How to Become a Database Administrator

• Creating user profiles, and ensuring those profiles have the correct permissions.
• Creating a backup and recovery plan, in case of a database failure.
• Monitoring technical support for database systems.
• Creating reports by querying the database, if a specific set of data is required.
• Installing and updating database servers.

Database administrators have a strong job outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in database administration are expected to grow by 9 percent by 2029, which is “faster than average.” This growth will be driven by growing needs of companies across the economy to collect, store, and analyze new and existing data.

Database administrators earn impressive salaries. Most expected salaries for DBAs, according to ZipRecruiter, range between $65,000 and $104,000, depending on your experience level. However, the national average salary is over $86,100 per year.

There’s no way to know the exact salary you can expect to earn as a DBA, as it can vary between companies and locations. Big companies like Google and Oracle with large data needs will offer higher salaries than most startups, for example. DBAs in San Francisco can expect to earn an average of almost $101,000 per year, whereas DBAs in Austin , Texas can expect to earn over $83,500 per year, according to ZipRecruiter.

Further, salaries for database administrators vary widely depending on your experience. Junior DBAs can expect to earn an average of over $67,500 per year, whereas senior DBAs earn an average of almost $113,000 per year. Keep in mind that those salaries do not include stock options or other employee benefits, which you should consider when evaluating a particular job.

1. Attend a coding bootcamp specializing in data science
2. Learn database administration through self-study
3. Earn a degree in computer science at a traditional college or university

1. SQL, R, Python.

   No matter what position you are applying for, you’re going to need to know how to use basic data tools. This means a programming language like R or Python, commonly used in statistics, and a database language such as SQL. You should also know about how to interact with different database clients such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and NoSQL.

2. Basic Statistics.

   You’ll need to have a basic understanding of statistics. You should be familiar with distributions, statistical tests, and similar mathematical concepts. Statistics is important at any company, but this skill is even more important in data-driven roles where you’ll need to be able to interpret data at scale.

3. Database Backups and Recover.

   Sometimes there can be a problem which causes a database to fail. As a DBA, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that if something does fail, the business can easily restore its data and bring its services back online.

4. Database Reporting and Querying.

   You should be able to write advanced queries for a database using SQL, and also produce various reports if required. You may also have to hand over this information to other members of your company, such as the business analysis team. Thus, you should ensure your queries are formatted correctly and meet all the requirements.

5. Data Security.

   As a DBA, you’ll have to ensure all data inside a database is kept secure. This will involve assigning the correct user permissions to anyone using a database, and taking precautions to ensure the integrity of the data held in a database is maintained. You should also have a basic understanding of server security on a platform such as Linux or Windows in case additional precautions need to be taken to secure data.

• Teamwork.

  As a DBA, you’ll have to be able to work in a team. You should be able to work with other DBAs to solve problems and manage a database, and work with developers, analysts, and other members of an organization who need to interact with a database.

• Problem Solving.

  You’ll have to solve problems every day as a DBA. For example, you may have to figure out a way to update a database that does not render a company’s services unusable for hours; you may have to figure out what to do in the case of a disaster, where you’ll need to recover data from backups.

• Business Mindset.

  DBAs are often presented with a variety of business problems they need to solve. For example, a DBA may need to figure out how to create a new database to meet the needs of the team who is developing a new internal tool. This will involve thinking through a problem as if you were management, and being able to effectively solve business problems with that mindset.

1. Learn through a data science bootcamp, a college degree, or self-study
2. Develop and refine your technical skills
3. Build your data science portfolio
4. Write your technical resume
5. Start the job search
6. Prepare for your interview