ETL developers extract business data and load it into a data warehousing environment. Design and programming skills are needed as they design and test the performance of the system. They also troubleshoot any problems before it goes live. They consult with various teams to understand the company’s data storage needs and develop data warehousing options. They must have deep knowledge of coding languages, including Java, XML, and SQL. They must also have solid project management skills and be well versed in warehousing architecture techniques such as MOLAP, ROLAP, ODS, DM, and EDW.
ETL developers are analytical, have excellent communication skills, and have good troubleshooting ability to solve complex technical problems. Businesses create massive amounts of data that need to be stored and quickly retrieved or changed. ETL developers create storage options that handle all these needs.
Sample job description
Average salary and compensation
The average salary for an ETL developer is $101,600 per year in the United States, with potential for quarterly or annual bonuses. Salary will vary based on level of experience, education, industry, company size, and geographical location.
| Location | Salary Low | Salary High |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, Arizona | $101,050 | $136,700 |
| Los Angeles, California | $114,000 | $154,250 |
| Denver, Colorado | $95,000 | $128,500 |
| Washington, DC | $115,700 | $156,550 |
| Miami, Florida | $94,550 | $127,950 |
| Orlando, Florida | $87,200 | $118,000 |
| Tampa, Florida | $88,100 | $119,200 |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $92,400 | $125,000 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $106,200 | $143,700 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $114,850 | $155,400 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota | $91,550 | $123,850 |
| New York City, New York | $120,900 | $163,600 |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $98,450 | $133,200 |
| Dallas, Texas | $95,850 | $129,700 |
| Houston, Texas | $95,400 | $129,100 |
| Seattle, Washington | $110,550 | $149,150 |
| National Average | $86,350 | $116,850 |
Sample interview questions
- Can you explain what the ETL process is?
- What would you include in testing operations?
- What’s the difference between data mining and warehousing?
- Can you name some of the various tools used in ETL?
- What is fact?
- What are OLAP cubes?
- Can you explain partitioning?
- What’s the difference between PowerCenter and PowerMart?
- What is Round-Robin partitioning?
- What is a Worklet in ETL?
- What is a Workflow?
- What about a session?
- What about mapping?
- What does an operational data store mean?
- What does the ODS generate?
- When are tables analyzed in ETL?
- How are they analyzed?
- How can mapping be fine-tuned?
