Data Analytics

Top 14 Data Analytics Career Paths You Can Choose From

Written byKarin Kelley
|
Updated onOctober 31, 2023

Data analytics is a multi-billion dollar industry with phenomenal growth projected for years. It is also booming with career possibilities.

This article looks at various data analytics career paths – from data analyst to data scientist and plenty of other related roles. We will look at what you can expect in each role, what skills you need, growth projection, and what pay you can expect. We will also look at our data analytics program, which can equip you with the necessary skills to land rewarding data analytics jobs.

What is Data Analytics?

We live in an era of ever-growing data. Data analytics helps draw meaningful insight from data and turn it into something actionable. It involves using various tools and techniques to extract meaning from large data sets.

Data analytics is crucial for businesses and organizations to improve their performance, profitability, efficiency, and decision-making. Not only that. Data analytics help organizations understand customer behavior, guide their processes and outcomes, and recommend actions.

Data analytics is a broad term that covers different types of analysis – descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive. They help us understand various aspects of the data:

they can tell us what occurred (descriptive)
why it took place (diagnostic)
what might happen next (predictive)
what actions we should take (prescriptive)

Also Read: 28 Data Analyst Interview Questions to Help You Prepare

Is Data Analytics a Good Career?

Is data analytics a promising career choice? As the numbers suggest, there is no looking back for the data analytics industry. With a staggering CAGR of 27.6 percent from 2022 to 2030, this is solid ground to place your bets.

In terms of career, what grabs your attention is the good pay scale. As a beginner, you can expect an annual salary of around $57K – $91K for a data analyst role, according to Glassdoor. It can go up to $80K – $138K for a professional with 15+ years of experience.

Given today’s shift towards data-driven approaches and decision-making, data analytics has emerged as a hot career option. From leading tech companies to eCommerce giants, and even in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors, data analysts are in high demand and often occupy prestigious roles.

Let us take an in-depth look at some of the major roles in data analytics and explore each aspect.

List of Top Data Analytics Careers

#1. Data Scientist

A data scientist analyzes large, complex data sets to generate insights and solutions. They use advanced statistical and machine learning techniques to do it.

Responsibilities:

Collecting, cleaning, and transforming data from various sources
Exploring and visualizing data to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies
Building, testing, and deploying predictive and prescriptive models
Communicating and presenting findings and recommendations to stakeholders

Skills:

Programming languages such as Python, R, SQL, etc.
Data analysis tools and frameworks include pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, etc.
Data visualization tools such as Matplotlib, Seaborn, Tableau, etc.
Statistics, mathematics, and machine learning concepts and algorithms
Domain knowledge and business acumen

Average Salary: $106,444 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: High due to the huge demand for data-driven solutions across various industries and sectors.

#2. Business Intelligence Analyst

A business intelligence analyst uses data analytics tools and techniques to provide actionable insights and reports to support business decision-making.

Responsibilities:

Understanding the business needs and objectives of the clients or stakeholders
Designing, developing, and maintaining business intelligence dashboards and reports
Performing data analysis and interpretation to answer business questions and solve problems
Evaluating and improving the quality and accuracy of the data and the reports

Skills:

Data analysis tools such as Excel, Power BI, SAS, etc.
Data querying languages such as SQL, NoSQL, etc.
Data visualization tools such as Tableau, QlikView, etc.
Business intelligence concepts and methodologies such as ETL, OLAP, etc.
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $81,539 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: Good, as there is a growing need for data-driven decision-making in various organizations.

#3. Data Engineer

A data engineer designs, builds and maintains the data infrastructure and pipelines that enable data analysis and processing.

Responsibilities:

Developing, testing, and deploying scalable and reliable data pipelines
Integrating data from various sources such as databases, APIs, web scraping, etc.
Ensuring the security, quality, and availability of the data
Optimizing the performance and efficiency of the data systems

Skills:

Programming languages such as Python, Java, Scala, etc.
Data engineering tools and frameworks like Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, Airflow, etc.
Database systems such as MySQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, etc.
Cloud computing platforms such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), etc.
Data engineering concepts and best practices include data modeling, data warehousing, data lake, etc.

Average Salary: $96,399 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: High, as there is an increasing demand for big data solutions in various fields.

Also Read: How Much is the Typical Data Analytics Salary in 2023? A Complete Guide

#4. Business Analyst

A business analyst analyzes an organization’s or project’s business processes and requirements. They use their expertise to provide solutions to improve them.

Responsibilities:

Gathering and documenting the business needs and specifications of the clients or stakeholders
Conducting market research and competitor analysis to identify opportunities and threats
Developing and evaluating alternative solutions and strategies to meet the business goals
Managing the implementation and testing of the solutions

Skills:

Business analysis tools such as MS Office, Visio, Balsamiq, etc.
Business analysis techniques include SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, Porter’s five forces analysis, etc.
Project management methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, etc.
Communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills

Average Salary: $80,576 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: There is a constant need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of various businesses. Therefore, the demand for business analysts has no reason to slow down.

