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 $124,990 and $188,260, with a median of $159,130.
Database Architects in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 732 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $172,000. 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 | 55 | $138,362 |
| Level II — qualified | 195 | $157,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 134 | $185,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 143 | $210,746 |
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 | 93 | $214,174 |
| Google LLC | Business Systems Analyst | 16 | $195,500 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | Manager, Media Analytics | 16 | $224,109 |
| TikTok Inc. | Data Engineer, E-Commerce | 16 | $196,000 |
| AGILISIUM CONSULTING LLC | Architect - Big Data | 14 | $124,800 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Data Engineer II | 13 | $170,227 |
| Tesla, Inc. | Data Engineer | 12 | $169,080 |
| Chime Financial, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer, Data Engineering | 11 | $215,000 |
| TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | Data Engineer - USDS | 11 | $200,000 |
| ByteDance Inc. | Data Engineer | 11 | $170,600 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Sr. Specialist Solutions Engineer at Databricks, Inc.$151,070San FranciscoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503760
- Principal Data Engineer at Autodesk, Inc.$171,546San FranciscoDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497304
- Software Engineer at Meta Platforms, Inc$182,000SunnyvaleDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25353-496334
- Data Warehouse Engineer at Tri Pointe Homes, Inc.$184,000IrvineDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494038
- Technical Enterprise Architect at Tek Yantra Inc$156,000FolsomDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25353-496171
- Data Engineer at Avenue Code LLC$137,280TracyDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494494
- Manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP$151,285Gold RiverDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-489878
- Data Architect at New Era Technology, LLC$190,000Menlo ParkDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490338
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.
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 461 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Engineer at a median of $179,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Engineer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 307 | $179,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer, Data Engineering | Chime Financial, Inc. | 38 | $181,786 |
| Data Architect | New Era Technology, LLC | 23 | $175,620 |
| Business Systems Analyst | Google LLC | 16 | $190,500 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 14 | $181,049 |
| Data Analyst | CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC | 14 | $126,160 |
| Senior Database Engineer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 13 | $200,089 |
| Senior Consultant | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 10 | $123,266 |
| Database Architect | HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA | 9 | $170,000 |
| Data Engineer - USDS | TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | 6 | $188,787 |
| Manager JC50 - Database Architects | COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | 6 | $170,893 |
| Senior Data Platform Engineer | Gemini Software Services, LLC | 5 | $185,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Database Architects in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 725 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $179,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Meta Platforms, Inc | 426 | $179,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Chime Financial, Inc. | 81 | $165,000 |
| Manufacturing | Tesla, Inc. | 74 | $170,893 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 60 | $150,571 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 45 | $183,851 |
| Healthcare | Sutter Health | 15 | $180,000 |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles | 12 | $168,606 |
| Energy and utilities | Pacific Gas and Electric Company | 7 | $170,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Maersk Logistics & Services USA Inc. | 2 | $134,084 |
| Real estate | Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. | 1 | $171,857 |
| Media and entertainment | ANSCHUTZ ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC. | 1 | $129,430 |
| 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 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 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.
Sponsored
Build the skills employers list for Database Architects
Online courses from licensed providers. We may earn a commission when you enroll. The commission does not influence our rankings or wage data.
Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for database architects in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$170,700
- San Jose$166,210
- Sacramento$154,150
- Los Angeles$145,300
- San Diego$137,990
- Riverside$128,250
Compare Database Architects pay across nearby states
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 $159,130.
- How does California compare to the national median for Database Architects?
- The California median is +32.1% versus the BLS national figure of $120,457.
- What is the salary range for Database Architects in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $89,080 and the 90th-percentile at $226,340, 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.