What Do Database Engineers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for database engineers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what database engineers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Database Engineers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about database engineers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Database Engineers administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.
Popular Job Titles For Database Engineers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Data Engineers
- Database Administrators
- Salesforce Administrators
- Oracle Database Administrators
- Data Center Technicians
- ETL Developers
- SQL Developers
- Lead Data Engineers
- SQL Database Administrators
- Database Engineers
- Big Data Engineers
- Oracle PL/SQL Developers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for database engineers can be found.
Best Industries for Database Engineers
Database Engineers Jobs By Industry
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 13.9%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 7.9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 4.2%
- Insurance Carriers: 4.1%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 4.1%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 3.8%
- Other: 62%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of database engineers can be found working in the Computer Systems Design and Related Services sector. In 2023, about 13.9% of all jobs for database engineers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management of Companies and Enterprises (7.9%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (4.2%), Insurance Carriers (4.1%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (4.1%) and Education and Hospitals (State Government) (3.8%).
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What Do Database Engineers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what database engineers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work database engineers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that database engineers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for database engineers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Database Engineers
Based on 119,011 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Database Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SQL (Programming Language) | 60,343 | 51% |
| Extract Transform Load (ETL) | 37,069 | 31% |
| Data Engineering | 36,953 | 31% |
| Computer Science | 36,029 | 30% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 35,355 | 30% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Database Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 40,350 | 34% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 33,255 | 28% |
| Management | 32,234 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 26,039 | 22% |
| Operations | 21,022 | 18% |
Based on 119,011 job postings related to database engineers, sql (programming language) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for extract transform load (etl), data engineering, computer science, python (programming language) and data warehousing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for database engineers, followed by troubleshooting (problem solving), management, problem solving, operations and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SQL (Programming Language) | 60,343 | 51% |
| Extract Transform Load (ETL) | 37,069 | 31% |
| Data Engineering | 36,953 | 31% |
| Computer Science | 36,029 | 30% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 35,355 | 30% |
| Data Warehousing | 25,747 | 22% |
| Amazon Web Services | 25,620 | 22% |
| Database Administration | 24,353 | 20% |
| Agile Methodology | 22,959 | 19% |
| Data Modeling | 22,543 | 19% |
| Microsoft Azure | 20,150 | 17% |
| Automation | 18,960 | 16% |
| Data Analysis | 18,745 | 16% |
| Data Pipelines | 17,353 | 15% |
| Scripting | 16,429 | 14% |
| Scalability | 15,450 | 13% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 14,305 | 12% |
| Data Quality | 14,285 | 12% |
| Performance Tuning | 14,165 | 12% |
| Apache Spark | 13,826 | 12% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 40,350 | 34% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 33,255 | 28% |
| Management | 32,234 | 27% |
| Problem Solving | 26,039 | 22% |
| Operations | 21,022 | 18% |
| Writing | 14,456 | 12% |
| Leadership | 13,961 | 12% |
| Information Technology | 13,494 | 11% |
| Planning | 13,016 | 11% |
| Detail Oriented | 11,925 | 10% |
| Research | 10,431 | 9% |
| Customer Service | 10,428 | 9% |
| Innovation | 9,733 | 8% |
| Self-Motivation | 9,598 | 8% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 8,758 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 7,762 | 7% |
| Mentorship | 7,604 | 6% |
| Mathematics | 7,296 | 6% |
| Analytical Skills | 7,147 | 6% |
| Sales | 6,975 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Database Engineers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Engineers | 42,924 | 34.8% |
| Database Administrators | 17,815 | 14.5% |
| Salesforce Administrators | 8,021 | 6.5% |
| Oracle Database Administrators | 6,848 | 5.6% |
| Data Center Technicians | 8,527 | 6.9% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was data engineers, with 22,724 unique job postings. Database administrators were second, with 3,850 postings, followed by salesforce administrators, oracle database administrators and data center technicians.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to database engineers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Engineers | 42,924 | 34.8% |
| Database Administrators | 17,815 | 14.5% |
| Salesforce Administrators | 8,021 | 6.5% |
| Oracle Database Administrators | 6,848 | 5.6% |
| Data Center Technicians | 8,527 | 6.9% |
| ETL Developers | 4,195 | 3.4% |
| SQL Developers | 4,169 | 3.4% |
| Lead Data Engineers | 4,253 | 3.5% |
| SQL Database Administrators | 4,133 | 3.4% |
| Database Engineers | 3,497 | 2.8% |
| Big Data Engineers | 2,447 | 2% |
| Oracle PL/SQL Developers | 2,171 | 1.8% |
| Informatica Developers | 1,923 | 1.6% |
| Database Analysts | 2,196 | 1.8% |
| Azure Engineers | 1,920 | 1.6% |
| PL/SQL Developers | 1,429 | 1.2% |
| Data Center Engineers | 1,864 | 1.5% |
| Principal Engineers | 1,860 | 1.5% |
| ETL Informatica Developers | 1,271 | 1% |
| SQL Server Database Administrators | 1,718 | 1.4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for database engineers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for database engineers.
How much do database engineers make?
Database Engineers: How do you become one?
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