The Day-to-Day as a Data Analyst
A Data Analyst is responsible for collecting, processing, and analyzing data. They usually translate these numbers into actionable insights that help their employer make better business decisions. Data Analysts can work in many industries including retail, tech, medicine, and government agencies. With such broad opportunities, the day-to-day life of each Data Analyst varies. Data Analysts’ daily work involves gathering data, organizing it, inferring useful conclusions from that data, and then communicating it to stakeholders or clients.
Most Data Analysts work on a team to make data understandable through reports, pattern recognition, team collaboration, and data infrastructure set up. Data analysts might specialize in analyzing data within the realms of business, research, or finance.
What Skills Should Data Analysts Have?
Data Analysts should have strong analytical and communication skills. They should be proficient in Microsoft Excel, Access, and Sharepoint as well as SQL. Some Data Analyst positions may require programming with R or Python and the use of some mathematics. Data Analysts will need to be team players, good at pattern recognition, detail-oriented, and passionate problem-solvers.
It is essential for Data Analysts to dial in their soft skills. These skills will depend on whether their employer is a large organization where they will have to communicate their findings to upper-level management and C-level positions, in the medical field working with doctors and writers to create reports, or working for startups where they will communicate directly to a team of founders. Some Data Analysts might only be communicating directly with a small group of clients. These communications will essentially be educating the person(s) receiving the analyzed data.
Learn the Skills You Need to Become a Data Analyst
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Python
Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. It is used to write scripts, automations, algorithms, manipulate data, and create frameworks. Python prioritizes simplicity, easy to learn syntax, readability, and versatility.
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SQL
SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is a computer language used to store, manipulate, and retrieve data which is stored in a relational database.
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Excel
Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft that runs on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It is used for calculation, graphing, data visualization, and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro programming.
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Data Analytics
Data analytics uses analysis techniques to infer conclusions about raw data. Algorithms and machine learning have optimized data analysis over time to find trends and answer questions more efficiently.
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Tableau
Tableau is a data visualization tool. This tool can be used to simplify raw data, reformat data, and perform efficient data analysis. Tableau can also be used to create data visualizations, dashboards, presentations, and worksheets.
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Power BI
Power BI is a Microsoft business analytics services. It provides interactive visualizations, business intelligence, and simple interfacing for report and dashboard creation.
Data Analyst Salaries
A Data Analyst in the United States makes, on average, $69,154 annually, according to Indeed.com.
Salaries for Data Analysts vary by region within the the United States. Listed below are some Data Analyst salaries for specific areas with the United States compared with the average national salary:
Learn more about Data Analyst salaries
- U.S. Average $69K source n/a
-
San Jose, CA
$102K
source
+48.12%
-
Long Island, NY
$100K
source
+45.41%
-
Victoria
$98K
source
+42.33%
-
Charlotte, NC
$96K
source
+39.87%
-
Fairfax, VA
$95K
source
+37.88%
-
Stamford, CT
$93K
source
+35.58%
-
San Francisco, CA
$93K
source
+35.11%
-
Toronto
$87K
source
+26.57%
-
Minneapolis, MN
$87K
source
+25.98%
-
Houston, TX
$85K
source
+23.63%
-
San Francisco, CA
$79K
source
+15.51%
-
Oakland, CA
$79K
source
+15.34%
-
New Jersey
$79K
source
+14.32%
-
Raleigh, NC
$78K
source
+14.16%
-
Edmonton
$78K
source
+14.07%
-
Montreal
$78K
source
+13.49%
-
Washington, D.C.
$77K
source
+12.29%
-
Sacramento, CA
$77K
source
+12.21%
-
New York City
$77K
source
+12.17%
-
New York City
$77K
source
+12.17%
-
San Jose, CA
$76K
source
+9.91%
-
Washington, D.C.