#5. Marketing Analytics Manager

A marketing analytics manager uses data analytics to measure, optimize, and report on the performance of marketing campaigns and strategies.

Responsibilities:

Defining and tracking the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics of the marketing activities
Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data from various sources such as web analytics, social media, email marketing, etc.
Generating and delivering insights and recommendations to improve the marketing return on investment (ROI)
Collaborating with the marketing team and other stakeholders to implement and test the marketing solutions

Skills:

Working knowledge of marketing analytics tools, including Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, HubSpot, etc.
Understanding marketing channels and platforms such as SEO, SEM, PPC, email marketing, social media marketing, etc.
Knowledge of marketing analytics concepts and techniques such as A/B testing, conversion rate optimization, customer lifetime value, etc.
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $96,885 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: High, as there is a growing importance of data-driven marketing in various industries.

#6. Financial Analyst

A financial analyst uses data analytics to evaluate the financial performance and health of a company, a project, or an investment.

Responsibilities:

Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting financial data from various sources such as financial statements, budgets, forecasts, etc.
Preparing and presenting financial reports and models such as income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, etc.
Providing financial advice and recommendations to support decision-making
Monitoring and forecasting the financial trends and risks

Skills:

Financial analysis tools such as Excel, R, MATLAB, etc.
Financial analysis concepts and techniques like ratio analysis, discounted cash flow analysis, net present value analysis, etc.
Accounting and finance principles and standards
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $70,465 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: Good, as every sector needs professionals with financial expertise. A career as a financial analyst can offer a wide range of opportunities, depending on your specialization, experience, and the specific industry you work in.

#7. Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts, often called “Quants,” use mathematical and statistical methods to analyze data and solve complex problems in finance, economics, risk management, etc.

Responsibilities:

Developing and implementing quantitative models and algorithms for data analysis, optimization, simulation, etc.
Performing data collection, cleaning, validation, and manipulation from various sources such as databases, APIs, web scraping, etc.
Conducting quantitative research and testing hypotheses using various techniques such as regression, machine learning, time series, etc.
Communicating and presenting the results and insights of the analysis to stakeholders

Skills:

Quantitative analysis tools, including Python, R, MATLAB, SAS, etc.
Quantitative analysis concepts and techniques like linear algebra, calculus, statistics, probability, etc.
Strong programming skills in languages like Python and R
Financial and economic knowledge and domain expertise
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $102,168 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: While the career outlook is positive, it’s essential to be prepared for a challenging and fast-paced work environment, especially in roles related to trading and risk management, and to stay adaptable to changing market conditions and technological developments.

Also Read: What is Data Analytics: Types, Roles, and Techniques

#8. Risk Analyst

A risk analyst identifies, assesses, and mitigates the potential risks that may affect the performance and objectives of a company, a project, or an investment.

Responsibilities:

Identifying and evaluating the sources and types of risks such as market, credit, operational, etc.
Measuring and quantifying the impact and likelihood of risks using various methods such as value at risk (VaR), stress testing, scenario analysis, etc.
Developing and implementing risk management strategies and policies such as risk mitigation, transfer, diversification, etc.
Reporting and communicating the risk exposure and risk profile to stakeholders

Skills:

Risk analysis tools like Excel, R, MATLAB, SQL, etc.
Risk analysis concepts and techniques include risk modeling, measurement, management, etc.
Financial and business knowledge and domain expertise
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $75,614 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: Good, as organizations across various industries recognize the importance of effective risk management in today’s complex and dynamic business environment.

#9. Data Governance Analyst

A professional with this data analytics job ensures the quality, integrity, security, and compliance of a company’s data assets, projects, or initiatives.

Responsibilities:

Establishing and enforcing data governance standards, policies, and procedures
Performing data quality audits, assessments, and validations
Identifying and resolving data issues and gaps
Implementing and monitoring data security and privacy controls
Collaborating and communicating with data stakeholders and users

Skills:

Data governance tools such as Collibra, Informatica, Alation, etc.
Data governance concepts and techniques include data quality, lineage, catalog, stewardship, etc.
Data analysis tools such as SQL, Python, Excel, etc.
The ability to analyze data-related issues, identify root causes, and develop solutions.
Awareness of data privacy and ethical considerations, including consent management, data anonymization, and responsible data handling.
Proficiency in SQL for querying and analyzing data.
Familiarity with database management systems is important for understanding data storage and retrieval.

Average Salary: $82,020 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: Promising as organizations increasingly recognize the value of their data assets and the need for effective data management practices.

