A Career in Database Administration: Start with an Online Education

by Joe Cooper
Online Degrees Columnist

Education is no longer confined to the campus. Many computer industry professionals, especially those who already have jobs and personal responsibilities, find online education much more flexible (and affordable) than on-campus education.

Database Administration and the Degree You Need
Databases are the core of any business, large or small. They store company, customer, financial, development, human resources, and other information. They need constant creation, management, and innovation over the life of a company.

As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics points out, educational requirements for database administration "range from an associate's degree to a doctoral degree." But once you earn the credentials, "employment is expected to increase much faster" than in other fields. The difference between the computer industry and many other fields is that a college degree or certificate is absolutely essential.

Online Degree Programs in Database Administration
Online degree programs that fit a career in database administration include:

Computer Science
Information Science
Management Information Systems

There are both two- and four-year online degree programs available.

Good Compensation for a Good Career
Like other careers in the computer industry, database administration can come with salary potential that is much higher than the national average. After you earn your education through an online degree program, and gain several years' experience, you may have the potential to earn what the middle 50% of database administrators earn: between $64,860 and $108,440 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Who knew an online degree could be so profitable? Remember, education first. Then experience. Then career growth. The path is there--will you take it?

About the Author
Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor's in American Literature from UCLA.

Related Online Database Articles
Computer Science Models Can Predict Environmental Disasters - Thanks to computer science models, the degree of damage that a natural disaster can inflict is already figured into the formula.

Online Computer Science Degree - An online degree in computer science will prepare you for a career in the computer sciences.