$75K
source
+9.57%
-
Salt Lake City, UT
$75K
source
+8.65%
-
Virginia, US
$74K
source
+8.45%
-
Boston, MA
$74K
source
+8.07%
-
Dallas, TX
$74K
source
+7.59%
-
Oakland, CA
$74K
source
+7.07%
-
Boston, MA
$73K
source
+6.35%
-
Seattle, WA
$73K
source
+6.27%
-
Los Angeles, CA
$73K
source
+5.89%
-
Stamford, CT
$73K
source
+5.61%
-
Alexandria, VA
$72K
source
+5.52%
-
Portland, OR
$72K
source
+5.21%
-
Connecticut
$72K
source
+5.15%
-
Philadelphia, PA
$72K
source
+4.69%
-
Kansas City, MO
$72K
source
+4.57%
-
Orange County, CA
$72K
source
+4.47%
-
Ottawa
$71K
source
+4.08%
-
Richmond, VA
$71K
source
+3.92%
-
Los Angeles, CA
$71K
source
+3.79%
-
Vancouver
$71K
source
+3.5%
-
Phoenix, AZ
$71K
source
+3.17%
-
Denver, CO
$71K
source
+2.98%
-
Miami, FL
$71K
source
+2.74%
-
Hartford, CT
$71K
source
+2.72%
-
Atlanta, GA
$71K
source
+2.71%
-
Chicago, IL
$71K
source
+2.7%
-
Orange County, CA
$70K
source
+2.57%
-
Austin, TX
$70K
source
+2.15%
-
Chicago, IL
$70K
source
+1.37%
-
New York
$70K
source
+1.3%
-
San Diego, CA
$69K
source
+1.22%
-
Long Island, NY
$69K
source
+1.18%
-
Sacramento, CA
$69K
source
+1.11%
-
Denver, CO
$69K
source
+0.76%
-
Alexandria, VA
$69K
source
+0.66%
-
Minneapolis, MN
$69K
source
+0.12%
- U.S. Average $69K source n/a
-
Philadelphia, PA
$69K
source
-0.09%
-
San Diego, CA
$68K
source
-0.42%
-
Atlanta, GA
$68K
source
-0.51%
-
Tucson, AZ
$68K
source
-0.63%
-
Baltimore, MD
$68K
source
-0.87%
-
New Jersey
$68K
source
-0.9%
-
Fairfax, VA
$68K
source
-1.26%
-
Dallas, TX
$68K
source
-1.36%
-
Portland, OR
$68K
source
-1.58%
-
Connecticut
$68K
source
-1.63%
-
Detroit, MI
$67K
source
-1.76%
-
Austin, TX
$67K
source
-1.92%
-
Detroit, MI
$67K
source
-1.93%
-
Seattle, WA
$67K
source
-2.26%
-
St. Louis, MO
$67K
source
-2.42%
-
Albany, NY
$67K
source
-2.74%
-
Virginia, US
$67K
source
-2.75%
-
New Haven, CT
$67K
source
-2.93%
-
Calgary
$66K
source
-3.15%
-
Calgary
$66K
source
-3.15%
-
Houston, TX
$66K
source
-3.38%
-
Charlotte, NC
$66K
source
-3.39%
-
Phoenix, AZ
$66K
source
-3.45%
-
Richmond, VA
$66K
source
-3.58%
-
Greenville, SC
$66K
source
-3.99%
-
Raleigh, NC
$66K
source
-4.06%
-
St. Louis, MO
$66K
source
-4.52%
-
Des Moines, IA
$65K
source
-4.95%
-
Milwaukee, WI
$65K
source
-5.13%
-
Worcester, MA
$65K
source
-5.24%
-
Pittsburgh, PA
$65K
source
-5.26%
-
Columbus, OH
$65K
source
-5.26%
-
Nashville, TN
$65K
source
-5.32%
-
United States
$65K
source
-5.34%
-
San Bernardino, CA
$65K
source
-5.35%
-
Baltimore, MD
$65K
source
-5.41%
-
Louisville, KY
$65K
source
-5.72%
-
Riverside, CA
$65K
source
-5.75%
-
Birmingham, AL
$65K
source
-5.91%
-
Cleveland, OH
$65K
source
-5.91%
-
Madison, WI
$65K
source
-5.98%
-
Tampa, FL
$64K
source
-6.03%
-
Columbus, OH
$64K
source
-6.05%
-
Bakersfield, CA
$64K
source
-6.12%
-
Nashville, TN
$64K
source
-6.14%
-
Miami, FL
$64K
source
-6.17%
-
Cincinnati, OH
$64K
source
-6.19%
-
Kansas City, MO
$64K
source
-6.2%
-
Indianapolis, IN
$64K
source
-6.22%
-
Fresno, CA
$64K
source
-6.23%
-
Salt Lake City, UT
$64K
source
-6.39%
-
Buffalo, NY
$64K
source
-6.69%
-
Indianapolis, IN
$64K
source
-6.74%
-
Las Vegas, NV
