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Information Technology | SQL Server Database Administrator

SQL Server Database Administrator

What Does a Professional in this Career Do?

A SQL Server Database Administrator 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.

Job Outlook

There were 134 SQL Server Database Administrator job postings in North Carolina in the past year and 3377 in the United States.

In combination with other careers in the Database Administrator industry, which includes the SQL Server Database Administrator career, the following graph shows the number of people employed for each year since 2016:

Salary

Many new SQL Server Database Administrator jobs have salaries estimated to be in the following ranges, based on the requirements and responsibilities listed in job postings from the past year.

National

The average estimated salary in the United States for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $106,575.

State

The average estimated salary in North Carolina for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $100,240.

Percentiles represent the percentage that is lower than the value. For example, 25% of estimated salaries for SQL Server Database Administrator postings in the United States in the past year were lower than $94,888.

Education and Experience

Posted SQL Server Database Administrator jobs typically require the following level of education. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list education requirements.

Education LevelPercentage
Associate's Degree0%
Bachelor's Degree51.11%
Master's Degree8.85%
Doctoral Degree0.53%
Other3.35%

Posted SQL Server Database Administrator jobs typically require the following number of years of experience. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.

Years of ExperiencePercentage
0 to 2 years8.26%
3 to 5 years44.94%
6 to 8 years27.26%
9+ years19.54%

Skills

Below are listings of the most common general and specialized skills SQL Server Database Administrator positions expect applicants to have as well as the most common skills that distinguish individuals from their peers. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is also listed.

Baseline Skills

A skill that is required across a broad range of occupations, including this one.

  • Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) (49.27%)
  • Communication (38.2%)
  • Management (36.07%)
  • Problem Solving (25.53%)
  • Operations (19.57%)
  • Information Technology (18.51%)
  • Planning (14.6%)
  • Leadership (14.39%)
  • Writing (7.49%)
  • Mentorship (7.17%)

Defining Skills

A core skill for this occupation, it occurs frequently in job postings.

  • SQL (Programming Language) (96.14%)
  • Database Administration (78.81%)
  • Microsoft SQL Servers (47.79%)
  • Performance Tuning (38.4%)
  • SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) (25.85%)
  • Microsoft Azure (30.07%)
  • Computer Science (26.98%)
  • Disaster Recovery (29.42%)
  • SQL Server Reporting Services (18.93%)
  • Backup Devices (26.33%)
  • Transact-SQL (21.66%)
  • Stored Procedure (20.3%)
  • Windows PowerShell (22.62%)
  • Automation (25.35%)
  • Scripting (22.88%)
  • Log Shipping (9.15%)

Necessary Skills

A skill that is requested frequently in this occupation but isn’t specific to it.

  • Extract Transform Load (ETL) (17.33%)
  • Database Systems (20.51%)
  • Database Security (22.08%)
  • Database Design (14.29%)
  • Amazon Web Services (18.31%)
  • Microsoft Access (15.57%)
  • IT Capacity Management (14.56%)
  • Data Modeling (11.62%)
  • Database Servers (7.55%)
  • Auditing (16.73%)
  • Windows Servers (11.35%)
  • Data Warehousing (11.03%)
  • Database Tuning (15.3%)
  • Database Management (12.04%)
  • PostgreSQL (14.38%)
  • Database Management Systems (14.09%)
  • Relational Databases (8.05%)
  • Power BI (11.29%)
  • Project Management (8.77%)
  • MySQL (11.29%)
  • Query Optimization (15.01%)
  • Operating Systems (9.3%)
  • Application Development (9.81%)
  • SQL Server Analysis Services (5.79%)
  • Data Integrity (11.89%)
  • Python (Programming Language) (11.35%)
  • Agile Methodology (10.34%)
  • Scalability (12.39%)
  • Linux (8.77%)
  • Data Management (9.24%)
  • Technical Support (7.85%)
  • Data Maintenance (6.95%)
  • Change Management (7.61%)
  • Business Intelligence (6.92%)

Distinguishing Skills

A skill that may distinguish a subset of the occupation.

  • Failover Clustering (3.45%)
  • Database Mirroring (3.33%)

Salary Boosting Skills

A professional who wishes to excel in this career path may consider developing the following highly valued skills. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is listed.

  • Automation (32.78%)
  • Microsoft Azure (38.89%)
  • Backup Devices (34.05%)
  • Computer Science (34.9%)
  • Database Security (28.55%)
  • Disaster Recovery (38.05%)
  • Failover Clustering (4.46%)
  • Performance Tuning (49.65%)
  • Query Tuning (5.42%)

Alternative Job Titles

Sometimes employers post jobs with SQL Server Database Administrator skills but a different job title. Some common alternative job titles include:

  • SQL Database Administrator
  • Lead SQL Server Database Administrator
  • Database Administrator
  • PostgreSQL Database Administrator
  • Microsoft SQL Server Database Administrator
  • SQL Administrator
  • Mulesoft Engineer
  • Process Improvement Manager
  • Database Manager

Similar Occupations

If you are interested in exploring occupations with similar skills, you may want to research the following job titles. Note that we only list occupations that have at least one corresponding NC State Online and Distance Education program.

Common Employers

Here are the employers that have posted the most SQL Server Database Administrator jobs in the past year along with how many they have posted.

United States

  • Cai (102)
  • Humana (68)
  • Contact Government Services (64)
  • Insight Global (63)
  • GovCIO (56)
  • Accenture (55)
  • Cognizant Technology Solutions (51)
  • Eliassen Group (51)
  • Molina Healthcare (47)
  • Xerox (47)

North Carolina

  • A3 Solutions (4)
  • ASGN (4)
  • Larsen & Toubro (3)
  • TD Bank (3)
  • Innosoul (3)
  • Vaco (3)
  • Siemens (3)
  • Accenture (3)
  • Crescens (2)
  • MSYS (2)

NC State Programs Relevant to this Career

If you are interested in preparing for a career in this field, the following NC State Online and Distance Education programs offer a great place to start!