Structured Query Language (SQL) is a coding language used by programmers to store data and manage relational databases. Computer scientists at IBM introduced SQL in the 1970s with the intention of using the language to manipulate and retrieve data stored in System R, a quasi-relational database management system IBM was using. With SQL, programmers could now access many records with a single command and no longer needed to specify how to reach a record. By the mid to late 1980s, SQL became a standard of the American National Standards Institute and the International Organization for Standardization.
SQL is one of the most popular languages used by beginners. The language has a simple and intuitive syntax, making it easier to learn than some other programming languages. Beginners also like seeing immediate results of their queries when using SQL and find the language accessible compared to others. Today, programmers and developers use SQL to create and update databases, as well as identify patterns and analyze data.
What Can You Do with SQL Training?
Back-end web developers use SQL to communicate with databases. With SQL, they can carry out commands like UPDATE, DELETE, and DROP. SQL integrates with Python and R, which is useful in areas like web development and data analysis. Professionals working in the field of data science rely on SQL to integrate data that they plan to analyze and propose data-driven decisions on.
The way you use SQL will depend on your programming or development objectives. With SQL, you can manipulate data contained within tables by changing data points or altering sections of the table. You can also build new databases, retrieve data, change data structures, and define database schema with the programming language. Data scientists, data administrators, and business intelligence developers use SQL for these purposes and others.
What Will I Learn in an SQL Class?
An SQL class will teach you the foundations of SQL through hands-on lessons and projects. Take an SQL class if you want to prepare for a career in data science, programming, or development. You can expect to learn about SQL queries, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and data analysis in an SQL class. Projects and activities that you complete with classmates will also help you develop strong communication skills that will come in handy in your professional career.
SQL Queries
SQL queries, or SQL statements, provide instructions for relational databases. Think of them as commands that you’re sending to a database requesting the database to send you data. For example, you might run SELECT to select data from a database and SELECT DISTINCT to retrieve distinct values from a database. Most beginner-level SQL classes begin with lessons on how to use SQL to query a database. If you’re working with data, you must understand how to retrieve data. With SQL queries, SQL users can modify data, aggregate data for analysis, and connect databases to applications.
SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is the company’s relational database management system that performs SQL queries and commands. Specifically, SQL Server allows software applications to request data. Microsoft introduced SQL Server in 1989. Today, users can purchase a subscription to SQL Server, with options for mainstream or specialized editions available. Data scientists, system architects, and even financial analysts use SQL Server to retrieve and analyze data.
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL, like SQL Server, is a relational database management system. With this free and open-source database, users can define custom data types and integrate the system with other database systems, like MySQL, Oracle, and SQL Server. Many professionals use PostgreSQL because it’s a cost-effective system that strongly complies with SQL standards. Enrolling in an SQL program will help you understand how and when to use PostgreSQL versus SQL Server.
Data Analysis
Data analysts use SQL to access and manage data. SQL’s simple syntax and ability to perform complex data analysis through interactions with large datasets make the language valuable to data professionals. With SQL, users can create advanced tools and dashboards; those dashboards can then help display data for ease of analysis. Users can also integrate data analytics into other frameworks. You can learn data analysis in a class or bootcamp focused on SQL for data analysis.
Communication
You need strong communication skills to excel in a lot of roles. Whether you want to become a Data Scientist, Web Developer, or Financial Analyst, you need to know how to communicate with a team, supervisors, and clients. An SQL course will help you develop strong written and oral communication skills. You’ll work on projects that will emphasize working with others, writing reports, and presenting findings—all important skills for working in a team-based environment.
How Hard is It to Learn SQL?
Many people find SQL to be a fairly easy programming language to learn. The most challenging aspects of learning SQL are understanding the concept of using a programming language and learning how to use different SQL relational database management systems.
Individuals with no prior programming experience sometimes find it difficult to understand how to work with a new, unspoken language. Taking your time to learn the basics of SQL like vocabulary and queries is an important foundation that will make learning SQL easier in the long run.
You have a lot of options when it comes to SQL relational database management systems. The difficulty for most learners is understanding the differences between them. Many of these systems have differences that users find hard to remember, like the different commands or even the difference in punctuation between commands. Starting small and learning widely used systems like SQL Server and PostgreSQL first can help you pick up other systems more easily later on.
How Long Does It Take to Learn SQL?
You can learn the basics of SQL in about two to three weeks. This includes learning basic syntax and commands, simple queries, and aggregate functions. SQL’s commands follow basic English, so most people find the language itself easy to pick up. Intermediate-level skills take around one to three months for most learners to develop. After those one to three months of training, you should know how to perform subqueries and aggregate data. If you’re aiming to learn advanced-level SQL, expect to spend about three to six months, possibly more, learning advanced-level topics such as performance optimization and database design.
Your prior experience with coding languages and your objectives in learning SQL will likely influence how long it takes you to learn. If you have no prior experience, you may need more lessons and practice than someone who has coded before. If you plan on applying your SQL skills to real-world projects, the process of developing advanced-level skills may take longer than usual expectations. However, even with no prior experience, you can learn SQL fairly quickly with enough dedicated practice and training.
Should I Learn SQL in Person or Online?
Ready to enroll in SQL training? Schools and training centers that offer SQL training typically provide a mix of in-person, live online, and asynchronous classes. Consider your schedule, your learning style, and your objectives before enrolling in any specific class type.
In-person classes held by schools and centers take place during the week, in the evenings, and on weekends. This style of class requires students to commute to a classroom or computer lab, so you should prepare yourself for commuting if you enroll in an in-person class. Most students like learning face-to-face when possible, and in-person classes provide familiarity for beginner students thanks to their traditional style. The cost of attending an in-person SQL class will vary depending on whether you’re enrolling in a short program, a bootcamp, or a certificate program, with single to week-long classes usually costing several hundred dollars, bootcamps costing several thousand, and certificate programs costing several thousand or even tens of thousands of dollars.
Demand for online learning has increased the popularity of online SQL classes. Many schools that offer in-person classes also offer online classes. You can find live online SQL classes for beginners that will walk you through beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level SQL. In a live online class, you’ll learn from a live instructor via a web conferencing platform, like Zoom. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, receive feedback, and share your screen. Students who can’t commute to an in-person class but want the experience of learning from a live instructor can do so in this style of class. Most live online programs cost the same as their in-person counterparts.
If you can’t attend a scheduled class, you can enroll in an asynchronous class. Asynchronous classes, also known as on-demand classes, don’t follow a scheduled curriculum. Instead, students will enter a virtual classroom where they’ll have access to class materials like pre-recorded video lectures and activities. Asynchronous classes usually cost significantly less than live classes because they don’t include access to an instructor. Students will instead work through the material on their own, so it’s important that if you plan on enrolling in an asynchronous class, you can motivate yourself and self-teach.
Can I Learn SQL Free Online?
The internet provides great resources for learning the basics of SQL for free. Online learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer short-form on-demand classes where you can learn the foundations of SQL without paying for formal training. Training centers and schools also frequently upload video lectures to YouTube, sometimes in a series format, that help beginners learn the basics of SQL. Students who turn to the internet to learn what they can about SQL for free can also depend on forums where SQL users meet to discuss topics and ask each other questions when they’re stuck on something. Formal training is usually the next step after learning the basics of SQL for free online.
What Should I Learn Alongside SQL?
Learning SQL can open you up to a world of new skills and possible career paths, including web development, data analysis, and programming. Many students learn other popular programming languages when learning SQL.
If you want to use your SQL knowledge to develop websites, consider learning back-end or full-stack web development. Back-end web developers work on the back-end, or server-side, of websites and applications, managing databases and ensuring functionality. Full-stack web developers work on the back-end of websites and applications as well as the front-end, or client-side. A Web Developer working on the back-end usually needs to know several programming languages, including SQL, Python, and Java. You can learn these other coding languages in a back-end or full-stack web development class, or you can enroll in a class focused solely on one of several coding languages.
Another useful skill to learn when learning SQL is data visualization. With SQL, users can retrieve and manipulate data that they plan to use in their visualizations. The actual data visualization process involves simplifying complex data, identifying trends, and creating visually appealing graphics that engage viewers. While you won’t use SQL to create data visualizations, it's crucial for preparing and combining data. You can then integrate SQL with data visualization tools like Power BI and Tableau to help make the visualizations.
Industries That Use SQL
Ready to put your SQL skills to the test? Check out these industries in New Jersey looking to hire professionals with SQL skills.
Financial Services
The financial services industry plays a significant role in New Jersey’s economy. The state is close to financial hubs like New York City and Philadelphia, which have helped companies in the state attract a skilled workforce. Major banks in the state include TD Bank and Lakeland Bank, while wealth management firms, hedge funds, private equity firms, and asset management companies have set themselves up in and near cities like Princeton, Jersey City, and Hoboken. Companies in the financial services industry use SQL to process transactions, manage customer-related information, analyze portfolios, stocks, and bonds, and query data to identify suspicious patterns and protect customers from fraud.
