Linux is the number ONE operating system in the Corporate world. Linux is a popular open-source operating system that’s easy to use and highly secure.
If you want to start your career in…
Database Administrator
- FAQ
- Courses
- Certifications
- Careers
- Jobs
- Companies
- Skills
- Articles
Written byBrennan Whitfield
UPDATED BY
Brennan Whitfield | Dec. 06, 2022
What Is a Database Administrator? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.
Database administrators, or DBAs, use information technology (IT) and software engineering expertise to oversee a company’s database environment. Here’s what to know about a database administrator’s salary, needed skills and how to become one.
What Is a Database Administrator?
Database administrators manage and direct activities related to a company’s computer database system. This includes responsibility over databases, database applications, database schemas and database authorization measures.
What Do Database Administrators Do?
Database administrators utilize database management tools, operating system tools and computer programming languages to maintain and secure company databases and related applications.
Database Administrator Responsibilities
- Build, manage and monitor databases and database applications.
- Modify and implement changes to database systems and information.
- Ensure database systems are storing and retrieving data as intended.
- Ensure database applications and information are accessible to company professionals.
- Ensure data security compliance within database systems.
- Create and maintain database backup and recovery procedures.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities of Database Administrator
- Use database management software like Oracle to configure database bug patching and testing.
- Use operating system tools like Microsoft’s SQL Server Management Studio to automate data corruption checks or data aggregation.
- Use relational database management systems like MySQL to add or delete database values or visuals.
- Analyze and interpret datasets to identify data management needs.
Database Administrator Within a Company
Database administrators are usually part of a data science or IT team within a company. They often specialize in a specific technology or application within a database subsystem and tend to be found in larger companies. They also frequently collaborate with data architects and other technical support professionals.
Importance of Database Administrator
Database administrators ensure data analysts and related company personnel are able to easily navigate database information. Without database administrators, database systems may become disorganized, inaccessible and prone to cybersecurity threats.
What Skills Are Needed to Be a Database Administrator?
Qualifications to Be a Database Administrator
- Several years of experience in data engineering, IT support or systems administration.
- Ability to build, manage and maintain databases and database processes.
- Ability to implement database patches and backup/recovery procedures.
- Proficiency in SQL, HTML and software engineering principles.
- Working knowledge of Linux, Oracle, Microsoft Access and UNIX systems.
Database Administrator Prerequisites
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, management information systems or a similar field.
Database Administrator Hard Skills
- Cloud computing.
- Computer programming languages (C#, HTML, Java, PHP, Python, R, SQL).
- Database backup and recovery.
- Database management frameworks and systems (IBM Db2, Oracle Database, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server).
- Database design and modeling.
- Database schema creation and maintenance.
- Data security.
- Operating system software (Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, UNIX).
Database Administrator Soft Skills
- Analytical thinking.
- Organization.
- Problem-solving.
- Verbal and written communication.
Tools and Programs Database Administrators Use
- C#
- HTML
- Linux
- IBM Db2
- Java
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Azure SQL Database
- Microsoft SQL Server
- MySQL
- Oracle Database
- PHP
- Python
- SQL
- UNIX
How to Become a Database Administrator
Database Administrator Education and Experience
Database administrator candidates are often expected to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, management information systems or a similar field.
Candidates will need to obtain several years of data engineering, IT support or systems administration experience before entering the database administrator role. Knowledge in the areas of database design, database management systems and tools, data security, computer programming languages (C#, HTML, Java, PHP, Python, R, SQL), cloud computing and effective communication are also recommended.
Database Administrator Certificates and Course
- Complete Linux Training Course to Get Your Dream IT Job
- Data Analytics Accelerator
- The Complete Database Design & Modeling Beginners Tutorial
- The Complete SQL Bootcamp: Go from Zero to Hero
Database Administrator Career Path
Prior to the database administrator role, professionals may start their career as a data engineer, database analyst, IT support technician, systems administrator or similar role. After experience as a database administrator, professionals can progress into management and leadership positions like manager of database administration or IT development manager.
Database Administrator Salary and Job Outlook
Database administrators are in-demand, with U.S. employment for the role projected to increase 9 percent by 2031.
The full compensation package for a database administrator depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average database administrator salary.
Courses
Expand Your Database Administrator Career Opportunities
Enhance your professional capabilities with Udemy’s online development and engineering courses.
Certifications
Database Administrator Certifications + Programs
Take the next major leap in your career with Udacity’s online development and engineering certifications.
Whether you have coded before or are brand new to the world of programming, this course will put you on the fast track to building confidence with this intuitive, object- oriented language. Learn programming fundamentals and build a custom application. Graduate with the ability to start applying Python within high-growth fields like analytics, data science, and web development.