#10. Data Visualization Engineer

A data visualization engineer designs and develops interactive and engaging data visualizations to communicate insights and stories from data.

Responsibilities:

Understanding the data visualization needs and requirements of the clients and users
Choosing and applying the appropriate data visualization techniques and principles
Developing and deploying data visualization solutions using various tools and technologies
Testing and optimizing the performance and usability of the data visualizations
Documenting and presenting the data visualization projects and outcomes

Skills:

Data visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, D3.js, Plotly, etc.
Data visualization concepts and techniques, including charts, graphs, maps, dashboards, etc.
Data analysis tools such as SQL, Python, R, etc.
Web development skills such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.

Average Salary: $92,029 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: Data Visualization Engineers can look forward to a promising career, given the increasing reliance on data to drive decision-making across industries.

#11. IT Systems Analyst

A professional analyzes the business needs and requirements of a company or a project and designs and implements IT solutions to meet them in this data analytics career.

Responsibilities:

Gathering and documenting the business needs and requirements of the clients and users
Evaluating and recommending the best IT solutions to address the business problems and goals
Designing and developing IT systems using various tools and technologies
Testing and troubleshooting the IT systems to ensure their functionality and quality
Providing training and support to the IT systems users

Skills:

IT systems analysis tools such as UML, BPMN, Visio, etc.
IT systems analysis concepts and techniques like system design, system development life cycle (SDLC), agile methodology, etc.
Programming skills such as Java, C#, Python, etc.
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $83,697 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: The career outlook for IT Systems Analysts is promising, given the increasing reliance on technology in organizations and the need for professionals who can bridge the gap between business requirements and technology solutions.

#12. Data Architect

A data architect designs and builds the data architecture and infrastructure of a company or a project to support the data needs and goals.

Responsibilities:

Defining and developing the data strategy, vision, and roadmap
Designing and implementing the data models, schemas, structures, and flows
Selecting and integrating the data sources, platforms, tools, and technologies
Ensuring the data quality, security, scalability, and reliability
Collaborating and communicating with data stakeholders and users

Skills:

Data architecture tools, including ERD, ETL, SQL, NoSQL, etc.
Data architecture concepts and techniques include data modeling, warehousing, data lake, data pipeline, etc.
Cloud computing skills such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $125,869 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: Given the increasing reliance on data for decision-making and the growth of data-related technologies, the career outlook for Data Architects is quite promising.

Also Read: Is AI Engineering a Viable Career?

#13. Database Administrator

A database administrator manages and maintains the databases of a company or a project to ensure their performance and availability.

Responsibilities:

Installing and configuring the database systems and software
Monitoring and optimizing the database performance and capacity
Performing database backup, recovery, and migration
Implementing and enforcing database security and access controls
Troubleshooting and resolving database issues and errors

Skills:

Database administration tools such as Oracle, MySQL, MongoDB, SQL Server, etc.
Database administration concepts and techniques include database tuning, replication, backup, etc.
Scripting skills such as SQL, Python, Shell, etc.
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $85,012 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: The demand for DBAs is expected to persist, especially in industries that rely heavily on data, such as finance, healthcare, e-commerce, and government.

#14. Operations Analyst

An operations analyst analyzes and improves a company’s or project’s operational processes and performance to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Responsibilities:

Collecting and analyzing operational data from various sources such as reports, surveys, interviews, etc.
Identifying and evaluating the operational issues and opportunities
Developing and implementing operational solutions and improvements
Measuring and reporting the operational outcomes and impacts
Collaborating and communicating with operational stakeholders and users

Skills:

Operations analysis tools such as Excel, R, Python, etc.
Operations analysis concepts and techniques like process mapping, process improvement, lean Six Sigma, etc.
Business analysis skills such as requirements elicitation, stakeholder analysis, etc.
Communication and presentation skills

Average Salary: $62,871 per year (Glassdoor.com)

Career Prospects: The ability to analyze data, identify process improvements, and implement cost-saving measures makes Operations Analysts highly valuable in various industries. The demand for these professionals is expected to persist as businesses aim to stay competitive and adapt to changing market conditions.

Build Your Data Analytics Career With the Right Courses and Certifications

Boosting your data analytics career hinges heavily on choosing the right courses and certifications. This is an industry where proficiency and knowledge play a critical role. It takes specialized training to make all the difference in your career.

The role of a good data analytics course in helping you build a successful career in this day and age cannot be overstated. From giving you credibility in the job market, recognition from top universities, and a structured approach to learning, it offers so much that it’s easily the suggested path over self-learning.

By completing a course like our Data Analytics Bootcamp, you can gain a wide range of critical data analytics skills, from mastering tools like Excel, SQL, and Python to diving deep into data visualization. You also receive certifications upon completion, which serves as a testament to your expertise.

No matter which data analytics jobs interest you, completing this bootcamp can be a great starting point!