$64K
source
-6.84%
-
Honolulu, HI
$64K
source
-7.04%
-
New Orleans, LA
$64K
source
-7.21%
-
New Orleans, LA
$64K
source
-7.37%
-
Cincinnati, OH
$63K
source
-7.58%
-
Memphis, TN
$63K
source
-7.72%
-
Birmingham, AL
$63K
source
-7.72%
-
Orlando, FL
$63K
source
-7.96%
-
San Antonio, TX
$63K
source
-7.96%
-
Syracuse, NY
$63K
source
-8.76%
-
Florida
$62K
source
-8.9%
-
Omaha, NE
$62K
source
-8.92%
-
Jacksonville, FL
$62K
source
-9.09%
-
Oklahoma City, OK
$62K
source
-9.22%
-
Albuquerque, NM
$62K
source
-9.33%
-
Rochester, NY
$62K
source
-9.34%
-
Virginia Beach, VA
$62K
source
-9.36%
-
Dayton, OH
$62K
source
-9.8%
-
Columbia, SC
$62K
source
-9.94%
-
Louisville, KY
$62K
source
-10.03%
-
Tampa, FL
$62K
source
-10.06%
-
Tucson, AZ
$61K
source
-10.38%
-
Inland Empire, CA
$61K
source
-10.69%
-
Virginia Beach, VA
$61K
source
-10.95%
-
Greensboro, NC
$61K
source
-10.98%
-
Inland Empire, CA
$61K
source
-11.03%
-
Oklahoma City, OK
$61K
source
-11.08%
-
Little Rock, AR
$61K
source
-11.12%
-
Baton Rouge, LA
$61K
source
-11.17%
-
Grand Rapids, MI
$61K
source
-11.26%
-
Cleveland, OH
$61K
source
-11.29%
-
Greenville, SC
$61K
source
-11.56%
-
Tulsa, OK
$60K
source
-12.44%
-
Sarasota, FL
$60K
source
-12.83%
-
Knoxville, TN
$59K
source
-13.83%
-
El Paso, TX
$58K
source
-15.73%
-
Orlando, FL
$58K
source
-15.84%
-
Jacksonville, FL
$57K
source
-16.72%
-
Pittsburgh, PA
$55K
source
-19.47%
-
McAllen, TX
$54K
source
-21.5%
-
San Juan
$52K
source
-23.93%
-
Columbia, SC
$52K
source
-24.24%
-
Tulsa, OK
$51K
source
-25.67%
-
Quebec City, QC
$50K
source
-27.54%
-
Winnipeg
$49K
source
-27.99%
-
San Antonio, TX
$49K
source
-29.08%
-
Memphis, TN
$48K
source
-30.27%
-
Buffalo, NY
$47K
source
-30.93%
-
Dayton, OH
$46K
source
-32.34%
-
Las Vegas, NV
$45K
source
-34.73%
-
Milwaukee, WI
$44K
source
-35.17%
-
Riverside, CA
$38K
source
-43.85%
Typical Qualifications to Become a Data Analyst
You do not need a higher education degree to become a Data Analyst but some Data Analysts have a bachelor’s degree in mathematics or data science. Some Data Analysts get their start in academia during a graduate or Ph.D. program. Regardless of education, it is more important for Data Analysts to demonstrate skill proficiency and thought processes than to have a degree.
Searching for Data Analyst Jobs
Data Analysts can work in a wide variety of environments including corporate companies, retail conglomerates, medicine, academia, start-ups, or for a government entity. They can find jobs in nearly any industry making predictions, solving problems, and presenting data in a consumable way.
You can find Data Analyst jobs on these sites:
Tips to Become a Data Analyst
Along with a polished résumé, a Data Analyst should have a well-rounded portfolio that showcases their thought processes and technical knowledge. A good portfolio might include case studies that use real-world data manipulated into reports inferences alongside the thought processes that lead you there. Posting these portfolio examples on a cleanly designed blog is common practice so that potential employers can view your work.
