How To Become A Database Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a database specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Matthew McConn

If you are a database specialist, you are responsible for the retrieval, storage, and security of digital data. You will work with company managers and other IT professionals to make sure the databases you watch over meet the data storage and data needs of the business.

As a Database Specialist, you will plan database upgrades by evaluating, maintaining, and improving training models, access database performance by developing protocols for measurement of results, support data performance by monitoring database performance. You will also evaluate and resolve processes and program problems, design database tools, and answer user questions.

It is required of Database specialists to have problem-solving skills, process improvement, analysis, and maintenance skills. You will need a bachelor's degree in statistics, math, or computer science. You need to take additional classes to learn data analytic skills. So consider certification and carry on in higher education. The median salary for a Database Specialist is about $38 per hour or $80,000 per year.

What general advice would you give to a Database Specialist?

Matthew McConn

Associate Professor of English Education, Department Chair, Binghamton University, SUNY

It's best to be fully certified before you sit for an interview. That means completing the EdTPA and all certification exams. Students tend to put off the EdTPA portfolio, and it hurts their chances when interviewed, since administrators would have to risk the applicant not passing their exam. However, during the pandemic, there have been some alternative options for candidates, so I would strongly recommend they familiarize themselves with those alternatives.

ScoreDatabase SpecialistUS Average

Salary

6.1

Avg. Salary $77,642

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.4

Growth Rate 9%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.54%

Asian 17.80%

Black or African American 7.85%

Hispanic or Latino 9.10%

Unknown 5.18%

White 59.52%

Gender

female 52.43%

male 47.57%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress Level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.1

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a database specialist

Explore database specialist education requirements

Most common database specialist degrees

Bachelor's

66.2 %

Associate

14.8 %

Master's

10.0 %

Start to develop specific database specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Database Management	13.82%
Database Design	5.07%
Database Administration	4.69%
Windows	4.53%
Data Entry	4.09%

Complete relevant database specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New database specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a database specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real database specialist resumes.

Research database specialist duties and responsibilities

Assist founder with maintaining and improving internet website manage ERP systems, payroll and self-service human resource system.
Used T-SQL skills including creation of user define functions, complex store procedures, query optimization to write automate reporting.
Design ETL process involving data quality, testing and information delivery and access to the data warehouse.
Develop graphical applications using Java and wxWindows C++ API.

Prepare your database specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your database specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a database specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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