What is the primary goal of data analyst?

Data analysts work with data to help their organizations make better business decisions. Using techniques from a range of disciplines, including computer programming, mathematics, and statistics, data analysts draw conclusions from data to describe, predict, and improve business performance. They form the core of any analytics team and tend to be generalists versed in the methods of mathematical and statistical analysis.

The data analyst role is in high demand, as organizations are growing their analytics capabilities at a rapid clip. In August, IDC forecast big data and analytics software revenue would hit $66.8 billion this year and would see 8.7% CAGR through 2024.

While organizations have spent the past few years focused on

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“We almost took our eye off the analytics ball because a lot of people got excited about machine learning and AI and suddenly went, ‘Ooh, we have to do all these wonderfully whizzy-bang things.’ We forgot that actually there is a tremendous amount of value organizations get from analytics,” Carruthers says. “We’re starting to move back to how can we really drive analytics throughout our organizations.”

Data analyst vs. data scientist

While data analysts and data scientists may be commingled on analytics teams, their roles differ considerably.

Data analysts seek to describe the current state of reality for their organizations by translating data into information accessible to the business. They collect, analyze, and report on data to meet business needs. The role includes identifying new sources of data and methods to improve data collection, analysis, and reporting.

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Hillary Green-Lerman, lead data scientist at Looker, says the difference between data analysts and data scientists comes down to timescale. A data analyst might help an organization better understand how its customers use its product in the present moment — what works and doesn’t work for them. A data scientist might use the insights generated from that work to help design a new product that anticipates future customer needs.

Data analyst role

Data analysts mostly work with an organization’s structured data. They create reports, dashboards, and other visualizations on data associated with customers, business processes, market economics, and more to provide insights to senior management and business leaders in support of decision-making efforts. Data analysts work with all manner of data, including inventories, logistics and transportation costs, market research, profit margins, sales figures, and so on. They use this data to help the business estimate market share, price products, time sales, optimize transportation costs, and the like.

Data analyst responsibilities

Data analysts seek to understand the questions the business needs to answer and determine whether those questions can be answered by data. They must understand the technical issues associated with collecting data, analyzing data, and reporting. They must be able to recognize trends and patterns. According to

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• Analyzing data using statistical techniques and providing reports
• Developing and implementing databases and data collection systems
• Acquiring data from primary and secondary sources and maintain data systems
• Identifying, analyzing, and interpreting trends or patterns in complex data sets
• Filtering and cleaning data
• Working with management to prioritize business and information needs
• Locating and defining new process improvement opportunities

Data analyst salary

According to data from Robert Half’s 2021 Technology and IT Salary Guide, the average salary for data analysts/report writers in the U.S., based on experience, breaks down as follows:

• 25th percentile: $86,250
• 50th percentile: $103,250
• 75th percentile: $122,250
• 95th percentile: $146,750

Employment search engine Indeed, on the other hand, puts the average data analyst salary in the U.S. at $75,685 per year.

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Top 5 cities for data analyst salaries

Data analyst skills

According to an from Indeed, SimplyHired, and Monster, Towards Data Science says the following are the most in-demand tech skills for data analysts:

1. SQL
2. Microsoft Excel
3. Tableau
4. Python
5. R
6. SAS
7. Microsoft PowerPoint
8. Microsoft SQL Server
9. Oracle
10. Microsoft Power BI

In addition to analytical and mathematical skills, and facility with languages such as SQL, communication skills are essential. Data analysts frequently need to engage with the business to understand business objectives and gather requirements.

Landing a data analyst job

Green-Lerman says an eclectic mix of skills and experience is key to getting noticed when applying for data analyst positions, though facility with SQL and statistical analysis is a requirement.

“The things that I generally am looking for on my team are good communicators and writers. Everything on your resume should look professional and be spelled correctly because a big thing that analysts do is write reports. I usually want folks who have some experience beyond a bootcamp or a Master’s program. I want them to have some practical experience, even if it’s an internship,” Green-Lerman says.

In addition, she looks for resumes that describe working on at least one analytical project in detail.

“I love it if there are actually numbers in their resume because that means they’re already thinking in terms of demonstrating value and KPIs. But not everyone’s job lends itself to that, so that’s not a hard requirement,” she says.

Data analyst training

While there is no set education requirement for data analysts, most data analysts have at least a BS in mathematics, economics, computer science, information management, or statistics. Coding bootcamps can help, and internships can provide experience that many organizations are looking for.

Data analyst certifications

Data analytics skills are in high demand and are relatively rare. Individuals with the right mix of experience and skills can demand high salaries. The right and can help.

