Databases can now tune some of their own settings, cloud providers handle patching and backups, and AI tools write and explain SQL queries. Database administrators and architects still design how data is stored, keep it secure and recoverable, and decide what changes are safe to make.
The short answer: the job is highly exposed to AI, and the BLS splits the outlook in two. The ILO's 2025 index rates database designers and administrators at gradient 3 with a score of 0.57. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects no change in employment for database administrators from 2025 to 2035, but 9 percent growth for database architects, with about 7,300 openings a year across both. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed database administrators are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Database Designers and Administrators | Gradient 3 | 0.57 |
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Database administrators | 0% | In total |
| Database architects | Grow 9% | In total |
| Total for the group | Grow 4% | About 7,300 |
The BLS names AI directly. It says that as organizations improve their systems and adopt artificial intelligence to process their data, database architects will be critical to ensuring proper database design, transition, backup and security. It also says demand for database administrators may be limited, because fewer of them are expected to be needed as many companies operate in the cloud.
What AI is taking on
- Writing, explaining and optimizing SQL queries.
- Suggesting indexes and spotting slow queries.
- Routine tuning, patching and backups in managed cloud databases.
- Drafting documentation and migration scripts.
What stays with database administrators
- Design: deciding how data is structured for the business and for AI systems that use it.
- Security and access: who can see what, and proving it to auditors.
- Recovery: testing backups and restoring data when something breaks.
- Checking AI help: a generated query or migration can be wrong or destructive, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Hands-on administration is shrinking as databases move to the cloud, while design and architecture work is growing. The BLS numbers point toward architecture, security and data platform skills for people in the role now. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace software engineers?, will AI replace data analysts? and will AI replace cybersecurity jobs?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for database administrators at $126,760 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: bachelor's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace database administrators?
Not on current evidence, but the work is shifting. The ILO rates the group at gradient 3, and the BLS projects 0 percent growth for administrators and 9 percent for architects from 2025 to 2035.
Does the BLS mention AI for database jobs?
Yes. It says database architects will be critical as organizations adopt AI to process their data.
Why is database administrator employment flat?
The BLS says fewer administrators are expected to be needed as many companies operate in the cloud.
How many database jobs open each year?
The BLS projects about 7,300 openings a year for database administrators and architects combined.