Your computer houses tons of data and information. Everything from what you download to what you save and everything in between has to be stored somewhere. But imagine all that information on a grander scale. How much information is stored in your neighborhood, in your city, in the world? Database managers are in charge of just that — organizing, sorting and developing management systems that house and review large amounts of information. If you are an excellent organizer and are interested in math, science and technology then this may be a great major option for you!
Education
This degree is typically earned at the associate’s or certificate degree level. In high school, it’s helpful to take courses such as physics, algebra, computer applications, computer programming and computer science. In higher education, you can expect to take courses such as computer networks, database management, information systems and introduction to programming and algorithm design. Be prepared to learn the programming language that is used to build databases: Structured Query Language (SQL).
What to know before you apply
While you might expect technology careers to be a one man or one woman show, that is often not the case. Be prepared to work on your communication skills in order to work effectively with other members on your tech team, as well as with clients and consumers. Additionally, technology is an often-changing career path so you should expect to continue your education — in or outside the classroom — even after you graduate.
Salary
Database administrators earned an average of $77,080 per year according to BLS.gov as of 2012.
