Top 3 Database Management Bachelor's Programs
Western Governors University
200 Database Management graduates annually, N/A% graduation rate
Bellevue College
116 Database Management graduates annually, 96% graduation rate
Northeastern University
63 Database Management graduates annually, N/A% graduation rate
- 1.Database administrators earn a median salary of $98,860 annually (BLS)
- 2.Employment for database professionals is projected to grow 8% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS)
- 3.Top programs emphasize both traditional RDBMS and modern NoSQL technologies
- 4.Industry certifications from Oracle, Microsoft, and AWS are highly valued by employers
- 5.Bachelor's degree graduates typically start at $60,000-$75,000 in entry-level positions
Complete Database Management Bachelor's Programs Rankings 2025
| 1 | Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, UT | Private | $7,710 | — | 77 |
| 2 | Bellevue College | Bellevue, WA | Public | $4,074 | 96% | 74.5 |
| 3 | Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Private | $62,000 | — | 68.6 |
| 4 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | Public | $8,354 | 90% | 57.6 |
| 5 | Utah State University | Logan, UT | Public | $7,387 | 100% | 55.7 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park, PA | Public | $19,672 | 87% | 55.5 |
| 7 | University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | Private | $57,670 | — | 51.9 |
| 8 | University of St Thomas | Saint Paul, MN | Private | $50,788 | 89% | 51.3 |
| 9 | DePaul University | Chicago, IL | Private | $43,379 | 86% | 50.1 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota-Duluth | Duluth, MN | Public | $12,766 | — | 43.6 |
| 11 | University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, MS | Public | $9,508 | — | 41.2 |
| 12 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | Saint Paul, MN | Private | $35,970 | — | 36.2 |
| 13 | Capella University | Minneapolis, MN | For-Profit | $14,436 | 13% | 36 |
Compare Top 5 Unknown Programs
| School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, UT | Private | $7,710 | N/A | 77.0 |
| #2 Bellevue College | Bellevue, WA | Public | $4,074 | 96% | 74.5 |
| #3 Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Private | $62,000 | N/A | 68.6 |
| #4 University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | Public | $8,354 | 90% | 57.6 |
| #5 Utah State University | Logan, UT | Public | $7,387 | 100% | 55.7 |
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT • Private
Program Highlights
- • Annual Tuition: $7,710 (in-state)
- • Graduation Rate: N/A% (IPEDS 2023)
- • Database Management Graduates: 200 annually
- • Acceptance Rate: N/A%
- • Ranking Score: 77.0 / 100
Program Strengths
- N/A% graduation rate
- 200 database management graduates annually
- Located in UT with median salary of $115,500
- Private institution
- Overall score: 77.0 / 100
Why Ranked #1
Ranked #1 for Database Management based on graduation rate (N/A%), program size (200 graduates), state salary outcomes, and selectivity (N/A% acceptance rate). Data from IPEDS 2023 and BLS OES 2024.
Bellevue College
Bellevue, WA • Public
Program Highlights
- • Annual Tuition: $4,074 (in-state)
- • Graduation Rate: 96% (IPEDS 2023)
- • Database Management Graduates: 116 annually
- • Acceptance Rate: N/A%
- • Ranking Score: 74.5 / 100
Program Strengths
- 96% graduation rate
- 116 database management graduates annually
- Located in WA with median salary of $145,230
- Public institution
- Overall score: 74.5 / 100
Why Ranked #2
Ranked #2 for Database Management based on graduation rate (96%), program size (116 graduates), state salary outcomes, and selectivity (N/A% acceptance rate). Data from IPEDS 2023 and BLS OES 2024.
Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Program Highlights
- • Annual Tuition: $62,000 (in-state)
- • Graduation Rate: N/A% (IPEDS 2023)
- • Database Management Graduates: 63 annually
- • Acceptance Rate: 6%
- • Ranking Score: 68.6 / 100
Program Strengths
- N/A% graduation rate
- 63 database management graduates annually
- Located in MA with median salary of $128,640
- Private institution with 6% acceptance rate
- Overall score: 68.6 / 100
Why Ranked #3
Ranked #3 for Database Management based on graduation rate (N/A%), program size (63 graduates), state salary outcomes, and selectivity (6% acceptance rate). Data from IPEDS 2023 and BLS OES 2024.
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV • Public
Program Highlights
- • Annual Tuition: $8,354 (in-state)
- • Graduation Rate: 90% (IPEDS 2023)
- • Database Management Graduates: 55 annually
- • Acceptance Rate: 96%
- • Ranking Score: 57.6 / 100
Program Strengths
- 90% graduation rate
- 55 database management graduates annually
- Located in NV with median salary of $115,500
- Public institution with 96% acceptance rate
- Overall score: 57.6 / 100
Why Ranked #4
Ranked #4 for Database Management based on graduation rate (90%), program size (55 graduates), state salary outcomes, and selectivity (96% acceptance rate). Data from IPEDS 2023 and BLS OES 2024.
