How To Become A PL SQL Developer (With Duties And Salary)

Updated 19 January 2023

Companies often transform and optimize data storage and maintenance to make their internal systems more efficient and optimized. PL SQL developers play a crucial role in their database development and management. If you are interested in database programming and management, a career as a PL SQL developer may be right for you. In this article, we define a PL SQL developer, examine the steps to become a PL SQL developer, discuss the tips to advance their career, and review their duties and salaries.

What Does A PL SQL Developer Do?

An PL SQL developer is a professionally trained developer who works on Oracle's Procedural Language (PL) extension for its Structured Query Language (SQL). PL SQL developers create and provide support for the various systems on the different programming modules of the PL/SQL extension. They are an integral part of a company's IT department and work alongside other developers, network engineers, programmers, and other stakeholders to manage the system better. They maintain and recommend changes for the various PL SQL systems as and when required. They support all stakeholders on inquiries related to database management and storage.

How To Become A PL SQL Developer

If you are considering a career in programming, you may wonder how to become a PL SQL developer. You can take the following steps to become a PL SQL developer:

1. Earn a bachelor's degree

While you can work as a PL SQL developer after completing your 10+2, it is advantageous to have a bachelor's degree. While choosing the major for your bachelor's, consider courses like computer science, information technology, or other related fields. These subjects provide you with formal academic training on coding, networking, and other programming concepts that you are likely to use on the job. During your bachelor's, you can also learn the principles of database management, which can help you in your career as a PL SQL developer.

2. Find an internship

During the bachelor's program, universities often encourage students to undertake internships as it helps them get practical experience while studying. The internship can also help you gain an advantage while applying for a job, improving your chances of employment. While choosing internships, look for opportunities in database management or coding, as it can help you obtain practical knowledge of the role of a PL SQL developer. Besides practical knowledge, an internship also enables you to make professional relationships.

3. Improve your knowledge of database management

You can enroll in online courses that teach more about databases during your free time. If you want to become a PL SQL developer, having strong database skills may increase the available job opportunities. Some database courses that you can consider learning include:

Cloud services like Microsoft Azure
Data management with Python and SQL
SQL basics for data science
NoSQL database systems like MongoDB or CouchDB
Relational database administration

4. Gain technical experience via an entry-level role

Before becoming a PL SQL developer, it is essential to acquire practical experience through an entry-level job. A technical role like a database administrator helps you gain a complete overview of working and managing a database. This experience is valuable as you advance in your career to a developer position.

A few years of professional experience and expertise working on other programming languages like C, C++, C#, and Java and familiarity with the .NET framework can help differentiate you from the competition while applying for advanced roles. An added advantage is a clear understanding of the software lifecycle and familiarity with other database products.

5. Consider a professional certification in PL SQL

While a certification is not mandatory to become a PL SQL developer, some employers require candidates to have professional credentials. You can become a certified PL SQL developer by completing the appropriate coursework and passing the following certification examinations:

Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Associate
Oracle Database PL/SQL Developer Certified Professional

Aim to become an expert in one system instead of having basic knowledge in multiple database environments.

6. Build your soft skills

Besides technical proficiency, having the right soft skills helps you advance in your role as a PL SQL developer. The two primary soft skills for database developers include:

Communication

As a PL SQL developer, your role requires working with various IT professionals across teams. This includes database managers, network administrators, application developers, network engineers, and third-party vendors, like cloud service providers. Try to build your verbal and written communication skills to interact efficiently and clearly with others. While passing instructions to your teammates and others, keep your communication brief and concise.

Collaboration

As a PL SQL developer, you collaborate with other teams to aid the organization's digital transformation. You may work with employees across teams like networking, operations, or marketing. Having excellent collaboration skills helps you work smoothly with others, enhancing the flow of operations. To improve your collaboration skills, practice the art of open and honest communication with your teammates and colleagues. Listen actively to the hurdles faced by the team and brainstorm ideas to overcome these challenges.

7. Consider a master's degree

If you want to progress to a management role, then having a master's degree in business administration can help you differentiate from your peers. You can either pursue your master's immediately after graduation or gain a few years of experience in an entry-level role and then take a career break for higher studies. The second option also helps you save to cover the cost of higher education.

Duties And Responsibilities Of A PL SQL Developer

As a PL SQL developer, your typical duties include:

creating databases, tables, and other data storage tools to store and manage company data
reinforcing security measures to protect the database
optimizing data management and data retrieval tools
developing programs, plug-ins, and functions for the database to promote ease of use and convenience of data retrieval
analyzing the efficiency of the network and optimizing it depending on functionality and performance
collaborating with employees from other teams and stakeholders to identify the database needs of the company

What Is The Salary Of A PL SQL Developer?

The average salary of an SQL developer is ₹6,32,257 per year, and the compensation varies based on location, experience, and the company. Generally, database developers are in high demand and several companies offer lucrative pay packages to experienced and certified PL SQL developers. The average salary of an Oracle developer is ₹13,31,340 per year, with cities like Chennai reporting an average salary of ₹7,14,285 per year for experienced Oracle developers.

The Typical Workday Of A PL SQL Developer

The position of a PL SQL developer typically follows regular business hours and the 40 hours per week schedule. Depending on deadlines and production schedules, they may work extra hours or on weekends. It is a desk-based job with most of the work done on a computer. PL SQL developers also attend meetings with employees from other teams to decide the project requirements and timelines. As a PL SQL developer, you can work full-time for one employer or as a consultant for several companies.

Careers Similar To A PL SQL Developer

If you are interested in a similar role, you can consider the following options:

database engineer
database administrator
data scientist
software engineer
software developer
database tester
data analyst
data modeler

Tips To Advance In Your Career As A PL SQL Developer

Here are a few tips to advance in your career and earn higher salaries as a PL SQL developer:

Diversify your database knowledge: Theoretical knowledge and practical experiences with other database engines like NoSQL, MySQL, and SQL Server can help you become an asset to the organization and get promoted to higher roles.
Build your programming skills: Front-end programming skills like C#, JavaScript, and XML can help you build optimized database solutions and positively affect year-end appraisals and reviews.
Consider moving up to the role of a DBA: Besides database management, you can also consider a role as a database administrator, as these professionals usually earn higher salaries.
Keep yourself updated with programming trends: You can attend webinars or acquire an online certification to improve your programming knowledge and stay updated with the latest changes happening in your industry.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organization and a candidate's experience, academic background, and location.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.