How to hire a database systems administrator

How to hire a database systems administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step database systems 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 systems administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new database systems administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a database systems administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the database systems administrator you need to hire. Certain database systems administrator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A database systems administrator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, database systems 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.

   Here's a comparison of database systems administrator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Database Systems Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Database Systems 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.	$28-51
   Network Administrator	A network administrator is responsible for managing an organization's computer systems, ensuring its smooth operations and highest efficiency. Network administrators' duties include inspecting network malfunctions, troubleshooting unresponsive programs, improving system processes, analyzing client's specifications, upgrading existing applications, coordinating with the technology department, and creating a report of network issues resolutions... Show more	$26-43
   LAN Administrator	LAN administrators are responsible for maintaining the local area network of an organization. These administrators manage the server that connects an organization's network to computers and equipment that need them... Show more	$20-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Database Administration
   • Windows Server
   • E-Business
   • Oracle Dba
   • Microsoft SQL Server
   • Troubleshoot
   • PL/SQL
   • Unix
   • Recovery Procedures
   • Linux
   • DBA
   • Database Systems
   • Database Backup
   • Database Performance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage project to design and implement Microsoft SharePoint for the company's Intranet to all locations.
   • Create scripts (bash shell) to schedule and automate processes; and to monitor systems and critical applications.
   • Manage physical volumes, volume groups and logical volumes using AIX LVM in IBM p-series/Power5 servers and replace failed disk.
   • Configure TIVOLI and manage distribute monitoring alerts.
   • Monitor disk usage and manage space allocation utilizing LVM.
   • Administer and manage configurations for LAN-to-LAN and remote access VPN connections allowing for secure communications.

   More database systems administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the database systems administrator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A database systems administrator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a database systems administrator in Oklahoma may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level database systems administrator. Additionally, a database systems administrator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average database systems administrator salary

   $80,441yearly

   $38.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level database systems administrator salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average database systems administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$100,735	$48
   2	Utah	$92,051	$44
   3	Pennsylvania	$86,671	$42
   4	Illinois	$84,238	$41
   5	California	$84,126	$40
   6	New Jersey	$81,864	$39
   7	Oregon	$80,481	$39
   8	Texas	$79,862	$38
   9	Wisconsin	$79,376	$38
   10	Michigan	$78,717	$38
   11	Colorado	$77,472	$37
   12	North Carolina	$76,447	$37
   13	Virginia	$75,712	$36
   14	Maryland	$75,628	$36
   15	New York	$75,431	$36
   16	District of Columbia	$74,884	$36
   17	Georgia	$73,001	$35
   18	Florida	$72,925	$35
   19	Minnesota	$72,292	$35
   20	South Carolina	$65,601	$32

   Average database systems administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sysmex	$115,679	$55.61	3
   2	Open Systems Technologies	$106,226	$51.07	5
   3	Yoh	$103,238	$49.63
   4	Broadcom	$100,384	$48.26	11
   5	Hospira	$99,448	$47.81
   6	dōTERRA	$98,938	$47.57
   7	UT Health East Texas	$96,767	$46.52
   8	Epiq	$89,274	$42.92
   9	Codeworks	$87,197	$41.92	8
   10	Cwps	$87,078	$41.86
   11	ABBTECH	$87,015	$41.83	3
   12	Motorola Solutions	$84,229	$40.49	39
   13	Resource/Ammirati	$83,596	$40.19
   14	Printers Company	$82,626	$39.72
   15	Ricoh	$82,395	$39.61	8
   16	Capgemini	$82,155	$39.50	42
   17	IBM	$81,361	$39.12	96
   18	Compunnel	$80,605	$38.75	1
   19	Dovel Technologies	$79,772	$38.35
   20	Sam	$79,751	$38.34

4. Writing a database systems administrator job description

   A good database systems administrator job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a database systems administrator job description:

   Database systems administrator job description example

   The Colleague DBA/Systems Admin position for CampusWorks is an important part of the service delivery team and requires technical knowledge of operating systems, databases, reporting tools and web applications to support the needs of one or more clients. A significant part of the work requires the ability to provision, install/configure, operate, and maintain systems hardware and software and related infrastructure. The Colleague Systems Admin is resourceful, able to problem-solves quickly, and works effectively across teams.
   
