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7 In-Demand Data Analyst Skills to Get You Hired in 2025
Transitioning to a career in data analytics can mean stable employment in a high-paying industry once you have the right skills.
April 16, 2021
Article
As an entry-level data analyst, you’ll be gleaning insights from data to answer questions and solve problems that inform business decisions. Get started on this career path with the resources below.
Learn the basics of data analysis
Skills you'll gain: Data Presentation, Data Storytelling, Data Cleansing, Data Visualization, Data Validation, Rmarkdown, Data Integrity, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Ethics, Dashboard, Ggplot2, Data Quality, Stakeholder Communications, Data Literacy, Data Visualization Software, Data Analysis, SQL, Interviewing Skills, Analytical Skills, Applicant Tracking Systems
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Visualization, Data Wrangling, SQL, Extract, Transform, Load, Pivot Tables And Charts, Matplotlib, Exploratory Data Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Relational Databases, Data Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Data Cleansing, Data Ethics, Dashboard, Jupyter, IBM Cognos Analytics, Microsoft Excel, Python Programming, Interviewing Skills
Build toward a degree
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Visualization, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Big Data, Data Wrangling, Data Processing, Data Mining, Analytics, Data Warehousing, Data Science, Data Cleansing, Data Lakes, Data Collection, Relational Databases, Microsoft Excel
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Data analysts collect, clean, and interpret data sets to drive better business decisions. They can work in many industries, including business, technology, finance, science, medicine, and government.
As an entry-level data analyst, you’ll be expected to know the basics of data collection, modeling, analysis, and visualization. You’ll need to know how to use software tools like Microsoft Excel, SQL, or Tableau to pull data sets and organize them before synthesizing the insights for a business use case and presenting them to stakeholders.
Similar roles include data scientist, business analyst, market research analyst, and business intelligence analyst.
Read more about entry-level data analyst careers and tips:
Entry-level data analysts can expect to make an average base salary of $63,537 with 0-1 years of experience, according to Glassdoor. That number goes up to $73,127 per year with 1-3 years of experience. Glassdoor. Data Analyst Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm. Accessed February 5, 2024.
To become a data analyst, you’ll want to gain skills in data analysis, programming languages like SQL, Python, or R, and Microsoft Excel. Many entry-level data analyst jobs seek candidates with bachelor’s degrees, so it might be helpful to earn a degree in a related field. Build your skills with a professional certificate and start conducting data analysis, before applying for entry-level jobs and internships.
Some skills to add to a data analyst resume include data analysis (highlight examples of collecting, cleaning, interpreting, and visualizing data), programming languages such as SQL, Python, or R, experience with programs like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, SAS, and Tableau, communication, problem solving, and project management.