What you'll accomplish
This is a beginner-friendly program with no prerequisites, although some students may have coded previously. First-time programmers will have access to pre-course preparatory lessons and additional resources to boost their confidence with key concepts and set up their development environments. Throughout this expert-designed program, you’ll:
- Learn object-oriented programming fundamentals and Python basics that get you coding from day one.
- Build a Python program and add on increased complexity throughout the course.
- Troubleshoot Python code and practice common debugging techniques.
- Push your skills to the next level by adding scripting, modules, and APIs to your Python toolkit.
- Explore introductory data science and web development as potential career directions for Python programmers.
- Demonstrate your Python skills by creating apps that pull in data with Pandas or integrate functionality from APIs with Flask.
Why General Assembly
Since 2011, General Assembly has graduated more than 40,000 students worldwide from the full time & part time courses. During the 2020 hiring shutdown, GA's students, instructors, and career coaches never lost focus, and the KPMG-validated numbers in their Outcomes report reflect it. *For students who graduated in 2020 — the peak of the pandemic — 74.4% of those who participated in GA's full-time Career Services program landed jobs within six months of graduation. General Assembly is proud of their grads + teams' relentless dedication and to see those numbers rising. Download the report here.
Your next step? Submit an application to talk to the General Assembly Admissions team
Note: reviews are referenced from Career Karma - https://careerkarma.com/schools/general-assembly
General Assembly
General Assembly’s Data Analytics Immersive is designed for you to harness Excel, SQL, and Tableau to tell compelling stories with a data driven strategy. This program was created for analysts, digital marketers, sales managers, product managers, and data novices looking to learn the essentials of data analysis.
What you'll accomplish
You will learn to use industry tools, Excel, and SQL to analyze large real world data sets and create data dashboards and visualizations to share your findings. The Data Analytics Accelerator culminates in a.
Throughout this expert-designed program, you’ll:
- Use Excel, SQL, and Tableau to collect, clean, and analyze large data sets.
- Present data-driven insights to key stakeholders using data visualization and dashboards.
- Tell compelling stories with your data.
- Graduate with a professional portfolio of projects that includes a capstone project applying rigorous data analysis techniques to solve a real-world problem
Why General Assembly
Since 2011, General Assembly has graduated more than 40,000 students worldwide from the full time & part time courses. During the 2020 hiring shutdown, GA's students, instructors, and career coaches never lost focus, and the KPMG-validated numbers in their Outcomes report reflect it. *For students who graduated in 2020 — the peak of the pandemic — 74.4% of those who participated in GA's full-time Career Services program landed jobs within six months of graduation. General Assembly is proud of their grads + teams' relentless dedication and to see those numbers rising. Download the report here.
Your next step? Submit an application to talk to the General Assembly Admissions team
Note: reviews are referenced from Career Karma - https://careerkarma.com/schools/general-assembly
General Assembly
General Assembly’s Data Science Immersive is a transformative course designed for you to get the necessary skills for a data scientist role in three months.
The Data Science bootcamp is led by instructors who are expert practitioners in their field, supported by career coaches that work with you since day one and enhanced by a career services team that is constantly in talks with employers about their tech hiring needs.
What you'll accomplish
As a graduate, you will be ready to succeed in a variety of data science and advanced analytics roles, creating predictive models that drive decision-making and strategy throughout organizations of all kinds. Throughout this expert-designed program, you’ll:
- Collect, extract, query, clean, and aggregate data for analysis.
- Gather, store and organize data using SQL and Git.
- Perform visual and statistical analysis on data using Python and its associated libraries and tools.
- Craft and share compelling narratives through data visualization.
- Build and implement appropriate machine learning models and algorithms to evaluate data science problems spanning finance, public policy, and more.
- Compile clear stakeholder reports to communicate the nuances of your analyses.
- Apply question, modeling, and validation problem-solving processes to data sets from various industries to provide insight into real-world problems and solutions.
- Prepare for the world of work, compiling a professional-grade portfolio of solo, group, and client projects.
Why General Assembly
Since 2011, General Assembly has graduated more than 40,000 students worldwide from the full time & part time courses. During the 2020 hiring shutdown, GA's students, instructors, and career coaches never lost focus, and the KPMG-validated numbers in their Outcomes report reflect it. *For students who graduated in 2020 — the peak of the pandemic — 74.4% of those who participated in GA's full-time Career Services program landed jobs within six months of graduation. General Assembly is proud of their grads + teams' relentless dedication and to see those numbers rising. Download the report here.
Your next step? Submit an application to talk to the General Assembly Admissions team
Note: reviews are referenced from Career Karma - https://careerkarma.com/schools/general-assembly
General Assembly
Careers
Careers Related to Database Administrator
Jobs
Latest Development and Engineering Jobs
Companies
Companies Hiring Database Administrators
Skills