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The differences between senior database engineers and 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 engineer and a database administrator. Additionally, a senior database engineer has an average salary of $123,540, which is higher than the $81,960 average annual salary of a database administrator.
The top three skills for a senior database engineer include AWS, java and ETL. The most important skills for a database administrator are customer service, linux, and microsoft sql server.
| Senior Database Engineer | Database Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $123,540 | $81,960 |
| Hourly rate | $59.39 | $39.40 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 110,265 | 56,992 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior database engineer specializes in designing and developing databases for a company. Among their responsibilities include identifying and understanding the company's needs, creating and maintaining database projects and programs, writing scripts, troubleshooting errors, fixing bugs, and performing upgrades. They must also provide technical support to employees, addressing and resolving issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Database administrators use specially designed software to keep, organize, restore, and secure data for businesses, employees, and customers from unauthorized people or unwanted users. They search for potential security risks or issues and proactively correct or find appropriate solutions. They are highly trained tech experts who work full-time for establishments that give computer design services or in industries that have huge databases, such as educational academies, institutions, and insurance firms. It is their responsibility to closely monitor the database system to ensure efficiency and functionality. They work jointly with information systems managers to customize database solutions based on corporate needs. They also coordinate the systems that data analysts use for translating numbers into strategic business plans.
Senior database engineers and database administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Database Engineer | Database Administrator | |
| Average salary | $123,540 | $81,960 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $159,000 | Between $60,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior database engineer and a database administrator in terms of educational background:
| Senior Database Engineer | Database Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior database engineers' and database administrators' demographics:
| Senior Database Engineer | Database Administrator | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4% | Male, 61.4% Female, 38.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 23.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 17.7% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |