What Does a Data Analyst Do?
Data Analysts collect, process, and interpret data to help organizations make informed business decisions. They use statistical methods and visualization tools to uncover trends and insights from complex datasets. This role serves as a critical bridge between raw data and actionable business strategy.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst (BI Analyst), Business Intelligence Consultant (BI Consultant), Business Intelligence Coordinator (BI Coordinator), Business Intelligence Specialist (BI Specialist), Competitive Intelligence Analyst, Intelligence Analyst, Market Intelligence Analyst.
Data Analyst Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a data analyst include:
- Collect and clean large datasets from multiple sources to prepare them for analysis.
- Perform statistical analysis to identify trends, patterns, and correlations in business data.
- Create dashboards and visualizations using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker.
- Write SQL queries to extract and manipulate data from relational databases.
- Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders through clear reports and presentations.
- Collaborate with business teams to understand their data needs and define key metrics.
- Develop and maintain automated reporting processes to track KPIs.
- Validate data accuracy and integrity through quality assurance checks.
- Support A/B testing initiatives by designing experiments and analyzing results.
- Document data definitions, methodologies, and analysis procedures for team reference.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a data analyst, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Advanced proficiency in SQL and Excel
- Experience with data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI
- Knowledge of statistical analysis methods and concepts
- Proficiency in Python or R for data manipulation
- Understanding of data warehousing concepts
- Strong attention to detail and data quality
- Excellent communication and presentation abilities
- Critical thinking and business acumen
Education and Training
Data Analyst positions generally require a bachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field. Coursework in probability, regression analysis, database management, and data visualization is particularly valuable. Many employers also look for experience with programming languages used in data analysis, such as Python or R. Professional certifications like Google Data Analytics Certificate, IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate, or Tableau Desktop Specialist can enhance employability, especially for career changers entering the field.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: varies widely for this role, and BLS does not publish pay for it separately. In the wider BLS group it belongs to (Business Intelligence Analysts), the middle half of earners made $85,660 to $158,880 a year, and the median was $120,230.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Business Intelligence Analysts.
The demand for Data Analysts is growing rapidly as organizations across all industries recognize the value of data-driven decision making. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth for this field, fueled by the exponential increase in available data and the business need to extract actionable insights from it. Industries such as healthcare, finance, retail, and technology are particularly active in hiring Data Analysts. Professionals who develop skills in machine learning and advanced analytics can transition into higher-paying Data Scientist roles.
Data Analyst Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $67,240 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $85,660 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $120,230 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $158,880 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $199,130 |
Highest-Paying States for Data Analysts
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370), New Jersey ($135,280), Massachusetts ($131,750). Pay is lowest in North Dakota ($81,900), Louisiana ($78,760), Mississippi ($69,490).
Median pay in all 49 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $103,120 |
| Alaska | $84,110 |
| Arizona | $107,240 |
| Arkansas | $109,390 |
| California | $141,590 |
| Colorado | $117,400 |
| Connecticut | $126,340 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 |
| Florida | $115,820 |
| Georgia | $104,340 |
| Hawaii | $102,130 |
| Idaho | $89,380 |
| Illinois | $106,560 |
| Indiana | $91,470 |
| Iowa | $95,830 |
| Kansas | $98,130 |
| Kentucky | $91,760 |
| Louisiana | $78,760 |
| Maine | $90,880 |
| Maryland | $136,370 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 |
| Michigan | $100,590 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 |
| Mississippi | $69,490 |
| Missouri | $97,090 |
| Montana | $100,490 |
| Nebraska | $98,230 |
| Nevada | $98,540 |
| New Hampshire | $100,620 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 |
| New Mexico | $95,850 |
| New York | $130,460 |
| North Carolina | $119,090 |
| North Dakota | $81,900 |
| Ohio | $102,630 |
| Oklahoma | $86,310 |
| Oregon | $125,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $106,850 |
| Rhode Island | $102,440 |
| South Carolina | $91,990 |
| South Dakota | $96,150 |
| Tennessee | $100,330 |
| Texas | $122,090 |
| Utah | $108,090 |
| Vermont | $127,070 |
| Virginia | $126,430 |
| Washington | $163,350 |
| West Virginia | $85,090 |
| Wisconsin | $106,680 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as business intelligence analysts about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 95% use email every day
- 91% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 81% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 81% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 37% are on the phone every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 68% |
| Master's degree | 23% |
Tools and Software Data Analysts Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as analyzing problems and working with ideas.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Writing.
Knowledge areas used most: Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, English Language, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 15-2051.01 (Business Intelligence Analysts). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.