Most industries use raw information to help management make better business decisions. Market research institutions, call centers, governments, accounting firms, and IT companies like Google all need solid data analysts who are eager to put their skills to work.

Gain experience with an entry-level position in the industry. After several years, you can seek senior analyst positions. There are many global job opportunities to grab as a tech expert. In this guide, you will learn how to become a data analyst and begin your journey.

A data analyst works with companies to interpret various forms of data and present it in a useful and understandable manner. They help businesses optimize profits, minimize turnovers, and streamline logistics processes. Data analysts look at complex sets of information to find solutions to various business problems.

Find Your Bootcamp Match

• Career Karma matches you with top tech bootcamps
• Access exclusive scholarships and prep courses

Select your interest
Software Engineering Design Data Science Data Analytics UX Design Cyber Security Digital Marketing First name

Last name

Email

Phone number

By continuing you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and you consent to receive offers and opportunities from Career Karma by telephone, text message, and email.

Data analysts are in demand in several industries. They have a dynamic skillset and tend to be math-oriented. The opportunities that come with being a data analyst in today’s world are endless. You can choose to specialize in an industry, move on to become a data scientist, or even start your own analytics business.

While it is not a requirement, most companies prefer to hire data analysts who attend a degree program, especially in mathematics, finance, statistics, economics, or computer science.

You will still be able to be a data analyst without a bachelor’s degree. You will have to find other means of learning relevant technical skills like statistics and programming. This is when you can decide to attend community college, bootcamps, or online courses.

There are various education tracks for data analysts. From foundation-level courses to professional certifications, several paths are available. The best track to becoming a data analyst is to complete a bachelor’s degree program because most companies require it for entry-level data analysts.

Community college is a great option if you are looking for an affordable alternative to a four-year degree. Most community colleges offer two-year associate degrees, which can be transferred to a four-year degree once you’ve decided to pursue a career in data analytics.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average annual tuition cost for in-state residents is approximately $3,300. The cost will be higher if you’re from out of state and have to pay for boarding and living expenses. Some community colleges offer tuition-free programs for qualifying students.

University education is essential for data analysts. A bachelor’s degree is needed for most entry-level positions. Most data analysts will have degrees in the field of mathematics, finance, statistics, economics, or computer science.

Depending on which university you choose, an NCES report shows that tuition cost for an in-state four-year degree program is approximately $9,000 for public universities and $31,000 for private universities. Although university is expensive, it is the best path to get your education.

Bootcamps are crash courses commonly known to complement fundamental skills and knowledge. They are industry-specific and designed for those who are already equipped with fundamental skills. These courses are suitable for recent graduates or professionals looking to upskill.

A wide variety of bootcamps are offered by quality education providers. The Data Incubator is specifically designed for STEM degree graduates and professional data analysts. The NYC Data Science Academy offers an immersive in-person learning experience. Bootcamp tuition can vary drastically, but it is much less expensive than a university program.

Similar to bootcamps, courses for data analysts are usually industry-specific and provide a deeper dive into topics like cyber security and systems analysis. These courses are great options for those looking for a career shift or professional development.

You can find many basic and professional courses available in the field of data analytics. DataCamp, for example, is an online learning platform focusing on the latest data topics including machine learning and data manipulation. You can access a limited number of courses for free or pay to take more.

Many data analyst job descriptions list a bachelor’s degree as a requirement. Some companies may not require this, but having a bachelor’s will increase your chances of gaining employment. That said, being a data analyst doesn’t just start with a degree.

There are other steps you can take to become a data analyst, which we’ve listed below.

Data analysts ultimately retrieve, analyze, and present findings from data. The skill set required of a data analyst can be broad. You need specific abilities depending on your specialized industry.

Aside from general soft skills, data analysts also need to have several core skills to excel at their job.

A study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that recent advances in technology such as ecommerce, smartphones, and social networking are generating more job opportunities for data analysis. Therefore, job opportunities will only grow over the next few years.

Moreover, PayScale reports the average salary of a data analyst is currently $61,469 per year. In their late career, with 20 years or more work experience, they have an average base salary of approximately $73,000 a year. Career growth for aspiring data analysts is definitely positive.

Most employers expect entry-level data analysts to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, or a computer-related subject. Certain positions may require a specialized degree in predictive analysis, computer science, or database management.

The average base salary for an entry-level data analyst, according to PayScale, is approximately $56,000 a year.

Data analysts collect and analyze data to turn statistics into digestible information for their clients. They identify areas that require improvement and determine when and where to implement new products or services.

Data analysts perform four different types of analytics.

Certifications in data science and analytics can help you gain the experience and skills you need for career advancement. Below are some of the most common certifications for data analysts.

CAP certification is an independent validation that highlights an individual’s expertise in the analytics process. This includes data methodology, model building, business problem framing, analytics problem framing and development, and life cycle management. This is one of the best certifications for data analysts.

The AWS certification offers role-based certifications for specialized technical roles such as cloud practitioner, architect, and developer. This certification can help you expand your range of technical skills and help advance your expertise in implementing and developing AWS services.

The SAS Certified Data Scientist Using SAS 9 certification demonstrates an individual’s ability to manipulate and gain insights from big data with various tools. This will open doors to employment opportunities because it shows potential employers how quickly you can learn and adapt.

The MCSE certification provides individuals with a broad skill set in SQL administration, building enterprise-scale data solutions, and leveraging business intelligence data. It may qualify you for jobs such as database designer, database analyst, and business intelligence analyst.

The EMCDSA certification showcases big data and data analytics projects. This will provide you the opportunity to deploy the data analytics life cycle, reframe business challenges as analytics challenges, and apply analytics techniques appropriately.

Data analytics is an essential part of the workforce in many industries. Understanding the best ways to answer analytics interview questions may help you secure your desired job. Read the most common questions below to help you ace your job interview.

The time it takes to become a data analyst depends on your education track. Considering most companies require entry-level data analysts to have a bachelor’s degree, the most common timeline is four years.

If you choose to attend a bootcamp or a community college, it can take anywhere between three weeks and two years to gain the necessary basic knowledge to succeed. This timeline can increase if you choose to transfer to a four-year program, or if you choose to spend some time taking industry-specific courses.

Yes, you should become a data analyst in 2021. The field of data analytics is expanding to different landscapes, which will provide different career opportunities in the years to come. There is no better time to pursue becoming a data analyst than right now. You should develop your skills as soon as possible if you are interested in this career.