A data analyst collects, cleans and analyzes data, builds reports and dashboards and turns the findings into recommendations that help a business decide what to do next. It is a fast-growing field, and most employers look for a bachelor’s degree and strong skills in statistics, spreadsheets and data tools.
This guide explains what data analysts do each day, the skills and requirements employers expect, what the work is like, what data analysts earn and how to get hired in the United States.
The BLS does not publish a separate data analyst category, so the pay and outlook figures are for data scientists, the closest category, and the ONET details are for business intelligence analysts.
All numbers come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and ONET unless noted.
Quick jump: Daily dutiesSkillsRequirementsQualificationsWork environmentPayOutlookCareer pathHow to get hiredJob facts
Data Analyst Daily Duties and Responsibilities
Duties change by employer and team, but most days follow the same pattern: gather, clean, analyze, report and recommend.
| Part of the day | Typical duties |
|---|---|
| Start of day | Check dashboards and data refreshes, review requests from teams and plan the day’s analysis |
| Data collection | Determine which data are available and useful for the project, then collect and categorize it |
| Cleaning and analysis | Clean raw data, analyze it for trends and check the results for accuracy |
| Reports and dashboards | Generate standard or custom reports and maintain dashboards and business intelligence tools |
| Meetings | Present findings with data visualization software and make recommendations to stakeholders |
| Support | Provide technical support for existing reports and dashboards and manage the flow of information to users |
| End of day | Document your work, update stakeholders and queue the next day’s analysis |
Here is the full list of data analyst duties and responsibilities, based on the BLS and O*NET:
| Duty | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| Find the right data | Determine which data are available and useful for a project |
| Collect and categorize | Collect and categorize data from different sources |
| Clean data | Clean raw data so it is accurate and ready to analyze |
| Analyze data | Analyze data to find patterns, trends and answers to business questions |
| Spot trends | Identify and analyze industry or geographic trends with business strategy implications |
| Build reports | Generate standard or custom reports summarizing business, financial or economic data |
| Maintain dashboards and tools | Maintain or update business intelligence tools, databases, dashboards and systems |
| Visualize findings | Use data visualization software to present results clearly |
| Make recommendations | Make business recommendations to stakeholders based on the analysis |
| Share information | Manage the timely flow of business intelligence information to users |
| Support users | Provide technical support for existing reports, dashboards and other tools |
| Build and test models | At some employers, create, validate and test models and algorithms, including machine learning models |
Data Analyst Skills
Employers look for a mix of technical skills you can show in your work and soft skills that make your analysis useful.
Hard skills
| Skill | How you use it |
|---|---|
| Spreadsheets and reporting | Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Office, which O*NET lists as in demand for business intelligence analysts |
| Data visualization and BI tools | Power BI and similar tools to build dashboards and charts |
| Statistical and database software | The BLS says to learn statistical and database software and data-oriented programming languages; O*NET lists SAS and Snowflake |
| Mathematics and statistics | Applying math and statistics to find reliable results; O*NET lists mathematics as an essential skill |
| Data cleaning and preparation | Fixing errors, gaps and duplicates before analysis |
| Business software | Salesforce, SAP and similar systems that hold business data |
Soft skills
| Quality | What the BLS and O*NET say |
|---|---|
| Analytical skills | Break a question into parts and work with large data sets |
| Communication | Explain findings clearly to people who are not analysts |
| Logical thinking | Follow a clear path from data to conclusion |
| Problem-solving | Find practical answers to business questions |
| Critical thinking | O*NET lists critical thinking as an essential skill |
| Attention to detail | O*NET lists attention to detail, integrity and dependability as work styles |
O*NET also lists active learning, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, writing, systems analysis and time management as skills.
Data Analyst Position Requirements
| Requirement | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Education | At least a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science or a related field; business and engineering are also common. In O*NET survey data for business intelligence analysts, 68% of employers required a bachelor’s degree, 23% a master’s degree and 5% an associate’s degree |
| Preparation | The BLS recommends statistics, probability, calculus and linear algebra, computer science, data-oriented programming languages and statistical and database software |
| Experience | The BLS lists no required work experience; some employers require industry-related experience or coursework, such as finance for an asset management firm |
| Training | None required; you learn each employer’s tools and data on the job |
| License or certification | None required; the BLS does not cover certifications |
| Availability | Most work full time in an office; O*NET reports 67% work a typical 40-hour week |
Requirements vary by employer and industry, so read each posting closely before you apply.
Data Analyst Qualifications
Requirements are the minimum to apply. Qualifications are what make a candidate stand out.
| Qualification | What employers look for |
|---|---|
| Minimum qualifications | A bachelor’s degree in a quantitative or related field and working knowledge of spreadsheets and data tools |
| Preferred education | A master’s or doctoral degree; the BLS says some employers require or prefer one |
| Preferred experience | Industry experience or coursework that matches the employer, such as finance or insurance |
| Software skills | Power BI, SAS, Snowflake, Salesforce, Microsoft Office and programming languages for data work |
| Business impact | Examples of reports, dashboards or recommendations that supported a decision |
| Core abilities | Analytical, computer, communication, logical-thinking, math and problem-solving skills |
Data Analyst Work Environment
| Work condition | What business intelligence analysts report |
|---|---|
| 95% say they use email every day (O*NET) | |
| Sitting | 77% say they sit continually or almost continually (O*NET) |
| Accuracy | 64% say being exact or accurate is extremely important (O*NET) |
| Indoor setting | 81% say they work in an environmentally controlled indoor setting every day (O*NET) |
| Work week | 67% say a typical week is 40 hours (O*NET) |
| Teamwork | 43% say working with a team is very important (O*NET) |
| Setting | The BLS says data scientists typically work in an office; most work full time |
Most data scientists work full time, according to the BLS.
