Getting a certification is one of the easiest pathways to a lucrative database-related career. If you’re looking to increase your earning capacity, validate your skills, and get closer to achieving your ultimate career goals, securing one of the highest-paying database certifications can help you reach these milestones.
This article contains a list of the best certifications for database professionals. It covers everything you need to know about database certifications, including the costs, requirements, and job opportunities available to certified professionals in this field.
What Is a Professional Certification?
A professional certification is proof of competence given to people who meet specific criteria and obtain a passing score in an examination or test. A professional certification in a specific area demonstrates to potential employers that someone has fulfilled the industry standards and can be trusted to work in roles that require a specialized skillset.
What’s the Difference Between Certification and a Certificate?
The difference between a certification and a certificate is that educational institutions award certificates to students after completing a specified program within a certain time frame. However, certifications are given to people who demonstrate proficiency in relevant industry standards as measured by an examination.
Why Is Certification in Database Important?
A certification in databases is important because it shows that you have the critical skills to be a proficient database administrator. This is highly important for people pursuing a career path in the information technology (IT) industry because prospective employers want to be sure that candidates have hands-on experience working with database management systems.
According to Statista, 63 percent of advanced IT companies consider certifications an important employment criterion. Securing a database certification will prove very useful and increase your probability of landing a job at leading companies in the computing or IT industry.
Best Database Certifications by Salary
| Certification | Provider | Average Salary | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Master | Oracle | $117,000 | N/A |
| SAP Certified Technology Associate – SAP HANA 2.0 SPS05 | SAP | $112,000 | $560 |
| IBM Certified Database Administrator- DB2 11.1 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows | IBM | $108,000 | $200 |
| Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Professional | Oracle | $103,000 | $245 |
| EnterpriseDB PostgreSQL 12 Associate Certification | EnterpriseDB | $100,000 | $200 |
| IBM Certified Database Associate – DB2 Fundamentals for LUW | IBM | $96,000 | $200 |
| Oracle Certified Professional MySQL 8.0 Database Administrator | Oracle | $96,000 | $245 |
| Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Associate | Oracle | $96,000 | $245 |
| Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals | Microsoft | $88,000 | $99 |
| Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate | Microsoft | $88,000 | $165 |
Best Database Certifications to Further Your Career
How to Choose the Best Database Certification for Your Career
There are several certifications available to all levels of database professionals. When choosing the best database certification for you and your career path, you must consider your skill level, your ultimate career goals, and your financial capacity.
Evaluate Your Skill Level
While you can find many beginner-friendly database certifications, not all of them are suitable for entry-level database students or professionals. Many database certifications require several years of industry experience working with relational databases. Before enrolling in a certification program, carry out an honest assessment of your skill level and determine if it is right for you.
Appraise Your Career Goals
Certifications are an excellent way to get a job in database administration. However, there are several different job roles in database administration, and you should choose a certification that increases your chances of securing the specific role you desire. For example, if you want to work as an Oracle Database administrator, you will need a relevant Oracle certification.
Determine Your Budget
The prices for database certifications can range from as low as $99 to as high as $245 for a single exam. If you are working with a tight budget, you should choose a certification that can fit into your price range.
Which Database Certifications Pay the Most?
The database certifications that pay the most are the Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Master, SAP Certified Technology Associate – SAP HANA 2.0 SPS05, and IBM Certified Database Administrator – DB2 11.1 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows credentials.
Highest-Paying Database Certifications
- Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Master: $117,000
- SAP Certified Technology Associate – SAP HANA 2.0 SPS05: $112,000
- IBM Certified Database Administrator – DB2 11.1 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows: $108,000
- Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Professional: $103,000
- EnterpriseDB PostgreSQL 12 Associate Certificated: $100,000
Which Database Certifications Are the Best for Beginners?
The database certifications that are best for beginners are the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals, Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Associate, and IBM Certified Database Associate – DB2 Fundamentals for LUW. These certifications test introductory database administration concepts, so passing their qualifying exams is easy.
Best College Certificate Programs
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How to Prepare for Your Database Certification Exam
To get ready to take your database certification, you will need to learn from various sources, such as online and offline courses, books, websites, and more. Some of the best database exam prep courses and resources for certification exams are outlined below.
Best Courses to Prepare for Database Certification Exams
Several database certification organizations provide database prep courses to give learners assistance before they take their exams. Below is a list of some of the best courses to prepare for your database certification exams.
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Other Resources to Prepare for Your Database Certification Exams
In addition to online preparatory courses, there are several other resources that can help you with your database exam prep. These resources can provide you with beginner-level and advanced database knowledge and help you pass your certification exams. Some of these learning resources are mentioned below.
SQL QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Managing, Analyzing, and Manipulating Data with SQL
This book is a beginner-friendly resource for learning SQL. It includes step-by-step instructions on writing SQL statements, working with tables, data manipulation, and many other essential SQL features.
SQL QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Managing, Analyzing, and Manipulating Data with SQL Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: $23.17
- Ideal For: People who want to learn about the basics of SQL for data management
SAP HANA 2.0: An Introduction
Anyone looking to get an SAP HANA 2.0 certification can benefit from this book, which thoroughly covers the use of SAP HANA for database security, management, administration, and integration.
SAP HANA 2.0: An Introduction Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: $53.42
- Ideal For: Database administrators that work with SAP HANA regularly
DP-300: Administering Relational Databases on Microsoft Azure
This book offers an in-depth exam review via practice questions that cover all the aspects of Microsoft Azure for database design and administration. It also has detailed explanations of the answers to these questions, so that students preparing for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Associate exam will know the ins and outs of database administration in Azure.
DP-300: Administering Relational Databases on Microsoft Azure Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: $34.99
- Ideal For: People looking for additional resources to prepare for their Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Associate credential
DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals: Exam Cram Notes
The DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals: Exam Cram Notes is a concise summary of all the essential information a database professional needs to pass the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals exam. It is useful as an exam guide and quick revision tool.
DP-900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals: Exam Cram Notes Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: $9.99
- Ideal For: Professionals looking to secure database administrator or similar industry roles
Oracle Database 12c The Complete Reference
This book offers a deep dive into Oracle Database administration with the Oracle 12c cloud database. It also covers important information regarding the use of SQL, such as how to write SQL*Plus statements, move data with SQL*Loader, and deploy PL/SQL triggers.
Oracle Database 12c The Complete Reference Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: $73.80
- Ideal For: People looking to obtain any of the Oracle Database certifications
Best Online Courses
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Database Job Outlook and Average Salary
Database professionals have an abundance of job opportunities available to them in various industries. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, database administrator jobs are expected to increase by eight percent between 2020 and 2030.
The high demand for skilled database professionals means that people with database certifications can command very lucrative salaries in the job market. For example, the average salary for Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Master holders is $117,000 per year.
Best Database Jobs After Certification
There are several job opportunities for database professionals who have obtained certification. For instance, there are several Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Associate jobs, and many top software companies offer similar database jobs. Below is a list of some of the best database jobs for certified professionals.
Best Database Associations
Database professionals can make significant career progress and keep up to date with the best global industry practices by joining database associations. There are several of these associations, and some of the best options are listed below.
Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T)
The Association for Information Science and Technology is a global association with members in several fields, including computer science, data science, and information architecture. They provide members with resources, career help, and the latest information science and IT news to help them advance in their careers.
Data Management International
Data Management International offers virtual events, training, resources, and certifications for database professionals. They also provide networking opportunities via their local chapters, where members can meet and collaborate.
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
The Computing Technology Industry Association is one of the largest global communities for information technology specialists. Database professionals who are part of this association have access to certification programs, training, educational resources, and opportunities to learn from other industry colleagues.
Are Database Certifications Worth It?
Yes, database certifications are worth it because they vastly increase your earning potential. Companies that hire database administrators and similar database-related job roles will most likely prefer candidates with certifications. So, getting a database certification is a great idea if you want to get the best job in your industry.
Additional Reading About Databases
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Database Certifications FAQ
A relational database uses tables and rows to store information. They make use of Structured Query Language (SQL). The most common relational databases are the Oracle Database, IBM DB2, MySQL, and Microsoft SQL Server.
No, you don’t need coding skills to get a database job. Several database jobs do not require you to write code at all. However, an understanding of programming languages such as C++, Java, and C# may be useful at some point in your career.
Yes, there are several remote database jobs in both private and public organizations. You can get any of these remote work opportunities provided you have the required skills and certifications. You can search for these jobs on job listing sites like Indeed and Glassdoor.
Yes, you can get a database administration degree online. There are several online database administrator bachelor’s degree programs from schools like Arizona State University, Baker College, and Liberty University. These degrees can help you kickstart your database administration career.
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