SQL Server Database Administrator
Career Area: Information Technology
Occupation Group: Database Specialists
Salary
Percentile wages tell how much a certain percentage of an overall population in a geographic area or within a given industry or field makes. The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
An example would be the 25th percentile, 25 percent of workers employed in that occupation earn less and 75 percent earn more than the estimated wage value. At the 75th percentile, 75 percent of workers employed in that occupation earn less and 25 percent earn more than the estimated wage value.
A typical SQL Server Database Administrator earns the following wages (national and state):
State
The average salary in North Carolina for those pursuing this career is $95,017
National
The average salary in the United States for those pursuing this career is $95,022
What Does a Professional in this Career Do?
Administers SQL Server data systems and structures. Uses software applications and structured query language (SQL) procedures to store and organize data, such as an organization's records or financial information. Ensures that users can easily access the information they need and that data are protected from unauthorized access.
Employment Trends
The job demand and job growth statistics shown here were derived from job posts over the past year. Expected job growth projections are extrapolated from year-over-year job post listing history.
Job demand and job growth is expected at the following rates:
| Location | Growth | |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 57 | +13.1% |
| Nationwide | 1385 | +9% |
Skills
A professional in this position typically utilizes the following skills in the course of everyday work in this exciting and challenging field:
Baseline Skills
The following are baseline skills every SQL Server Database Administrator is expected to have in order to experience success in this field:
- Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting or dpanneuring is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system.
- Communication Skills: The ability to convey information to another effectively and efficiently.
- Planning: Working experience with the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve desired goals.
- Problem Solving: Problem solving consists of using generic or ad hoc methods, in an orderly manner, for finding solutions to problems.
- Teamwork / Collaboration: Experience working in collaborative efforts with a team to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way.
Specialized Skills
These skills are specific to working in this career:
- SQL: SQL ( ESS-kew-EL or SEE-kwl, Structured Query Language) is a domain-specific language used in programming and designed for managing data held in a relational database management system (RDBMS), or for stream processing in a relational data stream management system (RDSMS).
- SQL Server: Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system developed by Microsoft.
- Database Administration: Database administration is the function of managing and maintaining database management systems (DBMS) software.
- Teradata DBA: Working experience of Teradata DBA. Teradata offers three main services to its customers: cloud and hardware-based data warehousing, business analytics, and consulting services. In September 2016, the company launched Teradata Everywhere, which allows users to submit queries against public and private databases. The service uses massively parallel processing across both its physical data warehouse and cloud storage, including managed environments such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, VMware, and Teradata's Managed Cloud and IntelliFlex.
- Performance tuning: Working experience of Performance tuning, which is the improvement of system performance. Typically in computer systems, the motivation for such activity is called a performance problem, which can be either real or anticipated. Most systems will respond to increased load with some degree of decreasing performance. A system's ability to accept higher load is called scalability, and modifying a system to handle a higher load is synonymous to performance tuning.
Distinguishing Skills
Any SQL Server Database Administrator that possesses the following skills will stand out against the competition:
- Database Architecture: Database architecture focuses on the design, development, implementation and maintenance of computer programs that store and organize information for businesses, agencies and institutions.
- PostgreSQL: PostgreSQL, often simply Postgres, is an object-relational database management system (ORDBMS) with an emphasis on extensibility and standards compliance.
- Shell Scripting: A shell script is a computer program designed to be run by the Unix shell, a command-line interpreter.
- Oracle PL/SQL: PL/SQL (Procedural Language/Structured Query Language) is Oracle Corporation's procedural extension for SQL and the Oracle relational database.
- SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS): Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, SSAS, is an online analytical and transactional processing (OLAP) and data mining tool in Microsoft SQL Server.
Salary Boosting Skills
A professional who wishes to excel in this career path may consider developing the following highly valued skills:
- Informatica: Informatica is a software development company founded in 1993.
- Database Architecture: Database architecture focuses on the design, development, implementation and maintenance of computer programs that store and organize information for businesses, agencies and institutions.
- Data Architecture: In information technology, data architecture is composed of models, policies, rules or standards that govern which data is collected, and how it is stored, arranged, integrated, and put to use in data systems and in organizations.
Experience
This position typically requires the following level of experience. The numbers presented in the pie charts below were derived from actual job posts over the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.
| Experience Required | % |
| 0 to 2 years | 4% |
| 3 to 5 years | 50% |
| 6 to 8 years | 27% |
Many of the programs offered through NC State are designed for working professionals who need additional credentials to enhance existing work experience.
Students who do not have the expected level of experience may wish to look into internship and employment opportunities.
Common Job Titles
It is possible to find work in this field in positions commonly listed as the following job titles:
- Sql Server Database Administrator
- Senior Sql Server Database Administrator
- Sql Server
- Sql Server Database Administrator - Csi-It
- Microsoft Sql Server Database Administrator
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