What Does a Data Analyst Do?

Data collection continues to grow as a priority for organizations to support their mission and activities. Certain professionals manage data as an asset and use it to put an organization’s vision into motion. This dream professional is called a data analyst.

Want to know more about what it takes to become a data analyst?? Read further to find out more about this exciting career and the skills and training you’ll need to excel.

What is a Data Analyst?

A data analyst develops an organization’s data and information strategy to support business decisions. They are responsible for collecting and analyzing data that help their company grow

Data analysts work to improve data systems within the company and drive innovation. These professionals nurture data assets and transform these assets into emerging products or services.

The average data analyst salary in the US is $ 77,845 per year. The Occupational Handbook from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in this field will grow by 7 percent by the year 2030.

Data analysts are in a variety of industries in both the public and private sectors. Fortune 1000 media and technology companies use to be the best place to land a job as a data analyst.

These businesses were the first to use web and mobile technology to create awareness of their products. Now, these companies hire these professionals to help on tasks ranging from analyzing product inventory lists to data science recruiters.

Job Responsibilities

Typical responsibilities you’ll find in most data analyst job description include:

Create Business Intelligence Platforms

Data analysts also build intelligence platforms that provide their companies with easy access to business data. Easy access to this data will help company leaders know where to cut costs or increase spending.

Protect Data Privacy and Security

Data analysts are responsible for protecting their employer’s data privacy and anyone’s access to it. Data analysts are current on privacy laws. They’re skilled at cybersecurity practices that protect data and recover it if security is broken.

Analyze Business Performance Metrics

Data analysts also know how to analyze performance metrics. These metrics help show a company if they are making progress towards their business goals.

There are currently two different types of data that these professionals analyze. These data types include:

Qualitative Data

Qualitative data helps the analyst understand how, why, or what happened in response to human behavior. Analysts observe certain patterns and group data by themes or categories.

Quantitative Data

Quantitative data involves counting and measuring. Analysts use statistical analysis to study how often, how many, or how much something shows up in calculations.

When analysts review these metrics, they provide valuable insights on ways to improve products or make better long-term decisions.

Skills

Data analysts use various statistical techniques to make predictions about future activity. They are familiar with using data mining and predictive modeling to validate analytics.

Education Requirements

Most data analysts have a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology or a related field. Some professionals choose to pursue a graduate degree in fields like Management Information Systems or Statistics to complement their expertise.

Learn More

Does a data analyst job sound like a career for you? Then your future starts here today!

Decide if you want to work for the private or public sector. Best practices and industry standards will differ. Be sure to check our website for more information on how data analyst jobs might be the dream career that’s waiting for you.