9 In-Demand Entry Level SQL Jobs You Can Apply For in 2024

Relational database management systems (RDBMS) comprise 72% of the global DBMS market. SQL is the language most commonly used for querying these databases, so it’s no surprise that the demand for professionals who can use SQL is high.

Many tech jobs involve database use. Writing simple queries is one of the tasks commonly assigned to interns and fresh graduates with little work experience, which is why many entry-level jobs also require familiarity with SQL.

This article highlights nine entry-level SQL jobs that may be a good fit for you. We’ll discuss what these SQL jobs entail, possible salaries, and additional skills you’ll need to excel in these roles.

A data analyst’s primary responsibility is extracting useful insights from data. This requires them to perform tasks such as data collection, cleaning, analysis, and visualization and generate reports. This is a common entry-level SQL job because the tasks have limited scopes, and you usually work under the guidance of a data scientist.

The data needed for analytics is often stored in an SQL database. On any given day, an analyst could use SQL to enter or clean data, create tables, write or update queries, or produce ad-hoc reports. They may also write SQL queries to import data into visualization tools.

Additional Skills

Although familiarity with SQL is important, entry-level analysts are typically required to have other skills such as programming knowledge (Python or R), math, statistics, and data visualization.

Salary

The average base salary for this entry-level SQL job is approximately $85,000. However, some data analysts start their careers with six-figure salaries. Find out which companies have the highest entry-level data analyst salaries on Interview Query.

An SQL developer is responsible for designing and creating databases. They also perform maintenance activities to ensure the database operates as required. Specific activities you will use SQL for in this role include:

• Creating new SQL databases and tables
• Debugging or optimizing slow queries
• Writing and formatting stored procedures
• Creating or updating reports
• Monitoring queries to see which ones need optimization

SQL developers must have a strong understanding of SQL, database design, data warehousing, and database management systems. You should be able to create complex SQL functions, design security protocols, and write complex SQL queries for different applications.

Additional Skills

Junior SQL positions in this field often require experience with programming languages such as Python and Java. Knowledge of big data technologies and cloud services is also an advantage.

Salary

The salary for entry-level SQL developers in the US ranges from $74,000 to $125,000 per year, depending on the industry and specific company.

A data engineer’s goal is to ensure others in the organization can access data for all their needs. They are responsible for building the pipelines that gather data from different sources, transform it, and store it. They also test these pipelines to maintain their integrity.

Some SQL activities you’ll undertake in this role include writing queries to extract data from SQL databases, troubleshooting slow queries, and assessing data integrity in SQL databases.

Data engineers often work with relational databases and must know how to use SQL. They must also be familiar with relational database management systems, ETL (extract, transform, and load) tools, and big data tools (MongoDB, Hadoop, etc.).

Additional Skills

Data engineers need programming skills for automation and other tasks. Familiarity with cloud storage solutions is also important. Although they may not apply machine learning in their work, understanding it can help them meet the needs of data scientists.

Salary

Entry-level SQL jobs in data engineering are currently some of the best-paying data roles. The average base salary at entry level is around $101,000, rivaling that of data scientists. Find out how entry-level data engineer salaries compare to entry-level salaries for other positions on IQ.

Data scientists aim to solve organizational problems using data, but their jobs have a wider scope than that of analysts. Although they, too, derive insights from data, they’re often tasked with first identifying and defining the problems to be solved. They also have to design/create/choose the algorithms or models used to analyze data, communicate results, and make recommendations to decision-makers.

Data scientists need SQL to perform activities such as:

• Retrieving data from SQL databases
• Conducting exploratory data analysis
• Transforming data to suit specific needs
• Generating reports

Additional Skills

Data scientists spend a lot of time coding using programming languages such as Python and R. They must also be familiar with the tools needed to create visually appealing reports and presentations. Knowledge of machine learning and big data is also crucial today.

Salary

Entry-level data scientists earn approximately $100,000 on average as the base salary. However, the average base salary for beginner SQL roles at FAANG and other companies can be as high as $143,000. Check out this page for more information on entry-level salaries for data scientists.

Software engineers design, create, test, and maintain user software solutions. These solutions could be anything from business and web apps to mobile apps and PC games. Many of these solutions rely on databases and regularly perform CRUD operations.

Knowledge of SQL is essential for full-stack and back-end engineers because SQL queries are required to access or manipulate data in relational databases. A common SQL task in this role is embedding SQL queries in applications to enable them to retrieve information in SQL databases or update and delete data.

Additional Tech Skills

Working with databases is usually a minor aspect of a software engineer’s job. Even at the entry level, you’ll need other tech skills, including programming knowledge, software development, data structures, version control, and encryption.

Salary

The average base salary for entry-level software engineers is approximately $111,000. However, due to the diverse nature of roles in this category, some entry-level engineers only make $63,000, while others make as much as $153,000. Check out Interview Query to find out more about entry-level software engineer salaries.

Database administrators (DBAs) oversee activities relating to creating and maintaining databases and are responsible for access, updates, troubleshooting, and security. They may also assist with capacity planning, system configuration, migration, database design, data backup and recovery, and performance monitoring. Due to the sheer amount of data companies deal with, these entry-level SQL jobs are still common despite the overlap with other roles.

Database administrators are expected to be experts in all things related to databases. Knowledge of SQL, database theory, and database design are high on the list of required skills. They must also be familiar with different types of database management systems.

Additional Skills

A database administrator should be familiar with UNIX and Linux. Linux is especially important because many databases are hosted on servers running a Linux operating system. DBAs also need to understand system architecture and optimization to create better-performing databases. They should also know how to work with cloud-based services and big data.

Salary

Entry-level database administrators earn an average of around $79,000 annually. However, companies in certain industries, including tech and financial services, can pay over $120,000 for an entry-level database administrator.

BI analysts help companies make better business decisions with the help of data. A BI analyst’s responsibilities can be broad and varied depending on the company. However, they’ll typically have to collect, clean, and analyze data relating to:

• Sales
• Markets
• Revenue
• Customer engagement
• And more

They may also be tasked with creating visualization and monitoring tools and presenting findings and insights to relevant stakeholders to help them improve current business operations.

On any given day, a BI analyst could be writing SQL queries to retrieve and manipulate data in an SQL database before analyzing it or using it in a visualization tool.

Additional Skills

BI analysts often have to present information and should be skilled at creating dashboards. The role may also require coding to create tools for analysis and automation. Some level of business or financial knowledge is also expected.

Salary

The average base salary for this entry-level SQL job is around $114,000. However, individual salaries vary significantly, with some making $65,000 at big-name companies and others making $130,000+ elsewhere. For more insights on the pay for entry-level BI analysts, visit Interview Query.

There is a lot of overlap between the role of a business analyst and that of a BI analyst, and sometimes these terms are used interchangeably. A commonly accepted distinction is that BI analysts’ jobs focus on present operations, while business analysts use data to help the company decide on future actions.

Business analysts use both unstructured and structured data to perform predictive analytics, and the latter is typically in an SQL database. Similar to a BI analyst, a business analyst will regularly write SQL queries to retrieve and manipulate data in SQL databases before using it in other applications.

Additional Skills

Just like BI analysts, business analysts should have some level of business or financial knowledge. They should also be able to work with NoSQL databases and be familiar with programming to write codes to help with analysis, manipulation, and automation.

Salary

According to more recent data, business analysts at the entry level earn a base salary of approximately $81,500. Check out how this compares to entry-level salaries in other positions on IQ.

Machine learning engineers design and build the models used in practical implementations of ML/AI. Put simply, they create, maintain, and improve the products or features that use machine learning to solve organizational or business problems.

Choosing the right data to train models on is one of the most important aspects of an engineer’s job. An ML engineer will write SQL queries to retrieve and filter data, combine data from different tables, or update data. They will also write queries to perform exploratory analysis of data before using it.

Additional Skills

ML engineers need a wide range of hard skills in addition to SQL, including coding, software engineering, math, statistics, experience using machine learning tools, and familiarity with neural networks, cloud services, and data structures.

Salary

Machine learning engineers are highly sought-after today, and entry-level jobs have a very high average salary of around $126,000. Check out Interview Query for more salary information for entry-level machine learning engineers.

Being a wiz with SQL in the current data-centric world makes you an ideal candidate for many entry-level positions. Some roles are focused on creating and running databases, so SQL skills alone may be enough to get you through the door. However, many positions require other skills, and there is a lot of overlap in responsibilities. Skills such as programming knowledge, math, and machine learning can be a big advantage in this situation.

Interview Query is an excellent resource for anyone applying for beginner SQL jobs. We provide you with access to SQL interview questions tailored to different roles and company interview guides to give you an idea of what to expect when interviewing at these places. You can also get coaching from industry veterans and use our mock interview feature to help with your interview preparation. Our SQL learning path is a great tool if you wish to refresh your SQL knowledge, and if you’re curious about what a particular company pays for entry-level SQL jobs, our salary section has you covered.

Whether you’re just starting to learn the language or already an expert, we hope this guide will help you choose the right entry-level SQL job to launch your career.