Online Degrees in Database Management

Database management is an excellent profession. As we are now clearly living in the 'information age', someone has to manage all that information for individuals, companies, and governments. This information is organized and stored in huge computer software databases. This is where someone with a degree in database management keeps all that information together.  In today's world, databases are used to keep track of every kind of information imaginable like library information, medical records, financial information, scholastic information, sales information, and even flight plans for airlines. Database management is also called database administration. 

In today's environment, IS [information systems] components are business critical, and the key part of every process is data.

--Robert Omerza, president of the International DB2 Users Group and a longtime database administrator for a major courier service

As company databases continue to grow, there is a huge need for individuals to maintain, manage, and help develop new ways to organize this information. Typically a database administrator is responsible for various aspects of databases such as initial set up/design, setting parameters to maximize performance, and troubleshooting problems. At some companies, the typical responsibilities of a database administrator are divided among several positions. At other companies, typically smaller ones, one individual plays all of these roles. Examples of some of these positions include:

• Database Administrators--Work with business areas to set up and maintain their databases. They are concerned with database objects like tables, indexes, tablespaces, stored procedures, etc.
• Database Systems Administrators-- Responsible for supporting the database system itself. These individuals are concerned with the actual code that runs the database and how that integrates with the platforms on which it runs and the applications trying to access data from a database.
• Database Designers--Help business areas design their databases. They determine which tables are needed and how those tables should relate to one another. As with any career, sometimes you wear many hats. Your training and education will improve your ability to adapt to different work environments and job responsibilities. The type of company that employs you determines how you will use your skills and at what capacity. A day in the life of a Database Manager/Administrator To get a glimpse of what a typical day might be like and how you would use your degree and the skills you have learned, two database professionals were interviewed and asked what their typical day entails.

Phil Mcmillan-IT Database Administration Database Systems Administrator for a major insurance company

• Q. What is the biggest challenge regarding your job?
  A. In our area, we deal with a lot of different areas, networking, scripters, etc. That can become difficult as various areas use different terminology and have different perspectives.
• Q. What are your daily tasks like?
  A. There are two distinct aspects to my job. One is the service aspect. That would be dealing with problems as they arise. Here I would be troubleshooting problems, talking to business areas experiencing problems, and discussing issues with IBM. The second aspect pertains to project work. This involves working on future upgrades of the DB2 database system, helping business areas improve current functionality, and build new functionality. So a typical day would involve a blend of those activities. Some days are more oriented toward project work. On other days, I’m entirely involved in dealing with current issues and problems.
• Q. What skills do you use at work?
  A. I use both technical skills and people skills. I must be able to troubleshoot complex problems and build new solutions for business problems; those things require technical skills. I also must work with various areas in and out of IT. This requires people skills.
• Q. What percentage of your day do you spend working independently or in a group?
  A. In my position, I spend approximately 60% of my time working independently and 40% of my time working collaboratively.
• Q. What is one thing you didn’t know about your field before getting into it that you wish you had known?
  A. I think in IT, generally, you can never have too much technical knowledge. In my area, specifically, I wish had known more about how applications interact with DB2. We spend a lot of time dealing with application errors that are encountered when accessing the databases.

Ryan Austin-IT Database Administration Database Administrator/Database Developer for Tribune Media Services

• Q. What is the most enjoyable thing about your job?
  A. Solving problems and making things better. Discovering new technology that replaces/fixes previous, troublesome bugs that required workarounds.
• Q. What is the biggest challenge regarding your job?
  A. Keeping up with the ever-changing technology.
• Q. What are your daily tasks like?
  A. Monitor production database server logs and status email. Create and test new implementations. Coordinate with development teams for database access. In some cases code as part of the development team. Create software solutions to make maintenance easier.
• Q. What skills do you use at work?
  A. Communication, Research, Programming Language(s) Coding and Scripting. (Java, SQL, Perl, C, XML), Software installation and configuration, Email
• Q. What percentage of your day do you spend working independently or in a group?
  A. 75% solo, 25% team
• Q. What is one thing you didn’t know about your field before getting into it that you wish you had known?
  A. Experience is very valuable. Learn/try lots of programming languages. Linux is important, learn to use it. Looking at the daily lives of professionals will give you a good idea as to what a career in database administration and/or database management involves. If these tasks appeal to you, a career viewing and analyzing data could solidify your future.

Database Management incorporates three separate degree pursuits: Database Management, Database Development and Database Administration. Each degree and ensuing career path carries varying salary expectations based on education, experience and geographic location.

Database Management

The average Database Management salaries for job postings nationwide are 2% higher than average salaries for all job postings nationwide. The average salary as of July 2011 was $75,000 taking into account experience, certifications and geographic location. Salaries in this field have been steadily climbing since April of 2010, reaching close to $100,000 depending on geographic location and experience.

Database Management encompasses varying career paths from Database Administrator to Financial Analyst to Executive Assistant. Following are some median salary listings with varying degrees of database management by job designation:

Industries employing those with Database Management degrees include the U.S. Government, Computer Corporations, and Colleges and Universities.

Payscale.com offers additional data on salaries, geographic saturations, and job postings for Database Management and you can view some charts and graphs related to this position at Indeed.com.

Database Development

The average Database Developer salaries for job postings nationwide are 24% higher than average salaries for all job postings.  The average salary as of July 2011 was $77,627 taking into account experience, certifications and geographic location. Salaries in this field have been steadily climbing since April of 2010, reaching upwards of $100,000.Median annual wages of database developers were $77,627 in July 2011. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,176, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,078.

Payscale.com offers additional data on salaries, geographic saturations, and job postings for Database Developers and you can view some charts and graphs related to this position at Indeed.com.

Database Administration

According to the latest job statistics gathered in 2008, there were 120,400 employed as Data Administrators. Employment of database administrators is expected to grow by 20 percent in the next ten years. Demand for these workers is expected to increase as organizations need to store, organize, and analyze increasing amounts of data. In addition, as more databases are connected to the Internet, and as data security becomes increasingly important, a growing number of these workers will be needed to protect databases from attack.

Database administrators should continue to enjoy excellent job prospects. In general, applicants with a college degree and certification will have the best opportunities. However, for some of these occupations, opportunities will be available for applicants with related work experience. Job openings in these occupations will be the result of strong employment growth, as well as the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

Median annual wages of database administrators were $75,730 in May 2010. The middle 50 percent earned between $54,250 and $95,170. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,570, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $115,660.

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are as follows:

You can view the latest Occupational Employment and Wages for Database Administrators at the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and find more helpful information at O-NET Online.