How to hire a database developer/database administrator

How to hire a database developer/database administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step database developer/database administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a database developer/database administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new database developer/database administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a database developer/database administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The database developer/database administrator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A database developer/database administrator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, database developer/database administrators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of database developer/database administrators.

   Type of Database Developer/Database Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Database Developer/Database Administrator	Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and are secure from unauthorized access.	$29-58
   SQL BI Developer	A SQI BI developer develops and manages the NET web application known as dynamic VB. They upload data from flat files into databases and validates the data via PL/SQL process... Show more	$34-55
   SQL Server Developer	A structured query language (SQL) server developer is a specialist who is tasked to develop and maintain systems to store, organize, and access databases. With their experience in data architect and management, SQL server developers can develop and scale SQL databases based on the needs of their organization... Show more	$34-54

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Microsoft SQL Server
   • PL/SQL
   • ETL
   • DBA
   • Database Design
   • Windows Server
   • T-SQL
   • Ssis Packages
   • Data Warehouse
   • SSRS
   • Database Administration
   • Database Development
   • Linux
   • Application Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Employ SSAS and SSRS to automate data and reporting requirements by customers, vendors, and state and federal regulatory agencies.
   • Design, create and manage numerous reports within SSRS, using grouping, totals, sub-reports, expressions, adding actions.
   • Create T-SQL packages, procedures, functions, triggers, alerts, scripts for automation and DTS packages for ETL.
   • Perform daily DBA activities, including database backup and recovery initiatives, testing, and performance monitoring/tuning.
   • Web page layout and implementation via html5 and JavaScript.
   • Provide database analysis, design, and support for software development on Linux platform.

   More database developer/database administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your database developer/database administrator job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A database developer/database administrator salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a database developer/database administrator in Iowa may be lower than in California, and an entry-level database developer/database administrator usually earns less than a senior-level database developer/database administrator. Additionally, a database developer/database administrator with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average database developer/database administrator salary

   $86,335yearly

   $41.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level database developer/database administrator salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average database developer/database administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$111,001	$53
   2	Delaware	$101,187	$49
   3	Washington	$98,605	$47
   4	Connecticut	$98,529	$47
   5	District of Columbia	$94,461	$45
   6	Massachusetts	$90,956	$44
   7	New York	$90,131	$43
   8	Rhode Island	$89,032	$43
   9	New Jersey	$88,053	$42
   10	Texas	$85,542	$41
   11	Virginia	$84,691	$41
   12	Illinois	$84,076	$40
   13	Pennsylvania	$82,832	$40
   14	North Carolina	$81,719	$39
   15	Kansas	$80,855	$39
   16	Ohio	$80,627	$39
   17	South Carolina	$80,608	$39
   18	Minnesota	$78,340	$38
   19	Maryland	$77,097	$37
   20	Georgia	$76,000	$37

   Average database developer/database administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Semantic AI	$121,437	$58.38
   2	Barclays	$117,084	$56.29	1
   3	Delta Dental Ins	$108,482	$52.15	1
   4	Ziff Davis	$107,484	$51.67
   5	Nebraska Furniture Mart	$103,685	$49.85
   6	Colgate-Palmolive	$101,418	$48.76
   7	Sagarsoft	$101,408	$48.75
   8	GeoVera	$100,699	$48.41
   9	Booz Allen Hamilton	$98,621	$47.41	77
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$97,169	$46.72	68
   11	McGraw Hill	$97,008	$46.64
   12	Monster Worldwide	$96,486	$46.39
   13	DIRECTV Puerto Rico	$96,075	$46.19	2
   14	Sealaska	$95,195	$45.77
   15	TransCore	$95,048	$45.70	2
   16	D&W Inc	$94,960	$45.65
   17	ICONMA	$93,830	$45.11	3
   18	University of Washington	$92,917	$44.67	6
   19	Epoch.com	$92,746	$44.59
   20	Genscape	$92,663	$44.55

4. Writing a database developer/database administrator job description

   A job description for a database developer/database administrator role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a database developer/database administrator job description:

   Database developer/database administrator job description example

   At Anser Advisory, we strive and succeed by creating smart, dynamic and professionally skilled teams to deliver extraordinary projects for our clients. You will work on interesting projects which will expand your expertise and hone your technical skills through the ability to access the most advanced technology on the market. Your successful impact will help us obtain our goal of being the nationwide go-to professional services provider. Anser provides our clients with advisory, compliance, program and project construction management services at the highest level of dedication.
   
   Our relationships are on our credibility to deliver on our commitments, with unbeatable service levels to our clients which has resulted in our rapid growth, nationwide.
   
   We are seeking a Database Administrator/Developer for an immediate opportunity with our Orlando team that will work closely and with the project team. Responsibilities will include daily database management, troubleshooting and development of new features and reports. 5+ years of experience in providing these services for a medium sized database with 25-50 users. Additionally, experience with construction finance, accounting, grant funding, aviation, etc. is highly preferred.
   
   This is an Orlando based project and relocation assistance will be offered or this position can be remote with potential for some travel.
   
   Duties & ResponsibilitiesProvide database management and support to project team.Develop new reports and feature for the database based on team client feedback.Maintain daily operations of database and troubleshoot issues as they arise.Develop ways to streamline existing processes within the database.Upgrade database's existing platform to newer technology as needs allow.Perform other analysis and queries as needed by team and/or client.Perform periodic security assessments and make necessary changes to ensure continued data security.Able to present findings and recommendations to senior staff and/or clients.Interface with users to devise solutions for developing new or revising existing structure within the database to accommodate for changes to contract type, construction method, new funding requirements, etc.Candidate needs to be able to perform independently and in an deadline driven environment.Document existing and developing database schemas to communicate information to users and other database professionals.
   
   Qualifications & RequirementsDemonstrated ability to accurately and efficiently complete deliverables and meet deadlines while producing quality materials within tight timeframes and simultaneously managing several assignments.A self-starter who solves problems and works independently.Organized and detail oriented.Must have knowledge of MS Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint in a corporate environment.Preferred experience with SQL and SAS and script writing in Excel to compare data sets, ASP.NET Core, Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern Must be customer focused and have the ability to identify issues and develop innovative solutions to a variety of complex matters of a diverse scope and nature and have demonstrated ability to be creative and have advanced problem-solving skills with the ability to transfer prior experience to new projects.Strong ability in establishing effective working relationships with others within and outside of the organization across all levels of responsibility.
   
   We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, because it makes our firm stronger. Each of us contributes to our inclusive environment in the way we act, our level of commitment, encouragement to others to share their ideas, and our everyday, outstanding teamwork to support our clients. We also support professional for our staff and celebrate their accomplishments.
   Simply put, our firm is better...because of the people we work with.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find database developer/database administrators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any database developer/database administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level database developer/database administrators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find database developer/database administrator candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting database developer/database administrators requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview database developer/database administrator candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new database developer/database administrator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the database developer/database administrator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new database developer/database administrator. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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