Some popular certifications include the following:

• Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP)
• Certified Analytics Professional
• Cloudera Certified Associate (CCA) Data Analyst
• Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate
• SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9
• Tableau Desktop Certified Professional
• Tableau Server Certified Professional

Other data analytics jobs

Data analyst is just one job title in the expanding field of analytics. Here are some of the most popular job titles and the average salary for each position, according to data from

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• Analytics manager: $96,396
• Business analyst: $61,091
• Business intelligence analyst: $69,087
• Data architect: $119,242
• Data engineer: $92,291
• Data manager: $63,528
• Data scientist: $96,303
• Database administrator (DBA): $74,041
• Database developer: $75,578
• Research analyst: $56,267
• Research scientist: $80,802
• Statistician: $74,236

The world runs on technology, but it also runs on data. Data analysis is the key to making the right decisions in business and in life.

You use it to prove that with the right amount of nutrition, exercise, and commitment, you can reach your health goals. Amazon uses it to recommend products you'll actually use. Google uses it to help you get to the office on time.

Since user information is all around us, it's an ideal time to become a Data Analyst.

When we pay attention to the data, we’re able to make sound decisions that solve problems and enhance positive growth. Below, you can learn exactly what a Data Analyst does, and what the career trajectory looks like so you can decide if it’s right for you.

Answer a few questions to find out which high-paying career path suits you best.

The career path of a Data Analyst typically starts with an Analyst 1 position, and then progresses to Analyst II, Senior Analyst, and then Data Scientist or even Chief Technology Officer.

So if you pursue a career in data analysis, you have a long future of steady job growth ahead.

Here are two of the most common career trajectories for analysts.

Freelancer to Consultant

If you're looking for a job with flexible hours, work from home capabilities and the ability to choose your own projects, then you'll thrive as a freelancer.

Once you build up a client base and gain a few years of experience, companies may start hiring you as a consultant. You'll work with a company for a set period of time and help them improve their business operations and discover new efficiencies. Consultants enjoy maximum work flexibility paired with hefty salaries.

Manager to CTO

If you prefer the structure and stability of working as a salaried employee, then you'll probably move up from entry-level analyst to manager. If you make an impression with the higher-ups and work to develop your leadership abilities, you could eventually land the role of Chief Technology Officer.

With the right data analysis skills, you can shape the ideal career for your personality and financial goals. It all starts by becoming a Data Analyst.

What Job Titles Can You Earn in Data Analytics?

If you’re pursuing a data analyst career path, it’s important to know that job titles vary across industries. You could find yourself analyzing animal grazing trends, healthcare insurance data sets, or measuring global fashion trends. There’s a wide range of data analytics jobs (including a few at some of the coolest companies on earth).

Here are the most common job titles that you’ll be qualified for once you finish our Data Analytics Thinkful course:

• Data Analyst
• Business Analyst
• Financial Analyst
• Operations Analyst
• Risk Analyst
• Research Analyst
• Data Journalist
• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Marketing Analyst

Some of these titles, such as Data Analyst, Business Analyst, and Operations Analyst, are pretty standard. Others, like Financial Analyst, Data Journalist, and Marketing Analyst, are specific to a particular industry.

Even though job titles vary, a core component of the role remains: translating data into valuable business insights.

What  Are The Responsibilities of A Data Analyst?

Data analysts take raw information – numbers or qualitative data sets – to tell narratives that help companies make better business decisions. Your primary goal in a data analyst career is to take large volumes of complex data, extract insights, and help solve problems.

Skills you’ll need to thrive in a data analytics career are, but not limited to, SQL, Microsoft Excel, critical thinking, and basic programming knowledge.

It’s tough for companies to manage sales, marketing, operations, finance, and more while also having a solid focus on data analysis and reporting. A skilled data analyst will help show the big picture of how to make improvements in key business functions.

Companies have all sorts of questions on what to do next, how to improve, or how to shift gears. Data analysts can help provide clarity to what’s really going on and help answer those questions. Depending on a company's size and needs, the role of data analyst will vary. For larger companies, data analysts usually specialize in a particular topic area or team, while smaller companies may allow for their data analyst to work on several different data projects at a time.

If you’re a data analyst at a hospital, you could be solely focused on patient analytics and monitoring how patients feel about their care at your hospital. Maybe you’re analyzing surveys directly from the patients or you’re analyzing performance data of the nursing staff to see how patient health has improved.

Either way, your analysis will help provide insights on what areas of care should be paid more attention and which areas are doing well. A data analyst at the Major League Baseball Association (MLB) could focus on running analysis on consumers and fan engagement. Using data, you would keep up with how the MLB brand is performing across media channels like ESPN+ and YouTube TV. You could also review data sets and provide analysis about how the brand is performing with other partners like a sports apparel brand.

Sometimes organizations need data analysts to answer a specific question from a specific data set. Other times, data analysts must explore more broadly to solve issues and provide insight.

