How to Get Into Data Analytics

Recently, we explained what you can do with a Master’s Degree in Data Analytics, what jobs you can get with the degree, and why you should consider getting your degree in this field.

Today, we’ll discuss how to get into the field of data analytics. We’ll explain why you might want to consider getting into data analytics in the first place, what responsibilities you’re likely to have while working in the field, why it’s so vital that you get a degree before attempting to break into the industry, and what else you can do to improve your chances of achieving a successful lifelong career in data analytics.

If you like working with numbers and you enjoy researching and developing data-driven solutions to complex business-based problems, then there’s probably no better field for you than data analytics.

After you’ve read about getting into the field of data analytics, please fill out our information request form to learn more about our online Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems & Business Analytics or our online Master of Science in Data Analytics, both of which will help you achieve your career goals!

If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.

The Basics of a Career in Data Analytics

According to GlobeNewswire, the field of data analytics is growing at an exponential rate, and it’s not difficult to see why. 

There has never been a greater need for qualified individuals who understand how to use data analytics tools to gain insights on important business strategies and develop new data-driven plans based on deep dives into customer habits, desires, interests, business successes, and failures.

Whether you’re considering a career in the industry or you just want to explore what this discipline involves, then this post will serve as the perfect introduction. 

What are some things you should know about this career? How do you break into data analytics? And what kind of education and skills does one need to succeed in this field? 

This guide will cover all of these questions, and others, to ensure that you understand the fundamentals of a career in data analytics, and to provide you with some tips that may help you break into the industry.

Is Data Analytics a Good Career Field?

The answer to this question is a resounding yes! 

According to CNBC, data analytics is one of the most in-demand skill sets, and the field continues to grow rapidly. 

Professionals with experience in data analytics are highly sought after by companies in all industries, as their skills can be applied to solving a wide variety of business problems. 

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, data scientists and mathematical science occupations are projected to be one of the top ten fastest-growing occupations in America from 2020 to 2030. 

If you’re looking for a career that has plenty of growth potential, data analytics is a good choice. Here are three excellent reasons to think about launching a career in data analytics:

• Earning Potential: Money isn’t everything, but it’s a nice perk when considering a career, and in the data analytics field, you can expect to earn a considerable salary. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t provide income statistics for “Data Analysts”, but it does offer income data for several roles in this field, including computer and information research scientists (average salary: $126,830), database administrators (average salary: $98,860 per year), and mathematicians and statisticians (average salary: $93,290 per year). If you’re looking for a career with good earning potential, data analytics is an excellent choice.

• Demand for Related Roles is Projected to Continue Rising: Another great thing about data analytics is that the BLS projects employment will continue to rise sharply for related professions, with employment rates rising considerably over the next decade. The BLS estimates that the role of computer and information research scientists will see a 22% rise in employment between 2020 and 2030, while employment for database administrators and architects will rise 8%, and employment of mathematicians and statisticians will skyrocket by 33% over the same time period. That’s a huge increase in demand and a signal that this industry is growing rapidly.

• Highly-Valued Employees: In a world where data is becoming increasingly important to everyday business operations, companies are eager to find employees who know how to use data analytics tools to help them make better decisions. As a result, people with experience in data analytics are some of the most highly-valued employees in any organization. If you’re looking for a career where you can make a real difference in organizational success, then data analytics may be the perfect profession.

What Do Data Analytics Professionals Actually Do?

According to Investopedia, data analytics professionals look at raw data and turn it into meaningful information. 

They collaborate with businesses, managers, policymakers, and others to gain insights from the mountains of digital data they collect about their market, operations, and customers. 

This is accomplished through a process known as “data mining,” in which analysts identify patterns in data that allow them to glean insights based on results so they can recommend better business decisions.

