Data modeling is a complex process that demands the ability to precisely understand and diagram business operations, data flows, and data management systems. Database administrators especially rely on data modeling to design and manage an organization’s databases to ensure security, integrity, and freedom from error.

Data engineers also use data modeling skills to efficiently design and build an organization’s data infrastructure. They are responsible for creating the data pipelines, data warehouses, and data lakes used for business operations, exploratory data analysis, and predictive business intelligence. According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for a data engineer in the United States is $102,864 per year.

Yes! Coursera offers a wide variety of online courses and Specializations in data modeling, as well as related topics like data warehousing, business intelligence, and big data. You can take courses from top-ranked institutions like the University of California San Diego and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, so you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of your education for the opportunity to learn online.

Coursera also offers the opportunity to pursue a full Master of Science in Data Science degree from the University of Colorado Boulder. Whether you’re a data science beginner or adding new skills to your resume, data modeling will give you an essential perspective into the structure of an organization’s data operations.