The phrase 'database administrator' doesn't really conjure up the image of someone living a life of opulence. When we hear the job title, we imagine someone sat in a cramped office somewhere, endlessly punching figures into a spreadsheet and watching the clock ticking by. The last thing we'd expect is for them to be earning more than almost anybody else in the office, but it's frequently the case.
A degree in computer science will help someone get ahead in this trade, as will first-hand experience of dedicated software programs like QuickBooks or Sage. A senior database administrator is in in a position of enormous importance, handling privileged information on company finances and being responsible for the security and accuracy of that data. That's why they earn as much as $108,000 per year, and it's also why you'll rarely see an experienced professional database administrator on less than $60K.