Salary
Average Salary: $80,280
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $3,351,529
Database administrators are highly skilled and responsible for information security that can make or break a business. That's why they make an above-average salary of about $80,000 per year (source). Skills and knowledge pay well. However, DBA isn't an entry-level job, except in rare cases. So, where do you start? At the beginning, silly: with a lower-level job like software development and testing.
Computer support specialists start out making in the low- to mid-$40,000 (source) range per year. Not bad, but that's really what you might call the "chips and salsa" portion of your career. Never fear, the fajitas platter is coming—and naturally, it's sizzling. Why? Because database administrators are in high demand, with some jobs paying in the $100,000 to $120,000 (source) salary range. You can afford the whole enchilada on that kind of dinero.
Keep in mind, though, database administrators are part of a company's top tier: only the most trusted and powerful individuals in the company get to fill that role. Their generous pay comes with a lot of responsibility...but also full benefits, profit-sharing, and even bonuses for those working at larger companies.
You'll be able to pay off your student loans in a timely fashion and without starving. That's good, because most people in early- and mid-career positions are still thinking about the chips and salsa we mentioned earlier. You can earn nice money with a four-year degree. Or, if you want to get an MBA, you could go on to work for some of the largest data-gathering companies in the country and make some serious moolah.