Pharmaceuticals
New Jersey is a pioneer in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies have set up their headquarters and operational facilities in the state, including Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The industry also benefits from research institutes in the state, including Princeton, which has a network of investors on top of research facilities, and the National Institutes of Health. With SQL, professionals in the pharmaceutical industry can manage data from clinical trials, store detailed information about drugs in development, and track stock levels.
Technology
New Jersey’s educated workforce, strong infrastructure, and innovative research environment have helped the industry rapidly develop and establish a presence in key sectors like software development, FinTech, and cybersecurity. SQL is a prominent language used in the tech industry for managing and interacting with databases. For example, companies use SQL to aggregate data and make decisions, develop applications, and manage customer interactions and sales data.
SQL Job Titles and Salaries
Do you have experience with SQL and want to know what industries you can find work in? SQL experience and skills can help you start a position as an SQL developer, a Financial Analyst, and a Web Developer.
SQL Developer
SQL developers design and build SQL databases and applications. If you want to become an SQL developer, you need to know how to design, create, and manage databases as well as the applications used to interface with them. SQL developers should, of course, have foundational SQL skills like SQL commands and using relational database management systems. This role typically reports to others, including clients, about the databases they’ve created, so soft skills like communication and collaboration are important too. The average salary of an SQL developer in New Jersey is $111,000, just above the national average of $109,000.
Financial Analyst
Financial analysts analyze data to identify outcomes, opportunities, and risks for companies and clients. Usually, they aggregate their findings to help come up with decisions for the company or clients, including investment decisions. A Financial Analyst should have financial literacy, including a strong understanding of industry jargon. Day-to-day work for a Financial Analyst includes the creation of regression analyses, reports, and presentations they often need to use databases and statistics to create. This role uses SQL to create databases for organizing and storing financial data and extracting and analyzing data from multiple databases. Financial analysts in New Jersey make an average annual salary of $83,000, just below the national average of $87,000.
Back Web Developer
Web developers build websites and applications using programming languages. Working on the back-end of a website requires knowledge of databases and technical skills like coding. Most back-end web developers know several server-side programming languages, with SQL, Python, Java, and Ruby being some of the most popular among them. Back-end web developers use SQL to work with databases to create, modify, and retrieve data. The average salary of a back-end Web Developer in New Jersey is $122,000.
SQL Classes Near Me
You can find SQL classes offered in-person across cities in New Jersey and live online open for enrollment today. Consider the type of SQL class you’d like to enroll in before checking out the classes below.
Noble Desktop offers a live online ||CPN834|| that will teach you how to write SQL queries, join tables, aggregate data, and filter results from databases. The course covers PostgreSQL and will prepare you to use other databases like SQL Server and MySQL. The bootcamp is 18 hours long and includes a 1-on-1 training session where you can ask any expert for help reviewing concepts or projects from class and receive assistance applying your new skills to your projects. After finishing the bootcamp, you’ll receive a certificate of completion and have the option of retaking the bootcamp within one year.
If you’d like more training with SQL Server, you can enroll in Noble’s SQL Server Bootcamp. You and your classmates will work through three levels of SQL where you’ll learn how to explore information stored in a database and advanced techniques like subqueries. The live online bootcamp institutes project-based learning, so you can expect to work on real projects under the guidance of the instructor. If commuting to NYC is a possibility, you can attend this bootcamp and other Noble Desktop bootcamps in-person.
New Horizons also offers beginner-level training in SQL. In SQL Querying Fundamentals—Part 1, you can expect to learn the basics of executing SQL queries, with lessons focusing on performing conditional searches, working with functions, organizing data, and retrieving data from tables. The final lesson in the one-day class covers presenting query results and will teach you how to generate an XML report. Once you have completed the class, you can enroll in SQL Querying Fundamentals—Part 2, a course that introduces students to advanced queries.
Certstaffix Training’s SQL Querying—Basic Course is a two-day class that teaches students how to compose basic SQL queries and use SQL Server. Certstaffix encourages students using Oracle or MySQL to attend as they’ll still benefit from the lessons. The class is $990 per person with group rates available. Students can enroll in the live online version of the class or request information about onsite team training.
SQL Corporate Training
Do you want your team to learn SQL? Noble Desktop can provide your organization with SQL training that meets your employees’ learning objectives and scheduling needs. When enrolling in corporate training, you have the option of selecting live online or onsite training options. Teams interested in corporate training can purchase group vouchers in bulk at a discount from Noble Desktop. When purchasing group vouchers, you can select the courses available to your team to choose from. They can then schedule their training at a time that fits their schedules.
Reach out to corporate@nobledesktop.com to learn more about Noble Desktop’s corporate training services and receive help in determining which options best fit your team’s needs and goals.