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The differences between senior database developers and senior database administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a senior database developer and a senior database administrator. Additionally, a senior database administrator has an average salary of $114,969, which is higher than the $108,559 average annual salary of a senior database developer.
The top three skills for a senior database developer include ETL, database development and java. The most important skills for a senior database administrator are linux, DBA, and troubleshoot.
| Senior Database Developer | Senior Database Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $108,559 | $114,969 |
| Hourly rate | $52.19 | $55.27 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 87,912 | 56,932 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior database developers are responsible for supporting various business intelligence and performing data evaluation activities to seize data requirements distinctly, accurately, and completely. They collaborate with a wide range of customers, including senior-level executives and reporting developers. Also, they often perform in the early stages of the software lifecycle to outline data and to design the theoretical, logical, and physical data model blueprint with suitable structure and relationships for maximum performance. Additionally, they work in a rapid environment that creates, executes, and maintains mission analytical information systems for the data warehouse community, ensuring the long-term reliability, flexibility, and sustainability of the systems.
A senior database administrator is in charge of maintaining and managing a database, ensuring its efficiency and security. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring the performance of databases, identifying any problems or inconsistencies, performing corrective measures, and devising security measures to keep data safe from any cyber-attacks. They are also responsible for responding to any inquiries or concerns, resolving them promptly. Furthermore, as a senior in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage the junior administrators, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior database developers and senior database administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Database Developer | Senior Database Administrator | |
| Average salary | $108,559 | $114,969 |
| Salary range | Between $85,000 And $137,000 | Between $88,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Credit Karma |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior database developer and a senior database administrator in terms of educational background:
| Senior Database Developer | Senior Database Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior database developers' and senior database administrators' demographics:
| Senior Database Developer | Senior Database Administrator | |
| Average age | 39 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 80.6% Female, 19.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 25.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |