Structured query language, commonly known as SQL, is a popular programming language used for data work and management. Its popularity stems from it being universal because it adapts to current information technology (IT) systems and is used by all relational databases. There are many companies that use SQL that are searching for SQL experts.
This guide will go over who uses SQL and what SQL is used for. Further, if you’re interested in learning SQL and pursuing it as your career, we list the best SQL bootcamps you could enroll in to learn the programming language within just a few weeks. We also discuss job opportunities currently available for SQL pros.
What Is SQL?
SQL is a standardized programming language and a relational database management system. It is a language used to communicate with databases. You can use SQL to edit database objects, add data, and pull information out of a database.
One example of the use of SQL is in social media platforms. Facebook, for instance, stores millions of users’ profile information and posts in database systems. To access these databases, programmers need to use a programming language such as SQL to work with the data.
How Popular Is SQL?
SQL remains one of the most popular and widely used languages for data work and management in 2022. Below are some of the most recent survey results with rankings showing how programmers utilize SQL worldwide.
- SQL was ranked the first most used database environment. MySQL ranks first as the most used database environment by professional developers. This 2021 Stackoverflow Insights statistic was based on 53,312 respondents.
- SQL was ranked the second most popular database management system. Based on a survey conducted by Statista, SQL was ranked second for the most popular database management system in 2022.
- SQL was ranked the third most popular programming language. SQL ranks as the third most popular programming language by professional developers. This 2021 Stackoverflow Insights statistic was based on 58,031 respondents and is conducted to help the development community provide feedback on tools used by programmers.
What Is SQL Used For?
Experienced developers use SQL in data management, data analysis, and customer relationship management. It is used by businesses, programmers, and analysts to make better business decisions. SQL has an ANSI/ISO standard, but there are many variations of relational database technology such as MySQL, SQLite, MSSQL Server, and PostgreSQL. Below are some of the many uses of SQL.
Data Management and Administration
SQL is a standard language used by mobile applications and organizations for data management and administration. Almost every big organization uses it to record employee data and confidential company information.
Their database administrator uses SQL to update and add information to their online database. Other sectors that use SQL for database management purposes are hospitals and schools. SQL makes database tasks manageable for large and small organizations.
Data Analysis
SQL is commonly used by data engineers, data scientists, and data analysts in software development because it is fairly easy to learn the language and its basic features. It can be used for direct access to an actual database without needing to download data first.
It makes dealing with large amounts of data to find specific subjects or trends easier for data science professionals. Since SQL has become the standard in many workflows and learning, it is a fundamental skill in data analytics jobs.
Marketing
SQL is used in marketing campaigns to help analyze audience reach, response, and impact. It is used to sort through customer demographics and find the right target audience. Analyzing information using SQL helps organizations come up with better marketing campaigns for the future.
Backend Development
SQL is frequently used in backend development for gathering, inserting, and updating data. By using SQL for these tasks, they ensure that the backend of applications and websites runs smoothly and that data corruption is prevented. SQL is also great at helping backend developers locate and resolve bugs and glitches.
Accounting
SQL is used by accountants because of its functions for storing and manipulating data. Since it is a relational database management system meant for retrieving and changing data, it allows accountants to easily find the information they are looking for and update it to reflect the new, current information. As well, SQL helps accountants make better business-related decisions.
List of SQL Companies: Overview
| Companies That Use SQL | Who Uses SQL at This Company? | What Does This Company Use SQL For? | Estimated Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture | Microsoft SQL Server Database Administration, Application Developer PL/SQL, Production Support Engineer | Data analysis, data management | 624,000 |
| Adobe Systems, Inc. | Software Development Engineer, Finance Manager, Software Engineer Full Stack | Data analysis, data management, marketing | 22,516 |
| Cigna | Software Development Engineer, Data Management Analyst, Senior Java Services Engineer | Data analysis, data management | 74,000 |
| Cognizant | SAP BO Developer, Oracle PL/SQL Developer, Data Engineer with Oracle PL/SQL and Unix Scripting | Data analysis, data management | 289,500 |
| Dell Technologies | SQL Server and Oracle Technical Marketing Engineer Integrated Solutions, Senior Software Reliability Engineer, Data Engineer | Data analysis, data management, marketing | 158,000 |
| Staffing Optimization Specialist, Data Analyst Global Operations Central Analytics, Research Data Scientist | Data analysis, data management, marketing | 58,604 | |
| Staff Knowledge Engineer, Strategic Financial Analyst (Revenue), Sales Strategy and Operations Analyst | Data analysis, data management | 16,000 | |
| Microsoft | Data Engineer, Senior Program Manager, Principal Data Architect | Data analysis, data management | 103,000 |
| NTT Data | Senior Data Analyst, Senior .Net Developer, Senior Data Scientist | Data analysis, data management | 139,680 |
| Seagate | Staff Analyst-Native Hana, Senior Engineer Characterization and Analytics Group, Senior Data Scientist | Data analysis, data management | 40,000 |
List of Companies That Use SQL, Expanded
As seen in the table above, a variety of companies use SQL for various purposes. Learn more about the companies and their employees that use SQL in the section below. You will find an overview of each of the companies and the average salaries of their employees that use SQL.
Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company in IT and consulting services. It is a Fortune 500 company that offers cloud database services, BPO, automation, and business strategy. Accenture hires employees with SQL certification for assisting clients in Oracle Database Technology and testing and understanding Oracle methodologies.
Average Salaries for Accenture Employees Who Use SQL
- Microsoft SQL Server Database Administration | $96,000
- Application Developer PL/SQL | $66,000
- Production Support Engineer | $86,908
Adobe Systems, Inc.
Adobe is a multinational software company that provides software and digital marketing solutions. They have products for web design, graphic design, animation, elearning, servers, video editing, and audio editing. For a company that develops a diverse family of products, SQL allows its developers to build the next-generation web applications for Adobe Analytics.
Average Salaries for Adobe Employees Who Use SQL
- Software Development Engineer | $110,699
- Finance Manager, Doc Cloud | $104,075
- Software Engineer – Full Stack | $119,623
Cigna
Cigna is a global health service company offering Medicare plans to groups, companies, and individuals. The company hires professionals with SQL knowledge for database software management and client reporting.
Average Salaries for Cigna Employees Who Use SQL
- SQL Developer (Client Reporting) – eviCore | $91,516
- Data Management Analyst | $72,877
- Senior Java Services Engineer | $100,146
Cognizant
Cognizant is a global IT service and consulting company. They provide digital services such as digital strategy, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud enablement, and network security. The company uses SQL in a variety of its services including data analysis, AI, and data management.
Average Salaries for Cognizant Employees Who Use SQL
Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies is a multinational technology company providing products such as software, electronics, and information security services. Dell Technologies use SQL for their solutions ecosystems and for delivering sales-facing collaterals like design guides and white paper.
Average Salaries for Dell Employees Who Use SQL
- SQL Server & Oracle Technical Marketing Engineer -Integrated Solutions | $154,958
- Senior Software Reliability Engineer | $106,862
- Data Engineer / Analyst| $110,000
Facebook is an extremely popular global social media platform. The company uses MySQL to manage vast amounts of user data, as well as InnoDB as its storage engine. Facebook was developed using open-source software, written in PHP language, with a MySQL database infrastructure.
Average Salaries for Facebook Employees Who Use SQL
LinkedIn is an employment-oriented professional networking platform with more than 700 million users worldwide. LinkedIn uses Espresso, a NoSQL database that uses more flexible data models. The company uses it to power around 30 LinkedIn applications, like their member profile and messaging system, part of their homepage, and their user interface.
Average Salaries for LinkedIn Employees Who Use SQL
- Staff Knowledge Engineer | $180,250
- Strategic Financial Analyst (Revenue) | $85,291
- Sales Strategy and Operations Analyst | $77,997
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is a multinational technology corporation known as the largest software producer. Their most popular products include the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
Microsoft recognizes the need for businesses to have a secure database management system. Their Microsoft Server, SQL Server, stores and retrieves data. It’s available for download in Windows, Linux, and Docker.
Average Salaries for Microsoft Employees Who Use SQL
NTT Data
NTT Data is a Japanese global IT service and consulting company. They help companies embrace digitization through artificial intelligence, customer experience, the Internet of things (IoT), optimization, and cyber security. NTT Data uses an SQL database in a variety of its services including data analysis, AI, and data management.
Average Salaries for NTT Data Employees Who Use SQL
- Senior Data Analyst – Healthcare Domain | $80,189
- Senior .Net Developer | $102,020
- Senior Data Scientist| $92,172
Seagate
Seagate is a global hardware company known for being the first company to develop the 5.25-inch hard disk drive. Seagate has optimized database deployments with their SQL server reference design. This is a solution to make data warehouse deployments more efficient with real-time reporting and data streaming.
Average Salaries for Seagate Employees Who Use SQL
- Staff Analyst-Native Hana | $68,676
- Sr. Engineer-Characterization and Analytics Group | $101,318
- Sr. Data Scientist | $78,471
SQL Bootcamps: Who Uses SQL to Teach Students How to Code?
With SQL being one of the most used programming languages available, there are many great coding bootcamps available to teach you SQL. In just a few weeks, you will learn how to use SQL and be ready to start your career as a SQL professional. Below is a list of a few of the best SQL coding bootcamps.
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- Nucamp. Nucamp offers an online, part-time, 16-week SQL bootcamp. It teaches students how to build robust applications with the use of programming languages such as SQL and Python that can be deployed in three separate clouds.
- General Assembly. The data analytics bootcamp provided by General Assembly is an in-person, part-time course that tackles SQL, Excel, and Tableau for analytics and insights. These basic skill sets can be applied to analyst jobs and will help you job-ready in just ten weeks.
- Clarusway. Clarusway has a 25-week bootcamp that teaches IT fundamental training to beginners. It focuses on practical technical knowledge for data analysis, teaching you tools and languages such as SQL, Python, and Pandas.
Which Real-World SQL Use Case Is Right for Me?
SQL is an easy-to-learn, standard programming language perfect for aspiring data analysts, accountants, and developers. If an SQL career piques your interest, and you have no previous SQL experience, then it is time to join an SQL coding bootcamp. Your bootcamp experience will provide you with the practical skills and knowledge necessary for your future career.
Putting your SQL experience on your resume will attract the attention of companies that use SQL, such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Adobe Systems, Inc. Take the opportunity to build the life you want and become an SQL expert.
Uses of SQL FAQ
SQL is a common language used by IT and business professionals for data management and analytics. Many commonly used mobile applications, including social media platforms like Facebook, use SQL.
SQL is a programming language used by IT professionals in software development, data science, software quality assurance, and database administration. Many people in data analyst roles need SQL key skills.
The technology industry uses SQL the most. It is used in mobile applications, the Internet of Things (IoT), the backend of business websites, and artificial intelligence projects. It is also used in ecommerce and for customer relationship management.
A beginner can learn the basic concepts of the language in an average of two to three weeks. However, mastering the skills and being able to apply them in real-world scenarios takes a lot more time.
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