Level III — experienced | 192 | $185,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 236 | $213,200 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Database Architects in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Data Engineer | 119 | $214,359 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | Software Engineering PMTS | 21 | $233,500 |
| Google LLC | Business Systems Analyst | 20 | $195,500 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Manager | 18 | $162,512 |
| TikTok Inc. | Data Engineer, E-Commerce | 16 | $196,000 |
| AGILISIUM CONSULTING LLC | Architect - Big Data | 14 | $124,800 |
| Tesla, Inc. | Data Engineer | 14 | $169,080 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Data Engineer II | 13 | $170,227 |
| ByteDance Inc. | Data Engineer | 11 | $170,600 |
| TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | Data Engineer - USDS | 11 | $200,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Senior Engineer, Data Analytics Engineering at Sandisk Technologies, Inc.$115,875San JoseDecided —I-200-26084-729046
- Manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP$189,301SacramentoWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729951
- Lead Devops Engineer at Salesforce, Inc.$243,252San FranciscoWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728287
- Senior ERP Data Engineer at Skydio, Inc.$175,000San MateoWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-729490
- Data Engineer at Maplebear Inc.$155,000San JoseWage Level IIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-725329
- Hardware Engineering at Microsoft Corporation$202,800Mountain ViewWage Level IIIDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-721162
- Principal Consultant at Argano, LLC$192,502CupertinoWage Level IIIDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-721906
- Senior Data Engineer at CoStar Realty Information Inc.$185,000San DiegoWage Level IVDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-719583
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Database Architects pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Database Architects specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 562 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Engineer at a median of $180,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Engineer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 369 | $180,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer | Chime Financial, Inc. | 43 | $183,851 |
| Data Architect | EPIK SOLUTIONS | 27 | $175,620 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 23 | $183,857 |
| Business Systems Analyst | Google LLC | 20 | $190,500 |
| Senior Database Engineer | Eyefinity, Inc. | 17 | $200,089 |
| Data Analyst | CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC | 17 | $127,020 |
| Senior Consultant | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 13 | $123,983 |
| Database Architect | HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA | 12 | $170,447 |
| Lead Engineer, Data | Beachbody, LLC | 9 | $171,200 |
| Manager JC50 - Database Architects | COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | 6 | $170,893 |
| Data Engineer - USDS | TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | 6 | $188,787 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Database Architects in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 883 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $180,600.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Meta Platforms, Inc | 521 | $180,600 |
| Finance and insurance | Chime Financial, Inc. | 98 | $162,842 |
| Manufacturing | Tesla, Inc. | 87 | $172,200 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 78 | $152,809 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 48 | $183,851 |
| Healthcare | Sutter Health | 19 | $179,360 |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles | 14 | $158,351 |
| Media and entertainment | Fox Cable Network Services, LLC | 7 | $170,000 |
| Energy and utilities | Pacific Gas and Electric Company | 7 | $170,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Flexport, Inc. | 2 | $134,084 |
| Real estate | Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. | 1 | $171,857 |
| Government and public sector | DISNEY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC. | 1 | $187,978 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
5 years or more
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.3 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 3.9 / 5
Judgment and Decision Making
Technical
- 3.9 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 3.9 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Complex Problem Solving
Technical
- 3.9 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 3.9 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Develop and document database architectures.
- 02
Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- 03
Develop database architectural strategies at the modeling, design and implementation stages to address business or industry requirements.
- 04
Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.
- 05
Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
- 06
Design database applications, such as interfaces, data transfer mechanisms, global temporary tables, data partitions, and function-based indexes to enable efficient access of the generic database structure.
- 07
Develop methods for integrating different products so they work properly together, such as customizing commercial databases to fit specific needs.
- 08
Create and enforce database development standards.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+8.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for database architects in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$197,960
- San Francisco$175,860
- Sacramento$169,310
- San Diego$156,800
- Los Angeles$155,740
- Riverside$132,150
Compare Database Architects pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Database Architects in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Database Architects in California is $170,160.
- How does California compare to the national median for Database Architects?
- The California median is +24.8% versus the BLS national figure of $136,332.
- What is the salary range for Database Architects in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $101,200 and the 90th-percentile at $227,900, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Database Architects a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 8.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Database Architects?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.