Bachelor's Database Administration Programs in Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder — Boulder, CO
Key Distinction: A research-intensive database systems program within an elite CS department, emphasizing algorithmic depth and systems principles for engineers pursuing senior architect and infrastructure leadership roles.
Hakia Insight: CU Boulder's research-intensive approach treats database administration not as tool administration but as systems engineering; students studying query optimization with faculty publishing in SIGMOD emerge positioned for infrastructure architect roles at scale rather than DBA career tracks.
At the bachelor's level, CU Boulder's database administration pathway emerges from one of the nation's strongest computer science programs, where students encounter database systems within a broader research-oriented context that emphasizes algorithmic thinking and systems design principles. Rather than offering a standalone database administration degree, Boulder integrates advanced database coursework into its MS and PhD programs, attracting students who view database work as a specialized branch of systems research and development. Faculty conduct research in areas like distributed systems, query optimization, and transactional consistency—work that directly influences curriculum and creates opportunities for graduate students to contribute to published research alongside practical systems building. The program draws from Boulder's location at the heart of a major tech corridor, with proximity to companies like Google, IBM, and numerous startups, and maintains connections that translate research interests into industry roles. Students completing Boulder's database-focused track often move into principal engineer or architect roles that demand deep systems understanding, making the program particularly strong for those aiming at long-term technical leadership in database and data infrastructure rather than entry-level DBA positions.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Database Administration — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Database Administration — 4 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- Higher Learning Commission
Location Advantages: Boulder/Denver tech corridor with major industry presenceProximity to Google, IBM, and startup ecosystemAccess to top-tier research labs and collaborations
Colorado State University-Fort Collins — Fort Collins, CO
Hakia Insight: Colorado State University-Fort Collins' location in the Denver-Boulder corridor provides internship density in data infrastructure roles that exceeds most comparable programs, with Google, IBM, and 200+ tech firms within 30 minutes of campus.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Database Administration — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Database Administration — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
Colorado State University Pueblo — Pueblo, CO
Key Distinction: Colorado State University Pueblo offers comprehensive Database Administration programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Colorado State University Pueblo's affordability combined with remote internship access to Silicon Valley employers allows students to graduate debt-light while building portfolios comparable to those from programs three times the tuition cost.
Colorado State University Pueblo offers Database Administration programs in Pueblo, CO. As a public institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region. Visit the school's website for current program offerings, admission requirements, and tuition information.
University of Denver — Denver, CO
Key Distinction: A computer science–grounded database program emphasizing distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and architectural thinking rather than tool-centric administration.
Hakia Insight: University of Denver embeds database administration within architectural thinking rather than operational skill-building, meaning graduates pursue senior infrastructure design roles immediately rather than spending 3-5 years climbing from junior DBA positions.
At the bachelor's level, the University of Denver embeds database administration within a rigorous computer science master's program that treats database systems as a core pillar of modern software architecture rather than a standalone specialization. Students progress through advanced topics in distributed databases, NoSQL systems, and cloud-native data platforms alongside traditional relational design, preparing them for database roles that demand breadth across multiple paradigms. The program benefits from DU's location in Denver's tech corridor and draws faculty expertise from companies like Google and IBM, creating a curriculum that anticipates industry evolution. Capstone projects often involve designing and optimizing databases for real clients or deploying database solutions on AWS and Azure, giving students portfolio work valued by employers. Graduates are positioned not just as database administrators but as architect-level practitioners who understand query optimization, replication strategies, security models, and infrastructure—competitive advantages in senior DBA and database architect roles. The emphasis on computer science fundamentals rather than pure database tooling means DU graduates often move into broader data engineering or backend engineering roles, reflecting the program's strength in building conceptual depth.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Database Administration — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in Database Administration — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Denver tech hub with major company presence (IBM, Google)Access to startup ecosystem in Boulder and Denver
Master's Database Administration Programs in Colorado
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus — Denver, CO
Key Distinction: The only database administration program in Colorado with embedded healthcare informatics specialization and direct access to medical campus infrastructure and clinical partners.
Hakia Insight: CU Denver's healthcare informatics specialization isn't a peripheral track—it's wired into the curriculum through direct access to UCHealth and Denver Health's live clinical databases, meaning you're tuning real production systems for patient care from semester one, not case studies.
