How to Become a Data Analyst

Organizations of all sizes increasingly rely on data to answer business questions, make strategic decisions, and improve operational processes. As the volume of business data skyrockets, the need for data analysts is also growing.

Data analysts transform raw data into actionable insights using software tools and statistical methods. Earning an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and data science degree can help individuals develop the industry-specific knowledge and skills they need to become data analysts.
 

What Does a Data Analyst Do?

Data analysts assess data using statistical techniques and analytical tools. They begin by gathering information from various sources, such as consumer activity, public datasets, and digital tracking tools. Next, they clean and validate this data to ensure its accuracy and then evaluate it to find insights that can be used to solve business problems.

The final step is to translate their findings into reports and dashboards that include spreadsheets, data visualizations, and actionable recommendations. Organizational leaders rely on data analysts to identify trends, flag problems, and interpret large quantities of information.

Like data scientists, data analysts evaluate information, present results, and advise decision-makers on their findings. However, data scientists also design predictive models, work with unstructured data, and design algorithms to process data.

Job Duties

Data analysts work in a wide range of industries, from healthcare and finance to insurance and technology. Their specific job duties vary based on their industry and role. For example, many engineering data analysts focus on evaluating system performance. 

In general, data analysts’ responsibilities typically include:

• Acquiring, cleaning, and validating data for analysis
• Identifying patterns and trends in the data they’ve gathered
• Developing and managing data collection systems
• Streamlining data workflows and automating tasks
• Using data visualization techniques to present their results 
• Reporting their insights to stakeholders

Technical Skills

Data analysts need to have strong analytical, statistical, and problem-solving skills. Communication abilities are also required to enable them to effectively report the results of their analysis to organizational leaders and other stakeholders. 

In addition, data analysts must be skilled in certain technical areas, including the following:

• Data Analytics Tools: Data analysts need to be proficient in working with core data tools and programming languages, including Microsoft Excel, SQL, and Python. 
• Data Mining: Data mining is the collecting, processing, and preparing of data for analysis. Data analysts need technical skills in key aspects of data mining such as pattern mining, data warehousing, and model evaluation. 
• Machine Learning: Understanding machine learning enables data analysts to automate certain data analysis tasks, including sorting and labeling. Machine learning can also be used to identify patterns in large volumes of data. 
• Data Visualization: Data analysts must have advanced data visualization skills to be able to clearly represent their insights in a way that is easy to understand. They should be familiar with industry-standard visualization tools such as Tableau and Power BI.

The five most important technology tools for data analysts are SQL, Microsoft Excel, Tableau, Python, and Microsoft Power BI, according to a 2023 study in the Journal of Global Information Management.
 

Steps to Become a Data Analyst

The entry-level requirements to become a data analyst include the right educational foundation and technical abilities. As software and techniques continue to evolve, data analysts must keep their skills current. 

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

Entry-level roles in data analytics typically require a bachelor’s degree. Majoring in statistics, computer science, or data science helps individuals gain the technical and analytical skills they need for these roles. Coursework in business also benefits data analysts interested in working in business intelligence. 

While they are earning their bachelor’s degree, undergraduates can begin building their portfolios and professional networks. The internships, capstone projects, and hands-on experience that are part of most bachelor’s programs can prepare undergraduates for the job market. 

2. Showcase Skills

Early career data analysts can break into the workforce and later advance in their careers by showcasing their technical skills. Building a portfolio of their work is a great way for them to demonstrate their technical expertise and highlight the projects they have worked on.
The projects outlined in a professional portfolio should clearly explain the real-world organizational problem addressed by the project, the dataset and approach used, written and visual analysis of the insights gleaned from the data, and recommendations based on those insights. Data analysts should also incorporate evidence of the business impact of their work.

3. Pursue Professional Certification

Obtaining a professional certification demonstrates expertise that can differentiate a candidate in a competitive job market. Many certifications require several years of work experience and passing a certification exam. Holding an advanced degree can sometimes substitute for professional experience. 

Data analysts can consider obtaining a general certification, such as CompTIA’s Data+ credential or the certified analytics professional (CAP) credential from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). They also can choose to pursue a specialized certification in a data analytics tool such as Tableau or Azure. 

4. Consider a Master’s Degree

Earning a relevant master’s degree can help data analysts expand their technical expertise and prepare to move into senior and specialized roles. For example, data analysts can add data science, data engineering, and AI skills to their resumes by enrolling in the right master’s program. 

Many graduate programs offer coursework that enables professionals to build their data analytics programming skills, study database system design, and learn advanced data visualization techniques. 
 

Data Analyst Job Outlook and Salary

The growing demand for actionable business intelligence has created a positive job outlook for data analysts. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes data analysts in their market and operations research analyst categories, depending on their area of focus. The BLS predicts that positions for market research analysts will increase 7% between 2024 and 2034, and 21% for operations research analysts. This is significantly higher than the 3% job growth projected for all occupations. CompTIA reports there were more than 73,000 job listings for data analysts in the 12 months they reviewed during 2024 and 2025.

Data analysts also benefit from above-average salaries. The median annual salary in 2024 for market research analysts was $76,950, and for operations research analysts it was $91,290, according to the BLS. 
 

Earn Your Master’s in Data Science at CSUN

Professionals interested in launching or advancing in their data analyst careers should consider enrolling in the flexible, career-focused online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science program at Tseng College at California State University, Northridge. Our fully online program prepares students to use data analysis models and methods to solve business problems.

Through hands-on projects and real-world business scenarios, students develop data theory, programming, and data engineering skills and use machine learning and artificial intelligence to solve data analytics problems. Students also complete a graduate project that allows them to apply their data science skills to a real-world problem. 

Find out how CSUN’s data science master’s program can help you advance in your data analyst career.