Database Administration Careers

If you are looking into a career in database administration, then you are in a good place. Due to the increasing complexity of computer operations and our increasing reliance on them, database administration is one of the fastest growing and higher paying fields in information technology. Also, the number and type of careers available seems to grow by the day.

Who Works in Database Administration?

People in this field may be any age, hail from any background, and live anywhere in the United States or abroad. It is becoming increasingly common for database administrators to be self employed or performing on a contract basis, meaning that many work from their homes. The earnings are widely varied, but many are in higher tiers of career choices, some up to one hundred thousand dollars a year.

In order to become a database administrator, certain education and certification requirements should be met. Most companies are requiring an Associate's degree in Computer Science or a closely related field; a few corporations will only shop for those with more education, such as a Bachelor's or Master's degree. In addition, there are several training and certification programs that may have to be completed, depending on what type of database is in use. These include Oracle Certified professional (OCP), Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA), or Certified Lotus Professional (CLP). Whether these programs will be necessary depends on the databases you are working from, but more training can never hurt.

Positions available in database administration are becoming more varied as time goes on, the by-product of the rapid expansion of the field. However, positions include data analyst, database developer, database architect, and systems manager. What's right depends entirely on what your are specifically looking for in a career.