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What are the Different Database Administrator Jobs?

Carol Francois
Carol Francois

There are four different types of database administrator jobs: installation, maintenance, data modeling, and user management. A database administrator is responsible for managing the database(s) that are used to hold the data for large database-driven software. These jobs are information technology based and require specialized training and education.

In order to become a database administrator, you will need a post-secondary education in computer science, technology, or database management. These programs are available from a university, community, or career college. They are usually three to four years in length and are best suited to students with a high aptitude for math and data management.

Database administrators work primarily on digital databases, and must have excellent computer skills.
Database administrators work primarily on digital databases, and must have excellent computer skills.

The salary for database administrator jobs varies, but the starting salary is typically between $55,000 and $65,000 US Dollars (USD) per year. Each of the different types of jobs requires different experience and often has additional educational requirements. Database administrator or DBA roles are often required to support a large, enterprise resource planning or ERP system. SAP™, Oracle™, and PeopleSoft™ are all popular examples of this type of software.

The qualifications for database administrator jobs are based on the database management software system in place. Specific training in the software and how it will be used is usually required. In this role, the DBA is expected to configure, install, and test the new software. They are responsible for ensuring peak performance and connectivity between the database and the main software functionality.

Ongoing maintenance is the primary job task for most database administrator jobs. There are often software patches, fixes or upgrades to the existing software that are required to maintain the system performance. Staying on top of these changes and modifying the system to meet users’ needs forms a large part of this role.

Data modeling is the creation of data cubes, data warehouses, and business intelligence tools. The database administrator is responsible for modifying these tools to allow business users to report on important business processes. They are also responsible for creating queries, reports, and data structures to meet business needs.

User management is the creation, modification, and deletion of user names and passwords. In this role, the database administrator is responsible for creating access roles and profiles based on business needs. The management of information access is central to database management and often requires a detailed business process to manage.

The role of database administrator continues to expand as database-driven systems become more prevalent. Many complex websites are now created using database systems and often require database administrators to control and manage. The more complex sites allows users to manage the website using a content management solution, which is built on top of a database structure.

Discussion Comments

anon114397

Very helpful for IT related terms!

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    • Database administrators work primarily on digital databases, and must have excellent computer skills.
      By: Artur Marciniec
      Database administrators work primarily on digital databases, and must have excellent computer skills.