Become a Certified Data Analyst: Jobs, Skills, Salaries

If you’re good with numbers and computers and know your way around an Excel spreadsheet, data analytics might be the field for you. It is a rapidly expanding field that offers above-average salaries and a lot of growth potential. As a data analyst, you can work in almost any imaginable field, providing you with a range of options for specialisation. 

What is a certified data analyst?

A certified data analyst is a data scientist who has completed a certificate programme. These IT professionals help organisations reach their goals by collecting, reviewing, and analysing large amounts of data. Their primary job is to find patterns or trends in data so the organisation can set goals and develop a plan to improve performance.

Where do data analysts work?

In short, data analysts work everywhere they can help organisations increase their productivity and efficiency. From marketing to investment, you can find data analysts in almost any imaginable field. Their impact spans numerous industries, including: 

• Company and enterprise management

• Government

• Computer systems design

• Credit intermediation

• Data processing, hosting, and related services

• Information services

• Health care 

• Retail 

• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services

• Scientific research and development

• Software publishing

Data analyst: Typical roles and tasks

As a data analyst, you might do many different tasks daily, depending on your work and position. However, you may have to complete any of the following functions during the course of your work day.

• Apply statistical models to analyse data

• Build and maintain databases

• Collect and organise data

• Clean data

• Communicate findings

• Review and analyse data

• Search for patterns and trends

• Use tools to display data

Skills required for data analyst careers

Your skill set should include technical and human skills like critical thinking and data visualisation to qualify for a career as a data analyst. Data analysts are in high demand as new technologies emerge and develop. The following list highlights some of the more common skills companies look for in data analysts. 

• Critical thinking: Data analysts must be able to look at large quantities of data and decipher patterns whilst predicting future trends. This skill can help you look at things from multiple perspectives to see the bigger picture. 

• Communication: Data analysts must be able to review and analyse data and communicate their findings to their superiors. Communicating your findings to others in a way they can understand is essential. 

• Data visualisation: Being able to present complex data sets in an easy-to-understand manner is essential to the work of a data analyst. This includes learning how to choose appropriate visualisation charts for specific audiences. 

• Mathematics: Data analysts work closely with numbers and data trends, making maths an essential skill in your tool belt. 

• Microsoft Excel: Excel is a spreadsheet software commonly used in data analytics. Proficiency with this software can appeal to potential employers and help you in your day-to-day work as a data analyst. 

• Query languages: Data analysts' most common query languages include SQL and SAS. You use these languages to give computers instructions for collecting and analysing data.

• Programming languages: Knowledge of various programming languages, such as R and Python, can be helpful with data visualisation, cleansing, and analysis.

How do you become a data analyst? 5 certifications to consider 

To become a data analyst, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field to begin. A Master’s degree may be required in some cases, and professional experience is almost always an important qualification. To become a certified data analyst, pursue a certificate programme that’s right for you and your overall career goals. 

You can choose from various certificate programmes available to aspiring data analysts. Below are four certifications you can consider: 

• IBM Data Science Professional Certificate 

• Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate 

• Cloudera Certified Associate Data Analyst 

• AWS Certified Data Analytics

Data analyst salaries

As a rapidly growing field, data analytics pays well for even entry-level employees. A data analyst makes ₹6,50,000 annually, ranging between ₹5,00,000 and ₹10,00,000, depending on experience, employer, and field [1].

Related job roles and their salaries

With an interest in data analytics, you can also consider jobs related to data analysis and compare salaries. Compare salary and common duties for each role. See how these careers stack up:

• Business intelligence analyst: ₹8,00,000 per year [2]

• Data scientist: ₹13,00,000 per year [3] 

• Data engineer: ₹9,00,000 per year [4] 

• Marketing analyst: ₹9,05,039 per year [5]

• Market researcher: ₹2,16,000 per year [6] 

• Operations research analyst: ₹6,00,000 per year [7] 

Steps to becoming a certified data analyst 

Becoming a certified data analyst includes earning a degree, building your skill set, and finding a job in the field. Although it is possible to get a data analysis job without a college degree, many data analysts have a bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, statistics, or economics. Some employers even prefer candidates who majored in data analysis instead of these related fields.

After you earn a degree, you may build your skill set through certifications or work experience. If you decide to get certified, consider how practical the skills will be to your work. You may start with more common skills, such as Excel or a programming language. Or, you can browse job descriptions to see which certifications are most in demand for the specific job you want.

Once you have your certifications, it’s time to start looking for jobs. Data analytics is a rapidly growing field with a high demand for workers, so you should be able to find a job that suits your wants and needs. However, consider what different data analyst roles will offer you in terms of growth and career progression. 

Certified data analyst jobs: Career progression opportunities

The data analysis field offers room for growth. You may start your career in an entry-level position where you can develop your programming and data analysis skills before moving to more advanced positions. Understanding the career progression of a data analyst can help you decide if it's a field you want to pursue.

• Data scientist: This non-specialised designation typically comes after an entry-level data analyst position. Data science will enhance and advance your knowledge of basic programming, mathematics, and machine learning skills to increase your overall confidence in analytics. 

• Specialist positions: Specialists work in more specific data analytics or science fields in healthcare or finance. Moving to a specialist position will allow you to develop a particular expertise after building a more general foundation. 

• Management positions: More than anything else, these are leadership roles. Management positions are more demanding than other data analyst positions and, therefore, may require a higher level of education or additional certifications. 

• Consulting positions: In a consulting role, you could work with various clients in different fields of expertise, mainly working freelance in a flexible, less specialised manner. You will need several years of experience to develop expertise in general analytic fields to do this work. 

Learn more about data analytics with Coursera

A data analyst gathers, analyses, and presents insights derived from data. They operate across diverse industries, supporting organisations in making informed decisions grounded in evidence. The role requires a combination of both technical and workplace skills. 

It's never too early to start building your skill set if you want to pursue a career as a data analyst. Learn more about the field of data analysis and the work data analysts do in Introduction to Data Analytics from IBM. You may also be ready to pursue certification with the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate available on Coursera.