What is a Data Analyst?
A data analyst is a professional who collects, organizes, and interprets data to identify patterns that help key stakeholders make decisions. Data analysts work in a variety of settings, employing different techniques to collect and sort raw information in order to form an organization’s actionable next steps.
In K-12 and higher education, data analysts play a key role in tracking student progress and improving academic outcomes. By determining what the data is saying, these “learning analysts” help schools, government agencies, and universities turn information into insight, boosting student success as a result. They use visualizations and data storytelling to communicate analyses in an understandable and actionable format. And learning analysts aren’t limited to working in K-12 or higher education; often, learning analysts can be found supporting corporate training initiatives, educational technology platforms, and instructional design teams in both private and public organizations.
How Much Do Data Analysts Make?
$92,000
According to July 2025 data from Glassdoor, data analysts across all industries make a median salary of $92,000, which includes bonus pay. The median salary of a data analyst in the education field sits a little higher, at $93,000. Pay will vary depending on experience and work location.
What Skills Does a Data Analyst Need?
A data analyst needs a robust skillset and technical expertise in order to distill data into meaningful insights and strategic decisions. Analytical prowess, a systems thinking mindset, and expert communication will carry a data analyst far across a broad range of industries, but having specialized knowledge in a certain field will provide even further benefit. Some of the most important skills for data analysts include:
–Proficiency in Programing Languages
–Critical Thinking
–Statistical Analysis
–Data Visualization and Communication
–Industry Knowledge
–Detail Orientation
Is Data Analytics a Good Career?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for data analysts is very strong and growing fast. The field for operations research analysts (which includes data analysts) is expected to grow 23% over the next decade, which is much faster than average.
As organizations increasingly rely on data to guide decisions, the demand for skilled analysts continues to rise across every economic sector. Current demand for data analysts is high, and this trend will only continue to grow. With a little fine-tuning, professionals who meet a company’s skill and knowledge requirements can convert this high demand into long, intellectually-stimulating careers.
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What Do Data Analysts Do?
In today’s tech-driven world, data analysts play a vital role in the success of all organizations, bridging the gap between data and decision-making. Data analysts work with data to measure and learn valuable insights about an organization’s students, using this information to advise leadership on opportunities for improvement and growth. They employ several tools like spreadsheets, databases, and visualization software to accomplish these goals. Responsibilities can vary, but some common duties include:
Collecting and Cleaning Data
A data analyst gathers raw data from various sources and ensures that it’s accurate, consistent, and relevant.
Analyzing Data
The bread and butter of the profession, a data analyst sifts through collected data using statistical methods and analysis platforms to identify patterns, trends, and relationships.
Creating Reports and Visualizations
Using dashboards, summaries, graphs, and other reports, data analysts clearly communicate insights gleaned from the collected data.
Assisting with Decision-making
Data analysts translate findings into actionable next steps that help inform business or organizational leadership decisions.
Managing Data Systems
Data analysts maintain databases, optimizing processes for maximum efficiency.
Data Analyst vs Data Scientist
While both data analysts and data scientists work with data, large differences exist between the two roles, namely in scope and focus.
A data analyst typically gathers, cleans, and organizes data for organizational insights — in a way, they can be considered storytellers who explain what the data is saying. Meanwhile, data scientists work with advanced techniques like predictive modeling and machine learning to forecast future outcomes – they explore why things happen and what might happen next based on found patterns.
In short, analysts interpret and present data, while scientists design the advanced tools needed to understand and predict it. Data scientist roles also generally require a graduate degree, while data analyst positions generally require a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
How Do I Become a Data Analyst?
Becoming a data analyst is a journey of continuous learning and technical skill development, with the goal of positioning yourself as a valuable asset to a range of data-driven companies and organizations.
Education
To start, budding analysts need to develop a strong foundation and familiarity with managing and interpreting data. A formal education is the best way to accomplish this, as this route not only earns you a recognized credential upon completion, but comes with the added benefits of structured learning, networking opportunities, and extra resources tailored to building a robust skillset.
Many universities offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees in data analytics, with in-person, online, and hybrid options available. When deciding on a program, it’s important to choose the one that’s right for you, taking into account factors such as location, finances, time commitment, and career goals. Once enrolled, you’ll study a curriculum that covers the key cornerstones of becoming a professional data analyst. This will include becoming proficient in a programming language, such as Python or R, before going on to master a visualization platform such as Tableau, which will help you connect, analyze, and visualize sets of data. Expertise in Tableau is a hard skill that can benefit almost every data analyst.
A learning analyst’s educational journey is very similar to a data analyst’s, in that both must undergo training to pick up technical skills and learn to work with data, except the former’s interests will be more focused in the education field. Gaining knowledge in foundational learning theories, research methods, interpreting academic data, and presenting findings to improve student learning outcomes would be common pillars found in a sample curriculum.
Experience
You will have many opportunities to utilize your new skills as you work toward a degree, including academic exercises and group projects. Solving mock and real-world problems will help build up your work experience, along with your confidence, until you’re ready to step into more independent projects. Finding a program that allows you to integrate data you have access to from a current employer provides real world context to course work.
Independent projects, whether self-assigned or offered from an outside source, will help a budding analyst take responsibility for every facet of the work — from gathering necessary data to presenting the eventual findings. Upon successful completion of such projects, you’ll be ready to take on your first paid position, cementing your official start in the professional field. From there, be on the lookout for more learning opportunities: a successful data analytics career is one of continuous growth!