How To Become An ETL Tester: What It Is and Career Path

What is an etl tester and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Did you know that ETL stands for Extract, Transform, and Load? This is the process of copying data from a source to another storing system, usually to represent the data differently or combine multiple sources. If you are an ETL tester, your job is to make sure that this copying process happens smoothly.

As an ETL tester, your job wouldn't be much different from other software testers or quality analysts, except that you would focus only on ETL processes. You would make sure that data is transferred accurately by testing databases using SQL, tracking defects with JIRA, and using other technological tools to expedite and check the transfer of data.

Your job as an ETL tester would be very important because a company cannot afford to lose or misplace important data. You would have to prepare hard for this role by earning a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science and working in QA for several years.

ScoreETL TesterUS Average

Salary

6.3

Avg. Salary $80,801

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 39.48%

male 60.52%

Age - 43

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 - 43

Stress level

5.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an etl tester

Explore etl tester education requirements

Most common etl tester degrees

Bachelor's

69.6 %

Master's

27.9 %

Diploma

1.7 %

Start to develop specific etl tester skills

Skills	Percentages
Test Cases	7.46%
Test Plan	5.82%
Unix	4.20%
SQL Server	4.20%
Test Scripts	4.19%

Complete relevant etl tester training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New etl testers 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 an etl tester based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real etl tester resumes.

Research etl tester duties and responsibilities

Design and develop UNIX commands as part of the ETL process, automate the process of loading, pulling the data.
Manage departmental inventory and troubleshoot testing, reporting and inventory issues.
Automate the functionality using QTP.
Test the target data in Teradata database.

Prepare your etl tester resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your etl tester 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 an etl tester resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable etl tester resume templates

Build a professional etl tester resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your etl tester resume.

Apply for etl tester jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an etl tester job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do etl testers rate their job?

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Etl tester reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2020

Pros

I like testing because it can be interesting. Things can change but also stay the same. I like routine but not repetition doing the same thing. Testing isn't the best job but a good job.

Cons

Some things you test can be really picky to pass. It's likely they will always fail the first time. Some test seem to always pass and seek insufficient. I always look at productivity but also efficiency. So if not necessary by customer and always passes I can't see why a part of the test he removed especially if another part of the test will fail if it does. Options I am always open to.