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Software Developers vs Database Administrators

Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index

A factual, source-backed comparison of Software Developers and Database Administrators on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”

Software Developers Database Administrators
Median pay · BLS OEWS
$133,080
$104,620
Employment · BLS OEWS
1,654,440
73,180
AI exposure (percentile) · task overlap, not automation
85th pct
87th pct

At a glance

Dimension Software Developers Database Administrators
Median pay $133,080 $104,620
Employment 1,654,440 73,180
Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection Growing fast (+15.8%) Declining (-0.7%)
Annual openings · BLS projection 115,200 3,800
Typical education · O*NET Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
AI exposure · published exposure studies High · 85th pct High · 87th pct
Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk — —
Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index — —
Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman — —

Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.

Skills

Shared: Computers and Electronics, Programming, Critical Thinking, Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Near Vision, Judgment and Decision Making, Information Ordering, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Systems Analysis, Written Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Category Flexibility, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Evaluation, Speech Recognition, English Language, Writing, Operations Analysis, Fluency of Ideas, Speaking, Monitoring, Coordination, Speech Clarity, Instructing, Mathematical Reasoning, Education and Training.

Specific to Software Developers

  • Technology Design
  • Time Management
  • Originality
  • Selective Attention
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation

Specific to Database Administrators

  • Telecommunications
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Flexibility of Closure
  • Administration and Management
  • Learning Strategies

Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).

Tools & technology

Shared: Data base user interface and query software , Development environment software , Content workflow software , Object or component oriented development software , Web platform development software , Application server software , File versioning software , Configuration management software , Enterprise application integration software , Operating system software , Data base management system software , Object oriented data base management software , Business intelligence and data analysis software .

Specific to Software Developers

Specific to Database Administrators

Full profiles

This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Software Developers or Database Administrators — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.

More comparisons

Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Software Developers vs Database Administrators." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/software-developers-vs-database-administrators

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Software Developers vs Database Administrators. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/software-developers-vs-database-administrators

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-software-developers-vs-database-administrators,
  title  = {Software Developers vs Database Administrators},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/compare/software-developers-vs-database-administrators}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.