Data Analysts should also be utilizing LinkedIn to its fullest potential. Your LinkedIn profile should be up-to-date, include all past work experience , and include keywords relating to Data Analysts' skills and responsibilities. It should also show and tell how your past experiences offer transferable value to your position as a Data Analyst.
To get a leg up, try to connect with a point person with a letter of introduction at each company you send an application to, whether you applied via LinkedIn or not. This will provide you name recognition and sometimes first-hand advice. You should also make these connections with people who might be your manager at any company you would like to work for regardless of whether they have posted job openings.
What Job Titles Would a Data Analyst Hold?
Data Analysts can apply for a variety of positions that may be narrowed down based on industry, location, company size, and interest in specializing. Data Analysts will likely start out in junior or entry-level positions but will find that rising the ranks to a Senior Data Analyst is possible relatively quickly and will result in a better annual salary. Here are a few options you might be qualified for as a Data Analyst:
- Junior Data Analyst
- Senior Data Analyst
- Big Data Analytics Consultant
- Data Science Instructor
- Decision Analyst
- Data Analyst
Additional Data Analyst Resources
- Data Analyst Job Description
- What Software Do Data Analysts Use?
- Best Cities for Data Analysts
- Is Data Analytics a Good Career?
- Is Data Analytics Right For Me?
- What Degree Do You Need to Become a Data Analyst?
- Data Analyst Career Path
- Data Analyst Certifications
- How to Become a Data Analyst Without a Degree
- How to Become a Freelance Data Analyst
- Data Analyst Interview Questions
- Data Analyst Resume Guide & Tips
- Data Analyst Cover Letter
- Data Analyst LinkedIn Profile Guide & Tips
- Where and How to Secure Data Analyst Freelance Jobs
- Data Analyst Portfolio Website Guide & Tips
- Data Analyst Job Outlook
Related Careers
Many people confuse Data Scientists and Data Analyst. They both work with data and the biggest difference between the two is what they do with that data. Data Analysts identify trends and create visualizations with those patterns. Data Scientists also interpret data but also have coding and mathematical expertise. They can do the work of a Data Analyst but usually work on algorithms, predictive models, and creating processes for data. A Data Analyst can upskill to a Data Scientist position by learning more about the mathematical and algorithmic necessities of that position. Data Science positions pay more than Data Analyst positions but often require a four-year degree in mathematics or computer science.
Data Analysts might find related careers like Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Financial Analyst, Data Scientist, or Product Analyst. Most of these positions pay similar or slightly higher salaries to a Data Analyst and have similar day-to-day operations but require additional technologies and industry knowledge. Some ways to upskill into these positions would be to learn financial theories, business theories, the product lifestyle, and design thinking.
If you’re a Data Analyst, you might find that pivoting toward business or financial analysis enticing. This would include more communication with upper-level management and c-level positions, making more predictions, using math as much as technology, and understanding business principles. These positions might provide more satisfaction as the results of your work can be seen relatively quickly.
Salary Comparison to Data Analyst
-
Data Scientist
$141K
+104.54%
-
Business Analyst
$80K
+16.16%
-
Digital Analyst
$76K
+10.42%
- Data Analyst $69K n/a
-
Data Scientist
Data scientists collect, organize, and analyze large sets of data, providing analysis that is key to decision making. Governments, non-profits, and businesses of all types rely on data for forecasting, risk management, and resource allocation. Data scientists discover and analyze trends in data, and report their findings to stakeholders. They will use algorithms and models to simplify and mine data sets to create data-driven recommendations. Data scientists are needed across a handful of industries, especially the ubiquity of data and the reliance on it for business decision-making.
Learn about becoming a Data Scientist -
Business Analyst
Business analysts use business, technology, and project management skills to analyze business problems and propose data-driven solutions. Grounded in technical expertise, business analysts perform risk analyses, manage project plans, and translate technical information such as diagrams and blueprints. Experienced business analysts can become business or project managers, which puts their professional expertise to work with the management of project deliverables and other people. Business analysts can put their skills to work across a variety of industries, companies, and job functions.
Learn about becoming a Business Analyst -
Digital Analyst
Digital analysts work with a marketing team to analyze the effectiveness and reach of digital marketing campaigns. They use Google analytics and site tagging tools to harvest user data. This data is analyzed and interpreted to provide insights into how to improve the user experience and the effectiveness of the digital marketing campaign.
Learn about becoming a Digital Analyst