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Database analyst education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a database analyst. Database analysts usually study business, computer science, or computer information systems. 69% of database analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,842 real database analyst resumes to see exactly what database analyst education sections show.

The most common colleges for database analysts are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online database analyst courses to help get the education required to be a database analyst.

There are certain database analyst certifications that you should consider. These database analyst certifications include Oracle Certified Professional - Oracle 9i Database Administrator (OCP) and Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA).

What education do you need to become a database analyst?

What degree do you need to be a database analyst?

The most common degree for database analysts is bachelor's degree, with 69% of database analysts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 69%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a database analyst?

You should major in business to become a database analyst. 20% of database analysts major in business. Other common majors for a database analyst include computer science and computer information systems.

Most common colleges for database analysts

Database analysts often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and George Mason University. Here are the most common colleges for database analysts in the US based on their resumes.
Database analyst common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix12.73%
DeVry University10.30%
George Mason University8.48%
University of Maryland - College Park6.06%
University of Massachusetts Boston5.76%

Best majors for database analysts

Best colleges for database analysts

The best colleges for database analysts are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A database analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for database analysts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become database analysts.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

7. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

20 best online courses for database analysts

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1. SQL: A Practical Introduction for Querying Databases

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Much of the world's data lives in databases. SQL (or Structured Query Language) is a powerful programming language that is used for communicating with and manipulating data in databases. A working knowledge of databases and SQL is a must for anyone who wants to start a career in Data Engineering, Data Warehousing, Data Analytics, Data Science or Business Intelligence. The purpose of this course is to help you learn and apply foundational and intermediate knowledge of the SQL language, and...

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Learn SQL Developer Skills from Scratch(SSRS, SSIS, SSAS,T-SQL,Data Warehouse(DW))...

5. Practical SQL Bootcamp for Data Analysts and Data Scientists

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Master One of the Most In-Demand Skills for Data Analysts in 2020!...

6. SQL Course 2023: SQL for Data Analysis and Data Science.

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Master the Art of SQL Querying and Postgre SQL for Data Analysis and Data Science An using Real World SQL Database...

7. Implementing a Data Warehouse with SQL Server 2012

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Implementing a Data Warehouse with SQL Server 2012 (Exam 70-463)...

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Writing SQL Server queries for Data Analysis...

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Hands on Data Interaction using - ETL, Web Scraping ,Big Data,SQL,Power BI...

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ETL Testing and Data Quality Management for beginners with practical exercises and certificate of completion...

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The most direct path to mastering the SQL skills you'll actually use on the job...

14. 70-462: SQL Server Database Administration (DBA)

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Beginner-Intermediate practical experience in Database Administration (DBA) SQL Server. Was for Microsoft exam 70-462...

15. SQL Masterclass: SQL for Data Analytics

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SQL course covering basic to advanced SQL topics for SQL Database (Postgre SQL). Beginner friendly SQL training...

16. Complete Microsoft SQL Server Database Design Masterclass

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Database Design SQL Server T-SQL Database Tables Foreign Keys SQL CRUD Views Triggers Stored Procedures...

17. SQL Server Analysis Services - SSAS, Data Mining & Analytics

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Develop SSAS cubes from data warehouse on Multidimensional & Tabular modes with Dimensional & Data Mining Models...

18. SQL for Data Analysis: Beginner MySQL Business Intelligence

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Learn SQL database querying w/ My SQL Workbench. Perfect for SQL beginners and first-time coders...

19. Data Analytics: Intro to SQL using Healthcare Data

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Master SQL using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (Updated for 2023)...

20. Complete Microsoft SQL Server Database Administration Course

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Become SQL database certified (MCSA and MTA certification)...

Top 10 most affordable universities for database analysts

The most affordable schools for database analysts are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for database analysts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for database analysts.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

10. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for database analysts

The hardest universities for database analysts to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for database analysts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for database analysts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,415

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for database analysts

The easiest schools for database analysts to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a database analyst without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for database analysts.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

8. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

9. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

10. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

Average database analyst salary by education level

Database analysts with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $96,821 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, database analysts earn a median annual income of $91,945 compared to $82,748 for database analysts with an Associate degree.
Database analyst education levelDatabase analyst salary
Master's Degree$96,821
Bachelor's Degree$91,945
Some College/ Associate Degree$82,748

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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