Career And School Info For Database Administrators

Schools by State for This Career

Related Resources

• Computer Programming Degrees
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What Kind of Person Has This Career?

(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)

Important Natural Abilities	% Choosing
Anticipating Problems	69%
Using Rules To Organize Things Into Patterns	66%
Oral Comprehension	63%

Full List

Work Values	% Choosing
Pleasant Working Conditions	67%
Organizational Support	67%
Achievement	61%

Full List

Areas of Personal Interest	% Choosing
Following Instructions	100%
Mental Problem-Solving	72%

Work Style Characteristics	% Choosing
Attention To Detail	87%
Integrity	86%
Analytical Thinking	84%

Full List

Which Skills and Knowledge are Needed for this Job?

(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)

Important Personal Skills	% Choosing
Monitoring	63%
Critical Thinking	63%
Complex Problem Solving	63%

Full List

Important Professional Knowledge	% Choosing
Computers And Electronics	83%
Customer And Personal Service	68%
English Language	55%

Full List

Which Activities and Situations Are Involved in Doing The Job?

(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)

Common Work Conditions	% Choosing
Electronic Mail	100%
Telephone	99%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled	95%

Full List

Common Job Activities	% Choosing
Interacting With Computers	100%
Processing Information	83%
Analyzing Data Or Information	83%

Full List

Information Sources

BrainTrack's information on colleges and careers is drawn from many sources, including government databases, BrainTrack's own research, and results from original data analysis algorithms.

Database Administrator Job Description

Business is conducted through the creation, distribution and processing of information. If this information isn't captured and stored in an accurate, useful way, it is useless. Databases are powerful engines for storing data in ways that promote efficiency, integrity and accessibility, and database administrators make sure they perform these functions well.

Duties can include:

• Identifying and documenting the requirements of clients.
• Designing databases that manage information well using a combination of theory and programming languages.
• Migrating information from one form or version of database to another without data loss.
• Modifying databases to integrate new forms of data or perform new functions.
• Testing database functions and cleaning up data to preserve integrity.
• Backing up databases and developing / enforcing security measures.

Database administrators work in office environments, as full time employees or self-employed consultants, either on site or telecommuting.

Degrees and Schools

Database administrators usually pursue two-year or four-year degrees at colleges, technical schools or universities in Information Science, Computer Science or Management Information Systems (MIS). Although some employers hire graduates with associate's degrees, most hire those with bachelor's degrees. Additional knowledge of business, project management and Internet commerce is highly preferred, and many employers look for graduates with MBAs with a computer science or information systems. The MIS degree also combines business with information technology, and usually is part of a business degree program rather than a computer science program.

When it comes to lower-level positions in database administration, many employers consider demonstrated ability through work experience, certifications in specific software packages or programming languages, or a portfolio of collective work to be just as or more important than a degree. However, for successful career advancement, most database administrators will seek a four-year degree or master's degree at some point. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement for courses or programs related to a job.

Classes

Students in two-year and four-year degree programs divide their coursework between class time and lab time. Group and independent projects allow students to apply what they've learned by creating actual databases. Coursework usually includes:

• Understanding different kinds of databases and their unique purposes
• Database theory and design
• Information management theory and practice
• Requirements gathering, documentation and diagramming
• Preserving data integrity and testing procedures
• Use of specific database software and programming languages
• Database security
• Internet commerce and web applications that rely on databases
• Data migration and integration
• Backup and recovery

Ongoing education is essential for database administrators to keep up-to-date on emerging technologies. Attending conferences, joining user groups, and taking certification courses for a particular technology, product or programming language are common, and employers often pay for or reimburse these expenses.

Online Classes and Programs

Database administrators often pursue online information science or computer science two-year degrees or four-year degrees, as telecommuting is common in the industry and is often preferred over attending on-campus classes. There are many programs available, so choosing educational programs that are accredited by organizations such as the Computer Science Accreditation Commission (CSAC) can help narrow down which program is the best match and ensures that credits will be accepted at other schools in the future.

Employment Requirements

There are no specific requirements for database administrators, although bachelor's degrees are considered desirable and may be required by some employers. Demonstrated ability in the form of certifications, a portfolio or work experience may minimum requirements for some jobs.

How to Evaluate Database Administrator Schools

As prospective computer science or information science students compare two- and four-year degree programs, they should consider asking the following questions:

• Tuition and financial assistance - Tuition costs can be defrayed by financial assistance in the form of scholarships, loans or work study. Does the school provide enough guidance for students to take full advantage of these options?
• Additional costs - In addition to textbooks and fees, will students be required to pay for lab time or to purchase expensive software programs and manuals?
• Accreditation - Has the program been accredited by a governing body in computer science / information technology? If an online program, is it accredited by direct learning oversight organizations?
• School and class size - What other amenities such as computer labs may be offered by larger schools? What is the class size of popular courses? What is the student-to-faculty ratio?
• Relevant courses - Does the program offer enough courses in both business and computer science to meet long-term career objectives and enhance hireability? Are there enough courses on specific software packages or technologies to receive a comprehensive and relevant education?
• Practical experience - Is substantial lab time required as part of the program? Are practical experience opportunities such as internships supported?
• Career assistance- Does the school offer a comprehensive job placement program, and if so, how many graduates are successfully placed? Do they have career fairs where a long list of major employers attends each year?

Example Job Titles

(Titles per survey respondents and career experts.)

• Automatic Data Processing Planner (ADP Planner)
• Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
• Computer Architect
• Data Administrator
• Data Architect
• Data Base Design Analyst
• Data Center Manager
• Data Management Associate
• Data Management Information Technology Specialist
• Data Miner
• Data Modeler
• Data Modeling Specialist
• Data Recovery Planner
• Data Storage Specialist
• Data Warehouse Architect
• Data Warehousing Engineer
• Database Administration Associate
• Database Administration Manager
• Database Administrator (DBA)
• Database Analyst
• Database Coordinator
• Database Design Analyst
• Database Designer
• Database Developer
• Database Engineer
• Database Management System Specialist (DBMS Specialist)
• Database Manager
• Database Modeler
• Database Programmer
• Database Security Administrator
• Database Software Technician
• Database Specialist
• Database Technician
• Database Tester
• Databases Computer Consultant
• Databases Software Consultant
• Implementation Consultant
• Information Architect
• Information Engineer
• Information Scientist
• Information Systems Administrator
• Information Systems Manager
• Information Technology Administrator (IT Administrator)
• Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst)
• Internet Database Specialist
• Knowledge Architect
• Management Information Systems Director (MIS Director)
• Network Administrator
• Oracle Database Administrator (Oracle DBA)
• Oracle Developer
• Picture Archiving and Communication Systems Administrator (PACS Administrator)
• Programmer Analyst
• Systems Administrator
• Systems Analyst
• Systems Manager
• Technical Support Manager

Apply For a BrainTrack Computer Science Scholarship

To help students currently pursuing a computer science degree, the BrainTrack Computer Science Degree Scholarship gives a winning and second place award every semester. Through entrant essays, the scholarship is designed to be a resource for future students considering fields such as programming, software engineering, systems analysis, database administration, network administration, systems administration, network analysis, and communications analysis. Eligible studies include associate, bachelor, master, or doctoral degree programs in computer science, information science, or information technology.

For recent winners and a selection of entries please visit BrainTrack's Computer Science Student Stories section.

Scholarship Details and Submission Form

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