   Team members successful in this role are: self-driven, able to understand the needs of the client and communicate effective solutions to multiple stakeholders, and experienced at managing multiple technical projects.
   
   Job Type: 1099 Contract Consultant
   A Day in the Life
   As an experienced Colleague DBA/Systems Admin with working experience at a Colleague client site, or more formally with either Datatel or Ellucian your expertise will be used daily at CampusWorks. While there are opportunities for some travel, both when it is safe to do so and for a good client need you will be at home. One of the great benefits of being part of the CampusWorks' team is that your expertise is used at multiple clients but you still get to add value to your own home community.
   
   Key AccountabilitiesProvisions, installs/configures, operates, and maintains systems hardware and software and related infrastructure (25%) Manages server and end-user application infrastructure, resolves issues as needed (20%) Monitors and installs system and security patches. (20%) Participates in Colleague/Ellucian module project implementation and/or Unidata to SQL migration for Colleague (20%) Monitors system configuration and log files, takes preventive and/or corrective action. (5%) Architects, installs, and maintains data backup and disaster recovery technical processes in support of overall business continuity strategy. (5%) Develops and maintains technical architecture documentation. (5%)
   Requirements5-7 Years of ExperienceExperience at a higher education institution Ability to communication clearly Ability to work independently and to self manage Systems and Architecture InterfacesDevelopment and Architecture DocumentationProject Management and Supervision of Technical ProjectsAll Colleague Modules, WebAdvisor and Self-ServiceSQL Server, Unidata and Oracle (as needed) relational databases Software Updates and Vendor PatchesColleague Security ClassesSA ValetCron JobsPayment GatewaysPerformance Tuning (DMI)
   What You Can Expect from Us
   At CampusWorks, we don't just help our clients succeed; we help our employees succeed. Competitive pay, robust benefits for full-time employees, and professional development opportunities are a few of the many reasons that CampusWorks is a great place to build your career. Our employees enjoy:
   
   Meaningful work. Our employees often tell us that their work gives them a sense of purpose because it makes a difference in the lives of students and educators.
   A CEO who cares. Chairman and CEO Liz Murphy has made it her mission to create a culture that appreciates and takes good care of its people. As a result, being an employee of CampusWorks feels like being a member of a big family.
   A virtual and onsite workplace. In an effort to reduce our environmental footprint, CampusWorks became a virtual company in 2012. As such, our team members are located across the U.S. and Canada, where they work from their home offices and at client sites.
   Flexibility. We value work-life balance because we know that happy employees create happy customers. T hat's why CampusWorks offers both full-time and part-time 1099 consulting career opportunities to fit life's unique demands.
   A company that gives back. Every year CampusWorks proudly supports numerous charitable fundraising initiatives that align with our vision to make higher education accessible to everyone.
   
   There are many things our employees love about working for CampusWorks, but don't take our word for it. Hear what they have to say. Read employee testimonials»
   
   About CampusWorks
   Founded in 1999, CampusWorks is dedicated to helping higher education overcome business and technological challenges that stand in the way of student success and completion. We work with community colleges, technical colleges, four-year public and private institutions, multi-college districts, and statewide higher education systems to tackle problems big and small. Our services are rooted in systems thinking and reach across the institution-from Student Services to Human Resources to Finance to Academics-to achieve transformative results.
   
   AAP/EEO Statement: CampusWorks, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) and Affirmative Actions (AA) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right database systems administrator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with database systems administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit database systems administrators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your database systems administrator job on Zippia to find and attract quality database systems administrator candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with database systems administrator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview database systems 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 systems administrator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the database systems 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 also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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