Utah State University
Logan, UT • Public
Program Highlights
- • Annual Tuition: $7,387 (in-state)
- • Graduation Rate: 100% (IPEDS 2023)
- • Database Management Graduates: 31 annually
- • Acceptance Rate: 94%
- • Ranking Score: 55.7 / 100
Program Strengths
- 100% graduation rate
- 31 database management graduates annually
- Located in UT with median salary of $115,500
- Public institution with 94% acceptance rate
- Overall score: 55.7 / 100
Why Ranked #5
Ranked #5 for Database Management based on graduation rate (100%), program size (31 graduates), state salary outcomes, and selectivity (94% acceptance rate). Data from IPEDS 2023 and BLS OES 2024.
Career Paths
Database Administrator
SOC 15-1141Manage and maintain database systems, ensure data security, and optimize performance for enterprise applications.
Data Analyst
SOC 15-2051Extract insights from databases, create reports, and support business decision-making through data analysis.
Database Developer
SOC 15-1252Design and implement database applications, write stored procedures, and optimize database performance.
Data Engineer
SOC 15-1299Build and maintain data pipelines, ETL processes, and data warehouses for large-scale analytics platforms.
Systems Administrator
SOC 15-1244Maintain database servers, implement security protocols, and ensure high availability of database systems.
Database Management Programs by State
California
Texas
New York
Florida
Illinois
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Michigan
Which Should You Choose?
- Enjoy working with complex data structures and relationships
- Have strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills
- Are interested in optimizing system performance and efficiency
- Prefer focusing on database technologies rather than general programming
- Are interested in data architecture and enterprise systems
- Want to work with mission-critical business data and systems
- Appreciate that database skills remain consistently in demand
- Want to work in industries where data management is crucial
- Are interested in both technical and analytical career progression
Database Management Bachelor's Program FAQ
What to Look for in Database Management Bachelor's Programs
The best database management bachelor's programs combine foundational computer science principles with specialized database technologies. Look for programs that offer hands-on experience with both traditional relational database management systems (RDBMS) like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle, as well as modern NoSQL solutions including MongoDB, Cassandra, and Redis.
Industry partnerships are crucial for database management programs. Schools like the University of Washington leverage relationships with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Oracle to provide students with access to enterprise-grade database systems and cloud platforms. These connections often translate into internship opportunities and direct hiring pipelines.
Faculty expertise in database research and industry experience significantly impacts program quality. Top programs feature professors who have contributed to database system development, published in premier conferences like SIGMOD and VLDB, or worked at major technology companies. This expertise ensures curricula stay current with rapidly evolving database technologies and industry practices.
- Comprehensive coverage of SQL and NoSQL database systems
- Hands-on labs with real enterprise database environments
- Cloud database platforms (AWS RDS, Azure SQL, Google Cloud SQL)
- Data modeling, normalization, and database design principles
- Performance optimization and query tuning techniques
- Database security, backup, and disaster recovery procedures
- Integration with modern development frameworks and APIs
Database Management Curriculum and Core Courses
Database management bachelor's programs typically require 120-128 credit hours, combining computer science fundamentals with specialized database coursework. The curriculum builds from basic programming and data structures to advanced database system architecture and distributed computing concepts.
Core computer science foundation courses include programming in languages like Java, Python, and C++, data structures and algorithms, discrete mathematics, and computer systems architecture. These provide the technical foundation necessary for understanding how database systems operate at both the logical and physical levels.
Specialized database courses cover relational database design, SQL programming, database administration, data warehousing, and big data technologies. Many programs now include cloud database platforms, with hands-on experience using AWS certifications and other cloud provider services. Students also study database security, transaction processing, and performance optimization techniques.
- Database Systems and Architecture (foundational course covering RDBMS concepts)
- SQL Programming and Advanced Queries (hands-on SQL development and optimization)
- Data Modeling and Database Design (entity-relationship modeling and normalization)
- Database Administration (user management, security, backup and recovery)
- Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence (OLAP systems and reporting)
- Big Data Technologies (Hadoop, Spark, distributed database systems)
- Database Security and Privacy (encryption, access control, compliance)
- Cloud Database Platforms (AWS RDS, Azure SQL Database, Google Cloud SQL)
Many programs require a capstone project where students design and implement a complete database solution for a real-world problem. This often involves working with industry partners or campus organizations to build systems that handle actual data requirements and user loads.
Based on 127 programs from IPEDS 2023, BLS OES May 2024
Database Management degree completions indicating program size, faculty, and resources
6-year completion rate from IPEDS 2023 (4-year institutions weighted higher)
Admission rate from IPEDS 2023 (lower = more selective)
State-specific database management salaries from BLS OES 2024
Data Sources and Methodology
Employment projections and salary data for database professionals
Federal data on college costs, graduation rates, and post-graduation earnings
Institutional characteristics and enrollment data for accredited programs
Analysis of curriculum, faculty credentials, and industry partnerships
Post-graduation employment and salary data from program graduates
Related Database Management Resources
Taylor Rupe
Full-Stack Developer (B.S. Computer Science, B.A. Psychology)
Taylor combines formal training in computer science with a background in human behavior to evaluate complex search, AI, and data-driven topics. His technical review ensures each article reflects current best practices in semantic search, AI systems, and web technology.