Data Analytics Skills

You might be wondering if you have the right foundational skills to make you a successful data analyst. If you have a knack for any of the following, then you'll probably enjoy learning data analysis and crunching numbers full-time:

• Logical thinking
• Problem solving
• Curiosity about data
• Basic mathematical abilities
• Attention to detail

There's high demand for analysis skills in different industries. Since data makes the world go ‘round, you can find a data analytics career in almost every industry. And across the board, the average Data Analyst salary is a big draw.

The top industries that keep an open revolving hiring door for data analysts include:

• Finance/Sales/Business Consulting: Top consulting firms that manage the finance, operations and business development processes of companies and have a great need for data analysis expertise. In order to provide operations recommendations, management consultants must review the facts and make strategic insights based on data.
• Tech: Tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft all have strong data analytics teams that are crucial to the business. Each company has over $85 billion in revenue, and they got there with a focus on data and customer analytics to continuously make improvements. Customers keep coming back, and tech companies keep growing because they utilize data to make huge business gains.
• Marketing/Communications: Marketing agencies and communications firms all need to keep up with traffic, engagement, and consumer trends in order to best serve their clients. Data analytics is at the heart of every marketing plan. And in order to pivot to the needs of your respective audience, you must keep a pulse on user data to help make smart decisions about what you’re communicating.
• Insurance: Whether it’s life insurance, car insurance, home insurance – you name it– data analytics professionals are required. With the proper data analysis on your financial profile and market interest rates, you can optimize on acquiring the best insurance plan. Without data analytics, we’d have no guidelines on how various consumers would receive the insurance they need.
• Startups: Startups are popping up in every industry from consumer packaged goods (CPG), to beauty, to healthcare, to fashion, auto, and more. Every time an entrepreneur decides to bring new innovations into a market, they need data analysts to analyze competitors, customer trends, and business operations. Anyone can bring new ideas to the world, but successful and profitable businesses thrive because of strategy and data.

Is a Data Analyst Career Right for You?

Data analytics is a career path that allows you to use a variety of complex skills to help overall business functions. You’ll be required to show critical thinking, strategic analysis, and cross-functional communication skills, while also needing a strong sense of focus and determination to read over intricate datasets day in and day out. If you like independent work, but also value contributing insights to a larger team to help make improvements, then this could be a good career for you.

Professionals in data analytics are good at gathering key information, asking the right questions, and using strong business acumen to provide important insights. After a Thinkful course, you’ll become a master at business tools like Microsoft Excel, Tableau, SQL, and more. Our Data Analytics Flex and Data Analytics Immersion courses are well equipped to teach you the skills you need to succeed in the field.

How to Advance Your Data Analytics Career

Whenever you’re figuring out a new career path, it’s always a good idea to take extra steps to understand what you’re getting into. Here are some tips when considering a career in data analytics.

• Reach out to your network or search your Linkedin contacts to see if you know a data analyst. Ask them how they like their job. Do they enjoy the day-to-day life of data analysts?
• Do a Google search for the most common data analyst job titles listed above. Do the job descriptions make you want to apply? Could you see yourself doing the tasks listed? Check out job ads in multiple industries and take note of which ones you like.
• Request a call with a Thinkful Admissions rep. Conduct an informational interview to get a feel for how our course is and if you’d be the right fit.

Start Your Data Analytics Journey

Data analytics is a career that will always exist. Why? Because as long as a company is running, they’ll need to know why certain processes are working and why some are not. Each time you think of a brand or company, know that data analysis was used in some way for them to keep operations running. If you want job security, job growth, and job fulfillment, it’s a great idea to think about a career in data analytics.

If you know that telling stories from data and information excites you, a career as a data analyst might be right for you. The data analyst career path is for anyone that wants to create understanding through raw data to ultimately solve problems and help with business growth. With various industries in need of expertise, your choice to pursue a data analyst career allows you to work in a field you’re most passionate about.

The world runs on data – join the world’s next workforce with our Data Analytics course to lead the charge.

FAQs

You can become a data analyst by obtaining hands-on experience with various tools like SQL and XML and programming languages like Python, R and Hadoop. It is also important to develop creative and analytical skills as well as communication skills and have experience of leading analytics platforms like Google analytics and Adobe analytics.

The salary of a data analyst can range from $65,000 - $110,000, depending on factors like education, certifications, additional skills and years of experience in the field of data analytics. The salary also depends on the effectiveness and accuracy of the analyst.

A skilled data analyst can have a very successful and diverse career path. Small and big companies need data analysts to improve their business functions, provide clarity to business queries and work on various data projects. Data analysts are also required in hospitals to focus on patient analytics to monitor patient health.

An online data analytics course aimed at helping you launch a career. One-on-one mentorship, professional guidance, and a robust community network are on hand to help you succeed in Data Analytics.