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
- Data Center Technicians
- Big Data Engineers
- Oracle Database Administrators
- ETL Developers
- SQL Developers
- Lead Data Engineers
- SQL Database Administrators
- Database Developers
- Technical Specialists
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: 14.7%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 8.2%
- Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services: 4.7%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.9%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 3.8%
- Insurance Carriers: 3.7%
- Other: 61%
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 2022, about 14.7% of all jobs for database engineers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management of Companies and Enterprises (8.2%), Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services (4.7%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.9%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (3.8%) and Insurance Carriers (3.7%).
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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 165,967 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Database Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SQL (Programming Language) | 79,950 | 48% |
| Data Engineering | 62,681 | 38% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 54,181 | 33% |
| Computer Science | 51,695 | 31% |
| Extract Transform Load (ETL) | 49,822 | 30% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Database Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 56,477 | 34% |
| Management | 42,335 | 26% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 37,381 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 33,821 | 20% |
| Operations | 28,395 | 17% |
Based on 165,967 job postings related to database engineers, sql (programming language) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 48% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for data engineering, python (programming language), computer science, extract transform load (etl) and amazon web services were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for database engineers, followed by management, troubleshooting (problem solving), problem solving, operations and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SQL (Programming Language) | 79,950 | 48% |
| Data Engineering | 62,681 | 38% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 54,181 | 33% |
| Computer Science | 51,695 | 31% |
| Extract Transform Load (ETL) | 49,822 | 30% |
| Amazon Web Services | 38,575 | 23% |
| Data Warehousing | 37,259 | 22% |
| Agile Methodology | 32,312 | 19% |
| Data Modeling | 32,048 | 19% |
| Data Pipelines | 28,658 | 17% |
| Apache Spark | 27,844 | 17% |
| Data Analysis | 27,800 | 17% |
| Big Data | 27,195 | 16% |
| Automation | 25,911 | 16% |
| Microsoft Azure | 25,698 | 15% |
| Database Administration | 25,495 | 15% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 24,830 | 15% |
| Scalability | 23,169 | 14% |
| Scripting | 21,177 | 13% |
| Business Intelligence | 20,885 | 13% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 56,477 | 34% |
| Management | 42,335 | 26% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 37,381 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 33,821 | 20% |
| Operations | 28,395 | 17% |
| Writing | 21,649 | 13% |
| Leadership | 20,490 | 12% |
| Detail Oriented | 18,630 | 11% |
| Customer Service | 18,193 | 11% |
| Research | 17,080 | 10% |
| Planning | 16,492 | 10% |
| Information Technology | 15,594 | 9% |
| Innovation | 15,201 | 9% |
| Self-Motivation | 14,693 | 9% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 13,171 | 8% |
| Mathematics | 13,154 | 8% |
| Microsoft Excel | 13,040 | 8% |
| Sales | 12,561 | 8% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 11,577 | 7% |
| Microsoft Office | 10,071 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Database Engineers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Engineers | 87,022 | 42.1% |
| Database Administrators | 18,364 | 8.9% |
| Salesforce Administrators | 16,816 | 8.1% |
| Data Center Technicians | 15,633 | 7.6% |
| Big Data Engineers | 6,524 | 3.2% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was data engineers, with 40,739 unique job postings. Database administrators were second, with 7,269 postings, followed by salesforce administrators, data center technicians and big data engineers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to database engineers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Engineers | 87,022 | 42.1% |
| Database Administrators | 18,364 | 8.9% |
| Salesforce Administrators | 16,816 | 8.1% |
| Data Center Technicians | 15,633 | 7.6% |
| Big Data Engineers | 6,524 | 3.2% |
| Oracle Database Administrators | 6,528 | 3.2% |
| ETL Developers | 6,161 | 3% |
| SQL Developers | 6,389 | 3.1% |
| Lead Data Engineers | 6,698 | 3.2% |
| SQL Database Administrators | 5,000 | 2.4% |
| Database Developers | 4,741 | 2.3% |
| Technical Specialists | 5,010 | 2.4% |
| Cloud Data Engineers | 3,294 | 1.6% |
| Database Engineers | 3,618 | 1.8% |
| Azure Engineers | 2,615 | 1.3% |
| Database Analysts | 2,944 | 1.4% |
| Data Platform Engineers | 2,643 | 1.3% |
| Informatica Developers | 2,504 | 1.2% |
| Data Integration Engineers | 2,137 | 1% |
| PL/SQL Developers | 2,028 | 1% |
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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