The average value of the Bachelor degree needed to become a Database administrators is $1,480,063.00.
Points of Interest
- According to the Bureau of Labor, in 2008 there were approximately 120,000 database administrators
- Database administrators are generally known in the field as DBA’s
- DBA’s are needed in virtually every job industry
- By 2018, the Department of Labor expects that the job market for DBA’s will have grown 20%
- A bachelor’s degree or better, strong computer and analytic skills, and IT experience are usually the core requirements for a DBA—as it is a highly specialized, highly skilled profession.
- The growing number of e-commerce sites on the internet and demand for more robust database systems will mandate more DBA’s and similar professionals in the next eight to ten years.
Nature of the Work
Database administrators work in tandem with DB management software (DBMS, or database management software) to store, categorize, interpret, manipulate, and present large quantities of data. DBA’s responsibilities range widely from organization to organization, but essential duties often include: migrating data from older database systems to new ones, conceiving and implementing strong security measures, install and configure (and sometimes even design) new programs and applications that clients and their organization needs, troubleshooting, maximizing the database’s performance and efficiency, ensuring accessibility and ease-of-use for non-database personnel, and managing permissions.
In short, enterprise and corporate level databases are incredibly complex creatures. This especially true today with the most popular form of database–the RDBMS, or relational database management system. This is the reason that bigger organizations have several (or even dozens) of database administrators. And because Microsoft and Oracle SQL’s are extremely comprehensive (and not to mention the fact that they’re from two different competing companies), specialists often have a background in one or the other (i.e. they’re either Microsoft- or Oracle-oriented).
Training, Qualifications, and Advancement
Database administration is a highly skilled career that requires exceptionally trained, motivated, educated, and experienced professionals. A bachelor’s degree in technology-related field (e.g. DB administration, network admin, computer science, etc.) is usually the bare minimum a candidate pursuing a database manager position should have. 2-3 years of experience in the field is usually required, and sometimes certifications (e.g. CCNP, CCNE, etc.) are required—or in the least, highly preferable to many employers.
Additionally, it isn’t uncommon for employers to ask for a candidate with a master’s degree in a computer science-related field or a M.I.S (Management Information Systems). Employers sometimes but not always like candidates with a master’s in business administration concentrated in information systems technology. Having such a specialized degree or two, training and experience greatly increase both the chances of getting hired and being able to negotiate a much higher salary.
Furthermore, database administrators who have the most potential for getting hired and advancing keep abreast of current events and trends in the IT industry—particularly related to database admin, development, or design.
Additional skills that may or may not be required—but usually give the candidate a competitive edge among other applicants—include:
- Microsoft or Oracle SQL training, experience, and or certification
- Programming—e.g. C++, JAVA, SQL, Perl, VB, etc.
- Strong abilities in math, especially statistics and calculus
- Various administrative/clerical skills like stenography and form design
- A fundamental comprehension of various network topographies (such as Windows Server, Internet/Intranet, Enterprise-level)
- Database warehousing and/or mining
It varies from company to company and industry to industry, but database administrators usually either have a particular set of functions within an organization or a diverse range in them—often IT-related but not necessarily database admin. The essential job of a DBA, though, consists of many tasks and responsibilities, and generally DBA’s have to be on-call 24/7. He or she may be required to:
- Perform analysis of the database and ensure proper replication and redundancy
- Perform table maintenance and deal with capacity problems or issues
- Make the database readily accessible, comprehensive, and easy-to-use to authorized individuals and secure from unauthorized access
- Work with a number of operating systems (e.g. SQL, Windows NT, TMS, DB2, Informix, Unix, and so forth)
- Understand and work well with one or more programming language such as Ruby, RPG, Perl, and/or Python.
- Have a good knowledge of Oracle RDBMS’s(relational database management system) and apply that vast body of knowledge to Oracle databases, if applicable.
Personal Attributes
Database administration candidates are all-around well rounded individuals. They can multitask effectively, perform mathematical and statistical operations and apply them to their work, have a positive family life at home, and have excellent written/verbal communication skills. Furthermore, they possess very good leadership skills, plus project management experience or training. DBA’s are critical thinkers; that means they’re neutral fact-finders, explorers, and creators in the IT world as well as in the personal one.
Common Career Paths
Many DBA’s s begin their careers in the technical field, but not in the database sector. Many were previously network or systems administrators, help-desk staff, entry-level programmers, project managers, interns, and many other kinds of professionals. Common positions that fully-fledged database administrators have the opportunity to move up to, with several years experience, include Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Information Systems Manager, and other senior management roles.
Employment
There were approximately 120,000 DBA’s in 2008, via Bureau of Labor statistics. There are no concrete numbers for 2010, but it the field is widely-known to be growing consistently. DBA’s work in many different capacities and in many different industries.
Some of the industries that database and systems administrators are found in include: financial organizations, insurance firms, education, telecommunication organizations, business and project management, and governmental affairs. Approximately 6% of DBA’s work for themselves—more or less on a contractual basis.
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor cites that database administration careers will grow by up to 20% by 2018. That’s roughly 6% greater than the average career in IT through 2018. Why? Because thousands of databases are being added monthly to both the internet (mainly for e-commerce sites) and to organizations’ IT infrastructure. And as previously mentioned, candidates with a wide range of skills, certifications, and training will be far more hirable and far less dispensable.
Projections
From the Bureau of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011 edition: “much faster than average.” Database administrators made up about 120,400 people in the U.S. workforce in 2008. The Bureau of Labor projects, through a rigorous study of industry trends and historical data, that by 2018 there will be over 144,000. That’s a growth of 24,000 (20%) and is substantially higher than other fields in IT.
It is worth noting, while database professionals will enjoy a continually growing workforce, that many of the lower and entry-level jobs are expected to be shipped overseas. Positions that focus mainly on automation or routine administration (non-creative roles, essentially) are continually being shipped to Asia due to downsizing of workforces and capitalizing on cheaper labor by many U.S. organizations and corporations. This information is also courtesy of the Bureau of Labor and Department of Labor estimates. That’s why candidates need a strong educational and work portfolio as well as a professionally—crafted resume.
Earnings
In 2008 the most recent year that the Bureau of Labor has published occupation statistics, the average database administrator made between $50k-$91k. Many subjects in entry-level and some in intermediate positions eared at the bottom10% , or about $40,000 per year, and those are earned the highest (top 10%) made $111,000 and above. Thus, the combined average of all database administrators is almost exactly $90,000 a year.
It’s of particular interest that people with certain skills regularly bring home six-figure salaries. DBA’s that specialize in Oracle products are among those and some of the highest paid IT technicians in the world. Also, database professionals with a diverse range of skills in computers and networks—such as in programming, network administration, network security, IT project management, and/or emerging technologies engineering, for example, routinely make over $100,000 per year; plus, they typically enjoy a great sense of job security because of their diverse skill sets.
Wages
Database and systems administrators made an average of $34.40 hourly in 2008, netting $71,550 per annum. Those with higher degrees and more experience often enjoy up to and beyond $100,000 a year.
Database administrators average salary and salary data for other jobs by Online Degrees
