What do Database Administrators Do?

What do Database Administrators Do?

Database administrators are essential to handle the massive amounts of data that corporations and government entities process. Databases allow you to manage everything from customer information in business or patient information in a medical setting to merchandise in a warehouse system. Programming databases requires a range of skills and is distinct from the hardware aspect of system administration.

Daily Responsibilities

A database administrator's primary responsibilities consist of routine database maintenance, data processing, and more advanced programming. Database maintenance is generally considered to be the act of improving the ability of a user to find specific information within an existing database.

This can include checking for faults, freeing up disk space and ensuring that there are no errors on the software side. Data processing consists of categorizing data to ensure that it is where it needs to be. On some occasions changing the category of large amounts of data is necessary. On other occasions, data processing will require you to delve into a database or even retrieve previously deleted data, either due to user error or data corruption.

The programming aspect of a database administrator's job is the most intellectually challenging part of this career path. Often a client will provide you with raw data that you will need to validate, edit, and format. In some cases, you may need to change the existing structure of the database to accommodate an entirely new section of data that had previously been absent.

How Much Database Administrators Earn?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, database administrators generally earned a median salary of $81,710 per year with their bachelor’s degree and under 5 years of experience. There is also a projected 11% increase in the total number of jobs in this career field between the years 2014 and 2024, which is higher than most career fields, but close to average for computer occupations.

Potential for Specialization

Specialization in database programming can often be done based on your chosen industry. While data is all the same to computers and servers themselves, human usage is important. In time, you may be able to move into other industries based on your ability to gain security clearance, willingness to work in different areas, or skill with designing new database structures. You may also move into a management position once you have attained sufficient experience. Further education could enhance these existing opportunities.

Necessary Training

There is rarely any type of on the job training available to database administrators, so you will need to learn the skills prior to beginning work. Among the skills you will need to master prior to working as a database programmer are:

  • Programming languages
  • Business and other industry-specific software
  • Operating systems, including proprietary operating environments
  • Scripting and coding specific to databases

In order to secure employment as a database administrator, you will typically need a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field. Many database administrators opt to earn a degree with a concentration or emphasis in database programming.

Certifications for Database Administrators

Like most computer industry positions, certifications can be important or even mandatory to your position. The certifications needed for database administrators will depend on their individual position. Many companies who sell software programs may require their administrators to become certified in their products. Other certifications can come from vendor or vendor-neutral providers.

If you’re interested in becoming a database administrator, ECPI University’s Bachelor of Computer Science and Information Systems with an concentration in Database Programming could be the right program for you. Contact ECPI University today to discuss your options and see if we would be a good fit for you.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

Learn more about ECPI's College of Technology TODAY!

DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.

Gainful Employment Information – Database Programming - Bachelor’s
 

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.