Structured Query Language is the standard language to deal with relational databases. This requires an understanding of various commands and language. SQL Developer deals with what data is present in the database, how the data must be manipulated, and what insights are to be generated. In this article, we’ll discuss the global SQL Developer Salary and see why every enterprise needs a SQL Developer. According to PayScale, on average, a SQL Developer can expect a salary of $72,740(US).
In this article, I’ll be discussing the details of a SQL Developer salary in the following order:
- Who is a SQL Developer?
- SQL Developer Job Trends
- SQL Developer Skills
- SQL Developer Salary Trend
- Salary of SQL Developer: Company
- Salary of SQL Developer: Geographically
- Salary of SQL Developer: Experience-Based
- Common Career Paths for SQL Developer
Who is a SQL Developer?
A SQL Developer is a professional who knows how to use the structured query language to access and manage databases. They manipulate the data using tables, views, procedures, indexes. A SQL Developer also supports a custom web application development and collaborate with teams and other developers to review the code, and enhance the process. Also, SQL Developers are responsible for developing, modifying and organizing data in databases. Finally, they must also be able to provide various information services and generate meaningful insights.
If I have to summarize the tasks of a SQL Developer then,
- He/she is responsible to test and document the required software.
- Analyze the clients’ requirements and transform them into technical designs.
- Code, modify and debug software
- Access, manage and retrieve data from the databases
- Design and develop application components.
SQL Developer Job Trends
The below table illustrates the number of jobs in different locations in India according to Indeed.com.
| Location | Number of Jobs |
| Bengaluru, Karnataka | 3819 |
| Hyderabad, Telangana | 1835 |
| Pune, Maharashtra | 1784 |
| Chennai, Tamil Nadu | 1613 |
| Mumbai, Maharashtra | 1482 |
The below table illustrates the number of jobs in different locations in the US according to Indeed.com.
| Location | Number of Jobs |
| New York, NY | 479 |
| Washington, DC | 385 |
| Chicago, IL | 319 |
| Atlanta, GA | 302 |
| Seattle, WA | 242 |
As you can see the numbers are quite good. SQL Developer career opportunities will only shoot through the roof, as both start-ups and well-established companies require professionals to handle their databases.
Now, that you know the job vacancies available for a SQL Developer, let us look into the skills required to become a SQL Developer.
SQL Developer Skills
The skills in Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Server Integration Services(SSIS), SQL Server Reporting Services(SSRS) and Transact SQL are correlated to pay that is above the average. Some of the skills which pay less than the average market rate which include PL/SQL and SQL.
Well, these are a few important skills to become a SQL Developer. But, I must tell you that SQL is a must-have skill in almost all the job roles present in today’s market. All the industry professionals are expected to have at least a basic understanding of SQL, as it lets them understand how the data is getting handled in the background.
Now that you know the top skills required to become a SQL Developer, let us go forward and look into the salary trend of a SQL Developer.
SQL Developer Salary Trend
From startups to established companies, the job market looks good for SQL enthusiasts and it is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. SQL Programmers/ Developers have good opportunities in all the geographies. Consider the below graph for the SQL Developer salary trend in the UK.
Source: itjobswatch.co.uk
According to PayScale.com, the average salary for a SQL Developer for the US is $72,740 and ₹428,011 for India. Refer below.
INDIA:
US:
In another survey conducted by Indeed.com, the average salary is about $88k for the US and ₹381k for India. Take a look at the images below:
INDIA:
Glassdoor rates the average base pay for SQL Developers at $84,779 per year in the United States, and ₹422,532 in India. That’s much higher than PayScale which claims a median of $73,000 and ₹4,28,000 respectively.
As I have mentioned the average salary of a SQL Developer, let us now see how the salary varies based on various factors.
SQL Developer Salary By Company
There is a huge growth in the employment percentage of SQL Developers for hyper-growth companies. Refer below for the list of top companies and their average salary for the role of a SQL Developer:[Source: PayScale]
INDIA
| Company | Average Salary |
| Tech Mahindra | ₹445k |
| Capgemini | ₹450k |
| TCS | ₹500k |
| Cognizant | ₹559k |
| Synechron Technologies | ₹768k |
US:
| Company | Average Salary |
| Bank of America Corp(BOFA) | $70k |
| Surgery Partners | $71k |
| BCD Travels | $88k |
| PLS Financial Services | $94k |
| Anthem | $102k |
Next in this article, let us see how a SQL Developers’s salary varies based on the geographic locations.
SQL Developer Salary Geographically
I am listing down the SQL Developer salary for the following major geographic locations:
| Geographic Location | Average Salary |
| India | ₹428k |
| United States | $73k |
| United Kingdom |
Moving forward in this article, let us see how a SQL Developers’ salary varies based on the geographic locations.
SQL Developer Salary Based on Experience
The SQL Developer salaries vary based on your experience from ₹265k to ₹1m for India, and $53 to $96 for US. Refer below.
INDIA:
Here is a list of different levels of SQL Developers based on their years of experience and the average income.
| Level of Experience | Average Salary |
| Entry-level SQL Developer (< 1 year of experience) | ₹265,000 |
| Early-career SQL Developer (1-4 years of experience) | ₹391,048 |
| Mid-career SQL Developer (5-9 years of experience) | ₹710,646 |
| Experienced SQL Developer (10-19 years of experience ) | ₹1,125,821 |
US:
Here is a list of different levels of SQL Developers based on their years of experience and the average income.
| Level of Experience | Average Salary |
| Entry-level SQL Developer (< 1 year of experience) | $53,435 |
| Early-career SQL Developer (1-4 years of experience) | $65,501 |
| Mid-career SQL Developer (5-9 years of experience) | $79,828 |
| Experienced SQL Developer (10-19 years of experience ) |
Moving onto the final topic of this article, let us look into what are the common career paths for a SQL Developer.
Common Career Path for a SQL Developer
The employment trends for software developers has been constantly changing, but yet the demand for SQL Developers continues to rise as each and every organization generates a large amount of data that must be managed. Yet, according to me, I would not say that knowing only SQL would benefit you in your career path. Instead, if you have knowledge about various other technologies or work in different fields, by having hands-on experience in SQL; it would definitely make you stand out in the crowd.
So, here are few common career paths for a SQL Developer and their respective salary range.
| Related Job | Salary Range |
| Database Administrator (DBA) | $46k – $109k |
| Information Technology (IT) Consultant | $50k – $121k |
| Data Analyst | $42k – $84k |
| Business Intelligence (BI) Developer | $55k – $109k |
| Software Developer | $50k – $104k |
Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst | $49k – $94k |
| Data Scientist | $65k – $134k |
| Big Data Engineer | $70k – $125k |
If you are someone looking to get into an interesting career, now would be the right time to up-skill and take advantage of the SQL related career opportunities that come your way.
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