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SQL Bootcamp

SQL Classes in NYC

With SQL you can answer questions using a database, the ultimate system of record for most organizations. As nearly every industry is moving toward being more data-driven, having this skill will give you a larger role in decision-making wherever you work.

This course will teach you how to explore, modify and export data from a database. You’ll be introduced to foundational concepts like tables, data types, and queries. Once you understand the basics of viewing tables, you’ll be introduced to more advanced querying techniques like filtering and aggregating. You will be able to drill down into specific cases or step back and see larger patterns.

You’ll also learn how to combine information from different tables using join statements and views. The final day of the course will cover advanced techniques like creating subqueries and stored procedures.

This course will use Postgres, an advanced open-source database. Concepts from this course will apply equally to other databases such as MySQL and SQL Server, with the minor syntax differences noted during class.

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  • Small Classes
  • Computer Provided
  • Top Instructors
  • Free Retake

Register for a Class

  • $975
  • 18 Hours
  • Mac or PC
  • 594 Broadway, NYC or live online
  • FAQ •

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you need to come in with any prior math or programming knowledge?

    Prior math or programming experience is not required for this course.

    How is this class structured?

    This course is an 18-hour bootcamp that teaches the student the ins and outs of SQL. Students will learn to explore data using a GUI, write search queries, combine information, and much more.

    How many students are in a given class?

    Noble's typical class ranges from 8-12 students, but we allow up to 20 students to register for our course.

    Why should I learn SQL?

    Data has become central to almost every job on the market and it is becoming an increasingly necessary skill to know how to handle and control data. As data is becoming larger, databases are now the only mode of storage that can handle the quantity. However, in order to work with a database, one must know SQL.

    What type of SQL is being used?

    This class uses PostgreSQL but concepts from this course will apply equally to other databases such as MySQL and SQL Server, with the minor syntax differences noted during class.

    Is there mandatory work outside of the classroom?

    Students are not required to complete any work outside of class. However, we provide students with bonus materials if they would like extra practice.

    What tangible skills do students leave with after the class?

    Students will learn how to explore, alter data within a database as well as use join statements and perform various techniques such as subqueries and stored procedures.

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Corporate training available

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What You’ll Learn

  • Explore and alter data using a graphical user interface
  • Write queries to search through tables programmatically
  • Understanding various data types and convert data between them
  • Combine information across tables with join statements
  • Advanced techniques like subqueries and stored procedures
View full syllabus

SQL Bootcamp Class Syllabus

Foundations
Basic Concepts
  • What is a relational database?
  • What is SQL?
  • What is Postgres?
  • Database tables
  • Rows and columns
  • Data types
Graphical User Interface
    Object Explorer
  • Query Window
  • Results Grid
  • Setting Options
Querying
Select Statements
  • Syntax of a SELECT statement
  • Selecting specific columns
  • Using a LIMIT clause
  • Distinct records
  • Using a WHERE clause
  • Field and Table Aliases
Filtering and Aggregating
  • Filtering with Text Criteria
  • Wildcard Filters
  • Filtering with Numeric Criteria
  • Using SUM, COUNT and AVG
  • Using MAX and MIN
  • Group-by Statements
Adding Data
Creating tables
  • Primary keys
  • Foreign keys
  • Data normalization
  • Create statement
  • Constraints
Inserting data
  • Insert statement
  • Nulls, empty strings and zeros
  • Update Statement
  • Setting Conflict Actions
Combining tables
Joins
  • Inner Joins
  • Full Outer Joins
  • Left/Right Joins
Views
  • Creating a view
  • Performance issues
Advanced Topics
Advanced querying
  • Subqueries
  • Querying JSON data
Stored Procedures
  • Creating a stored procedure
  • Transactions
  • Temp Tables
Functions
  • String Functions
  • Cast Function
  • Convert Function
  • Rounding Functions
Dealing with CSVs
  • Loading data from a CSV
  • Exporting a table to CSV

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Should I Invest the Time to Learn SQL?

There will always be more things to learn than you have time for. So the question is: which skills do you invest in and which do you skip? Like with any investment, it’s about weighing the costs and the benefits. While this is often a difficult question to answer, for SQL the balance is unusually compelling. Being able to explore a database with SQL is a powerful, fundamental skill that you can pick up quickly. 

Quick to Master

SQL takes less time to master than other programming languages. With a few weeks of dedicated practice, it’s possible to be as competent in SQL as a professional software developer. You won’t be at the level of a database administrator or other SQL expert, but you’ll be able to write SQL as well as the average programmer.

To reach professional-level competence in other programming languages, such as Python or Javascript, takes far longer. Even at the most selective coding bootcamps, students take three months to a year to develop these skills. Compared to languages like these, SQL is much more of a quick win.

In part, this is because SQL targets a narrow domain. SQL is focused on one task -- controlling a database -- while other programming languages are more general-purpose. 

However, it’s also because SQL is declarative. In SQL code, you only describe the output that you want, not the procedure to create it. The database itself is doing most of the heavy lifting, automatically finding an efficient way to accomplish your task. To get results in other programming languages, you generally have to specify a step-by-step procedure yourself. 

Rising Role of Data 

Data is growing in importance across every industry. As a consequence, the ability to use a database is more important today than ever before. Over half of the jobs on Indeed that contain the word “data” (e.g. data analyst, data scientist) mention SQL in the job description. This is three times more often than Python, R, or any other programming language. If you want to work with data, SQL is the single biggest requirement.

However, it’s not just an expected skill for data scientists. If you are a decision maker at your company or aspire to be one, people will increasingly expect you to ground your ideas in data. If you really want to “know your numbers,” being able to query a database is a critical skill. Modern companies rely on their database as the system of record -- i.e. the final say on facts about the company’s operations. Databases are specifically designed to track thousands of complex data points, such as recording every transaction down to the level of product, customer, and time of day. If you just read reports, you are getting someone else’s summary of the facts as they stood when the report was written. Querying a database with SQL, you can directly see the facts as they stand right now. 

A Durable Skill

Best practices in SQL are very stable over time, relative to other programming languages. The main principles for how databases are organized today -- known as the “normal forms” -- date back to papers written in the ‘70s. The SQL language itself was standardized by 1986, and has not changed significantly since that time. Although new features are added to the standard every few years, the portion that most programmers will ever use has been the same for decades.

While it is true that there are numerous dialects of SQL, the differences between them are very minimal. Each dialect will have a slightly different way of expressing the same set of concepts. As an example, to request only five results in Postgres you would use LIMIT 5 while in Microsoft’s dialect of SQL you would use TOP 5. Unless you are a database administrator, most job postings do not even bother to differentiate between dialects of SQL.

By contrast, best practices in a language like Javascript are expected to be obsolete within 3-4 years. Programmers use the term "javascript fatigue" to refer to the exhaustion that comes with trying to stay on the cutting edge in this language. Although there are rewards for learning hot new technologies, you would do better by learning SQL if you are looking for an evergreen skill that can benefit you for the rest of your career.

Learn SQL at Noble Desktop

If you want to take the leap and learn SQL, sign up for our 18-hour SQL Bootcamp class. The class will cover everything from basic database terminology to advanced querying techniques so that you are confident using SQL in your workplace or on your resume.

If you’re interested in diving deeper with data, this course is featured as part of the Data Science Certificate. The certificate includes an in-depth Python bootcamp for data science so that you can grow your data skillset and do more advanced analysis.