Where data analysts work
| Industry | Share of jobs | Median pay (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing, broadcasting and content providers | 12% | $142,240 |
| Insurance carriers | 10% | $108,650 |
| Computer systems design | 10% | $132,380 |
| Management of companies | 10% | $128,050 |
| Credit intermediation | 6% | $129,490 |
Data Analyst Pay
The BLS reports a May 2025 median of $120,230 a year, or $57.80 an hour, for data scientists, compared with $50,980 for all occupations. The lowest 10% earned less than $67,240 and the highest 10% earned more than $199,130. Because the BLS has no separate data analyst category, pay for a job titled data analyst can differ from these figures, so compare postings in your area.
Data Analyst Job Outlook
The BLS projects employment of data scientists to grow 35% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, adding about 95,400 jobs, with about 24,800 openings a year. It ties the growth to demand for data-driven decisions and growing data volumes, and says firms are expected to keep integrating AI-based systems into their workflows, which will create demand for workers who can help businesses use AI and other technologies.
Data Analyst Career Path
The BLS does not describe an advancement ladder for this group. O*NET lists related job titles such as business analyst, business intelligence analyst, business intelligence specialist and market intelligence analyst. Analysts also move toward related quantitative careers:
| Related job | Typical entry education | Median pay (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Market research analysts | Bachelor’s degree | $78,760 |
| Operations research analysts | Bachelor’s degree | $88,940 |
| Financial analysts | Bachelor’s degree | $103,570 |
| Mathematicians and statisticians | Master’s degree | $105,720 |
How to Get a Data Analyst Job
- Earn a bachelor’s degree. Choose mathematics, statistics, computer science, business or a related field.
- Learn the tools. Practice Excel, a BI tool such as Power BI, statistical and database software and a data programming language.
- Build real examples. Analyze public data sets and show the questions you answered.
- Learn an industry. Coursework or experience in finance, insurance or another field can help.
- Apply and explain your findings. Show you can turn numbers into clear recommendations.
Is this job right for you?
- Do you enjoy finding patterns in numbers?
- Are you comfortable with math, statistics and spreadsheets?
- Can you explain complex results in plain language?
- Do you pay close attention to accuracy?
- Are you willing to keep learning new tools?
Data Analyst Job Facts at a Glance
| Quick fact | What to know |
|---|---|
| What data analysts do | Collect, clean and analyze data, build reports and dashboards and turn findings into recommendations for decision makers |
| Median pay (May 2025) | $120,230 a year, or $57.80 an hour (BLS data scientists, the closest category) |
| Jobs in 2025 | About 275,600 (data scientists) |
| Job outlook, 2025 to 2035 | 35% growth, much faster than average; about 24,800 openings a year |
| Education | At least a bachelor’s degree in math, statistics, computer science or a related field |
| Experience | None required by the BLS; some employers want industry experience or coursework |
| Training | None required |
| Key tools | Excel, Power BI, SAS, Snowflake and other analytics and reporting software |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a data analyst do?
Data analysts collect, clean and analyze data, build reports and dashboards, and present findings and recommendations to stakeholders, according to the BLS and O*NET.
What are the main duties of a data analyst?
Finding the right data, cleaning it, analyzing trends, generating reports, maintaining dashboards and BI tools, visualizing results and making recommendations.
What skills does a data analyst need?
The BLS lists analytical, computer, communication, logical-thinking, math and problem-solving skills. O*NET adds critical thinking, mathematics, reading comprehension, writing and attention to detail.
What education do you need to be a data analyst?
At least a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science or a related field, according to the BLS. In O*NET survey data, 68% of employers for business intelligence analysts required a bachelor’s degree.
Do you need experience to be a data analyst?
The BLS lists no required related work experience, though some employers require industry-related experience or coursework.
Is a data analyst the same as a data scientist?
The BLS does not publish a separate data analyst category and covers this work under data scientists. Job titles and duties vary by employer, so read each posting closely.
How much do data analysts make?
The BLS reports a May 2025 median of $120,230 a year for data scientists, the closest category. The lowest 10% earned less than $67,240 and the highest 10% earned more than $199,130. Pay for a job titled data analyst can differ, so compare postings in your area.
Where do data analysts work?
The BLS says data scientists work in publishing, broadcasting and content providers (12%), insurance carriers (10%), computer systems design (10%), management of companies (10%) and credit intermediation (6%).
Do data analysts work remotely?
The sources I used do not say how common remote work is. The BLS says data scientists typically work in an office, so check each posting.
What is the job outlook for data analysts?
The BLS projects 35% growth for data scientists from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 24,800 openings a year. It says firms are expected to keep integrating AI-based systems, which will create demand for workers who can help businesses use them.
Conclusion
A data analyst collects and cleans data, finds trends, builds reports and dashboards and recommends actions based on the results. The job typically needs a bachelor’s degree, strong math and software skills and clear communication. If you are ready to apply, use the resources below to prepare.
Related Reading
- Data analyst resume sample and template
- Data analyst cover letter examples
- Entry-level data analyst resume with no experience
- Business intelligence analyst cover letter sample
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Data Scientists. O*NET OnLine, 15-2051.01 Business Intelligence Analysts. Requirements vary by employer and industry; check the posting before you apply.