Get An Online Databese Degree And Start A Career As A DBA
The business world likes to collect as much data on every consumer as it can get. This means they collect tons and tons of data - everything from what toothpaste people buy to their retirement plans. All those bits of info have to not only be collected, but organized and easily accessible or it's absolutely useless. Enter the database administrator.
Anyone who has worked on a spreadsheet or online address book actually is doing basic database work. When you input your friends' addresses, phone numbers, etc., and then set up a search by, for example, birthdays, you are now doing basic administration. With a computer it moves that much faster and efficiently.
Database Administrators (or DBAs) just do this on a much larger scale. Yes, the biggest employers of DBAs are companies that gather your personal information and then sell it to retailers. At the same time, they help the medical industry collect and organize your health records and are invaluable to such governmental and public service agencies as Social Security to the entire electoral process.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, database administrators determine ways to organize, analyze and present data. They identify user needs and create new computer databases. They also might transfer old databases to new software, test systems when needed, and troubleshoot. Because many databases are connected to the internet, database administrators also must coordinate security with network administrators. Some also are responsible for database design.
One needs a bachelor's degree to be a full DBA, although it can be done with a two-year degree and related work experience. Many computer support specialists work-study to become DBAs with the help of their jobs and online college courses. Another way is to have a degree such as accounting and then take the needed courses to move over to being a DBA. Still, the overall goal should be to get a four-year degree.
As such, one should look for an on campus or online school that focuses in such areas as MIS, computer science and programming, math, statistics. One should also think about what area they want to specialize in and take the appropriate courses, such as finance or accounting, health administration or something similar. Therefore it's a good idea to sit down with an on campus or online college counselor before settling on a curriculum.
As it stands, the future for DBAs looks incredible. The Bureau estimates there are slightly over 120,000 of them as of 2009. They expect there will be an increase of 20% more positions available by the end of the decade. As it is, the average salary of a database administrator is just under $70,000. The top 10% in the field earn over $110,000.
This expanding field needs those with information technology degree qualifications, with expansion of studies into the specialized area they wish to work. The online course materials needed to get this degree will prepare the student for the ever-changing technology field.
- Article Word Count: 448
- |
- Total Views: 9
- |
- permalink