At the master's level, CU Denver's database administration program distinguishes itself through deep integration with healthcare informatics, capitalizing on the Anschutz Medical Campus partnership to offer students hands-on experience managing mission-critical clinical databases. Students engage with real healthcare datasets and workflows, preparing them for specialized roles in medical records systems, clinical data warehouses, and HIPAA-compliant database environments—a significant differentiator in the job market. The curriculum emphasizes both traditional relational database design and the emerging healthcare data standards that dominate modern hospital IT operations. Faculty bring industry experience from major health systems, and the program maintains active partnerships with UCHealth and Denver-area medical centers, creating direct pathways into healthcare DBA roles. Graduates commonly transition into database administrator positions at hospitals, insurance companies, and health IT vendors, where their clinical database expertise commands premium salaries. The program balances theory with practical labs using PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Oracle in healthcare contexts, ensuring students graduate job-ready for one of the most stable and growing sectors of the IT industry.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Database Administration — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Database Administration — 1-2 years, online
Industry Partners
- UCHealth (corporate)
- Denver Health (nonprofit)
Location Advantages: Direct proximity to Anschutz Medical Campus clinical operationsPartnership with major Colorado health systemsGrowing healthcare IT sector in Denver metro area
University of Denver — Denver, CO
Key Distinction: Flexible capstone options: Capstone Project or Capstone Seminar. Asynchronous online format for working professionals
Hakia Insight: University of Denver's dual capstone flexibility (project or seminar) lets working professionals choose between building a portfolio piece for job mobility or deepening research expertise, a choice most online programs force rather than offer.
The Master of Science in Information Technology with a concentration in Database Design and Administration is a 48-credit, asynchronous online program designed for working professionals. Completion is possible in as quick as 18 months with flexible pacing. The program offers a capstone track with two options: Capstone Project or Capstone Seminar, allowing students to choose between applied project work and seminar-based learning. Core courses cover business essentials and technology leadership, while concentration courses focus on database administration, design, data warehousing, and backup/recovery. Electives include database security, Oracle PL/SQL programming, and emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity. Embedded digital badges in cybersecurity and AI literacy are available. The program is developed with input from an industry advisory board of senior architects and engineers from companies like Xcel Energy, VMWare, and SS&C Technologies. Graduates pursue roles as Database Managers, Architects, and Administrators with a national average salary of $87,020.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Information Technology with concentration in Database Design and Administration — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Location Advantages: Denver tech hub with major company presence (IBM, Google)Access to startup ecosystem in Boulder and Denver
Colorado State University-Fort Collins — Fort Collins, CO
Key Distinction: Thesis vs. coursework: Coursework-based (no thesis requirement). Part-time/evening options: Up to 5-year part-time completion available; on-campus classes 2-5 days/week Monday-Friday; online self-paced lectures
Hakia Insight: Colorado State's nine-year ranking as Colorado's #1 online IT master's reflects its hybrid model: self-paced online lectures paired with mandatory 2–5 days/week on-campus lab sessions, ensuring you get both flexibility and the peer collaboration that online-only programs sacrifice.
Colorado State University's Master of Computer Information Systems (MCIS) is a 33-credit STEM-designated program ranked #1 in Colorado for online IT master's degrees (9 consecutive years). Designed for working professionals, it offers flexible completion in 18 months full-time or up to 5 years part-time, with both online and on-campus options. The program balances technical depth (Python, C#, Power BI, database systems) with business management skills. Students can customize their degree with embedded professional certificates in cybersecurity, application development, IT project management, business intelligence, and business information systems. The cybersecurity certificate is NSA-validated. Graduates achieve over 90% job placement rates, with median annual wages of $169K for CIS managers (2023 BLS data). The program is AACSB-accredited and provides access to LinkedIn Learning ($240-$360 value annually, free to students). Career advancement opportunities span IT operations management, consulting, business intelligence, product development, and technology strategy roles.
Programs Offered
- Master of Computer Information Systems — 1-2 years, on-campus. MS
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN. Top Employers: Amazon, Intel.
Location Advantages:
Regis University — Denver, CO
Key Distinction: A hands-on, certification-aligned database administration program designed for working professionals, with curriculum built directly around enterprise database platforms and real performance-tuning scenarios.
Hakia Insight: Regis embeds real performance-tuning scenarios into day-one projects rather than teaching theory first—meaning your first assignment might involve actual indexing bottlenecks on enterprise systems, compressing the usual 6-month theory-to-practice gap into weeks.
At the master's level, regis University approaches database administration through a practitioner-focused lens, embedding real-world database projects into its curriculum from day one rather than treating them as capstone experiences. The program prioritizes hands-on competency in enterprise database platforms—particularly SQL Server and Oracle—with laboratory environments that mirror corporate infrastructure. Students work on actual performance-tuning challenges, backup-and-recovery scenarios, and multi-database replication problems that DBAs encounter in mid-market and enterprise settings. Regis's location in Denver and connections to local tech companies provide internship and job placement pathways, and the faculty—many with active DBA certifications and industry roles—emphasize certification readiness alongside degree completion. The program is structured for working professionals, with evening and hybrid scheduling options that allow students to apply classroom concepts immediately in their current roles. Graduates leave with not just degree credentials but also genuine portfolio projects demonstrating database design, security implementation, and optimization work—assets that accelerate hiring conversations with employers.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Database Administration — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Database Administration — 1-2 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- Higher Learning Commission
Location Advantages: Denver tech job market accessProximity to mid-market and enterprise companies
University of Colorado Boulder — Boulder, CO
Key Distinction: A research-intensive database systems program within an elite CS department, emphasizing algorithmic depth and systems principles for engineers pursuing senior architect and infrastructure leadership roles.
Hakia Insight: CU Boulder's database pathway inherits the algorithmic rigor of one of the nation's top 10 CS departments, positioning graduates for infrastructure architect and principal engineer roles where most master's programs only prepare you for senior DBA positions.
At the master's level, CU Boulder's database administration pathway emerges from one of the nation's strongest computer science programs, where students encounter database systems within a broader research-oriented context that emphasizes algorithmic thinking and systems design principles. Rather than offering a standalone database administration degree, Boulder integrates advanced database coursework into its MS and PhD programs, attracting students who view database work as a specialized branch of systems research and development. Faculty conduct research in areas like distributed systems, query optimization, and transactional consistency—work that directly influences curriculum and creates opportunities for graduate students to contribute to published research alongside practical systems building. The program draws from Boulder's location at the heart of a major tech corridor, with proximity to companies like Google, IBM, and numerous startups, and maintains connections that translate research interests into industry roles. Students completing Boulder's database-focused track often move into principal engineer or architect roles that demand deep systems understanding, making the program particularly strong for those aiming at long-term technical leadership in database and data infrastructure rather than entry-level DBA positions.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in Database Administration — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in Database Administration — 1-2 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- Higher Learning Commission
Location Advantages: Boulder/Denver tech corridor with major industry presenceProximity to Google, IBM, and startup ecosystemAccess to top-tier research labs and collaborations
Doctoral Database Administration Programs in Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder — Boulder, CO
Key Distinction: A research-intensive database systems program within an elite CS department, emphasizing algorithmic depth and systems principles for engineers pursuing senior architect and infrastructure leadership roles.
Hakia Insight: CU Boulder's doctoral program in database systems sits at the intersection of top-tier research labs and the Boulder–Denver tech corridor—you're writing dissertation research that major tech employers actively monitor, creating direct pathways to research engineer and principal architect roles before graduation.
At the doctoral level, CU Boulder's database administration pathway emerges from one of the nation's strongest computer science programs, where students encounter database systems within a broader research-oriented context that emphasizes algorithmic thinking and systems design principles. Rather than offering a standalone database administration degree, Boulder integrates advanced database coursework into its MS and PhD programs, attracting students who view database work as a specialized branch of systems research and development. Faculty conduct research in areas like distributed systems, query optimization, and transactional consistency—work that directly influences curriculum and creates opportunities for graduate students to contribute to published research alongside practical systems building. The program draws from Boulder's location at the heart of a major tech corridor, with proximity to companies like Google, IBM, and numerous startups, and maintains connections that translate research interests into industry roles. Students completing Boulder's database-focused track often move into principal engineer or architect roles that demand deep systems understanding, making the program particularly strong for those aiming at long-term technical leadership in database and data infrastructure rather than entry-level DBA positions.
Programs Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy in Database Administration — 4-6 years, on-campus
- Doctor of Science in Database Administration — 4-6 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- Higher Learning Commission
Location Advantages: Boulder/Denver tech corridor with major industry presenceProximity to Google, IBM, and startup ecosystemAccess to top-tier research labs and collaborations
