Database administrators organize and manage a company's data. They ensure that business data is accurate, available, and secure.
The corporate database is the heart of critical systems that drive payroll, manufacturing, sales, and more, so database administrators are recognized - and rewarded - for playing a crucial role in an organization's success. Beyond their high salaries, DBA roles offer the personal satisfaction of solving business problems and seeing (in real-time) how your hard work benefits the firm.
A typical database administration learning plan begins with an undergraduate degree in computer science, data analytics, computer information systems (CIS), or a related field. A balance of technical, business, and communication skills is vital to a database administrator's success and upward mobility, so the next step in a DBA's education is often a graduate degree with an information systems concentration, such as a Master's in Management Information Systems (MIS) or CIS.
Database administrators can continue to learn and advance their careers by getting certified in one or more database management systems (DBMS). In-demand database systems in 2023 include Oracle, MongoDB, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, and MySQL. Learn more about DBA education requirements and compare top-rated database administration degree programs.
a.k.a. DBA | Database Analyst | Database Manager
DBA Skills & Responsibilities
Typical day-to-day duties and marketable skill sets for DBAs include the following. Database administrators:
- Implement, support, and manage databases.
- Design and configure relational database objects.
- Are responsible for data integrity and availability.
- May design, deploy, and monitor database servers.
- Design data distribution and data archiving solutions.
- Ensure database security, including backups and disaster recovery.
- Plan and implement application and data provisioning.
- Transfer database information to integrated mobile devices.
- Some DBAs analyze and report on data to help shape business decisions.
- Produce entity relationship & data flow diagrams, database normalization schemata, logical to physical database maps, and data table parameters.
- Are proficient in one or more leading database management systems, such as Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, MySQL, MongoDB, and Oracle.
Database Administrator Salary
According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for database administrators is $112,000.
Here are the average salaries for database administrators and related positions:
| Database Career Path | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Database Developer | $96,000 |
| IBM DB2 Database Administrator | $102,000 |
| MySQL Database Administrator | $110,000 |
| Database Administrator | $112,000 |
| Oracle Database Administrator | $122,000 |
| Database Engineer | $136,000 |
| Senior Database Administrator | $142,000 |
| Database Administration Manager | $164,000 |
Here are the top-paying cities and metropolitan areas for database administrators:
| City or Metro Area | DBA Salary |
|---|---|
| San Jose, California | $143,000 |
| Seattle, Washington | $120,000 |
| New York City Metro Area | $119,000 |
| Washington DC Metro Area | $116,000 |
| San Francisco, California | $115,000 |
The hourly wage for database administrators ranges from $35 to $100+, depending on the DBA's education, location, proficiency in known database management systems, certifications, and experience.
Deep dive into database administrator salary ranges.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Analysis of Online Job Boards
Database Administrator Education Requirements
Database administration positions typically require a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems (CIS), computer science, data management, or a related field. Many employers prefer to hire MBAs for database administration jobs because in addition to the extra technical training, MBAs are well-versed in key business domains, such as accounting, marketing, and management, and they're more adept at communicating with technical and non-technical employees - two traits of successful DBAs. Popular MBA concentrations for database administrators include management information systems (MIS), data analytics, and CIS. Database administrators can further distinguish themselves with specialized training and certifications in the leading database management systems, i.e., Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, and MySQL.
Research and compare database administration degrees.
Database Administration Training
Compare college degrees, professional certificates, and self-paced online courses matching the database administrator education requirements and career path.
DBA Certifications
Marketable certifications for database administrators include the following:
- Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
- IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
- MCSA: SQL Database Administration
- MCSE: Business Intelligence
- Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Associate
- Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional
Database Administrator Job Outlook
Employment of database administrators is expected to grow by 8% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3% average for all occupations, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As businesses accumulate data, the demand for trained and certified database administrators to store, organize, analyze, and secure this data will flourish.
As more databases are deployed to the cloud, data security will become increasingly complex, requiring database administrators with cybersecurity and cloud computing skills to protect sensitive information from hackers and other threats.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook
Related Careers
- Data Scientist
- Website Developer
- Mobile Application Developer
- Software Engineer
- Network Administrator
- Technology Manager