Jobs in data analytics typically share several key responsibilities, and the following is a list of some of the most common responsibilities for industry personnel:

• Collecting and organizing data from various sources
• Cleaning and preparing data for analysis
• Analyzing data to look for trends or patterns
• Drawing conclusions from the data and present findings
• Recommending actions based on analyses
• Developing models to predict future outcomes

If this sounds like an interesting profession, then you’ll need to start developing a series of skills required to work in the industry, including:

• Learning processing languages: This is essential to be able to clean and evaluate data sets. The most common languages for data analytics professionals are SLQ and Python, but there are many others, including R, MATLAB, and SAS.

• Understanding data modeling: Data analysts need a strong understanding of how data models work so that they can properly query and analyze data sets.

• Designing databases: A data analyst’s job is to make sense of the large amounts of information that companies and their clients generate, which requires an understanding of how to properly organize and structure a database.

• Collecting and storing data: Data analytics professionals are in charge of gathering the data that their organization requires, either internally (via reports generated by company software) or externally (through manual research). After the data has been collected, the data analyst then must decide how to store it, and this is where things can get extremely technical. Data analytics professionals must be able to store data in a way that allows it to be easily accessed and analyzed. They must also ensure that the data is secure so that unauthorized individuals cannot gain access to it.

• Analyzing data: This is where the most important part of data analytics work is performed. Data analysts employ a variety of tools and techniques to analyze raw data so that they can identify patterns, trends, or anomalies.

• Visualizing the data: One of the most important aspects of data analytics work is the ability to visualize data in a way that makes it understandable to others, and any patterns, trends, or insights found within the data. To become a truly effective data analyst, you’ll need to develop advanced presentation skills so you can employ various methods and tools (such as charts or graphs) to communicate what you’ve discovered to others.

• Presenting findings: After discovering something interesting or useful data, analytics professionals must interpret the data, put together the insights they’ve gleaned from the trends, patterns, etc., then present their findings to key stakeholders. These presentations may also include suggestions on how the organization should respond to the insights found by the data analyst, but in other cases, all the data analyst is responsible for presenting is insights, trends, or patterns, without strategic recommendations.

As you might imagine from the list of responsibilities above, data analytics is a critical discipline because it can make the difference between an organization’s success or failure.

To remain competitive in the modern economy, businesses need to understand how to use data to improve their products, services, and operational strategies, and that’s what makes data analytics professionals so critical to organizational success.

This is not an easy job, but it is an extremely important one that can also be very rewarding.

To prepare yourself for assuming a role in the industry, you’ll need to develop expertise in important  data analytics processes, like:

• Data mining
• Database design
• Statistics
• Computer programming (specifically in R, Python, MATLAB)
• Machine learning

The best way to develop a thorough understanding of these processes so that you can apply them on the job is to complete an accredited data analytics degree program, like those offered by CSU Global.

Do I Need a Degree to Get Into Data Analytics?

It depends. There are numerous paths you can take to becoming a data analyst, and not all of them require a degree. 

However, to increase your chances of success in this field, it is strongly advised that you obtain at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, as this will help ensure you’re prepared to deliver real value from your first day on the job, while also improving your marketability for available industry roles.

If you’re looking to land one of the best jobs in the industry, like the role of computer and information research scientist, then you may want to consider earning a Master’s Degree in Data Analytics. Why? Because the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says it’s the typical entry-level education requirement for this specific role.

Getting your bachelor’s or master’s degree in the field will provide you with a solid foundation in mathematics, statistics, and computer science, all of which are important to data analysts. 

These skills and abilities will be incredibly useful when you begin working with data sets, designing, modeling databases, and performing data analysis on large sets of data. 

Remember that organizations looking for data analysts want employees with the proper skill set, and having a degree is the best way to show that you have what it takes to be successful in this competitive, challenging industry.

What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Analytics?

If you still need a bachelor’s degree, then one excellent way to enter the field of data analytics is to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems and Business Analytics from CSU Global.

This program can lead to a wide variety of careers, including roles in data analytics, as well as positions in marketing, sales, and quality control. Earning your degree will provide you with all the foundational knowledge, skills, and abilities you need for positions like:  

• Business Analyst / 2020 Median Pay: $87,660
• Operations Research Analyst / 2020 Median Pay: $86,200
• Marketing Analyst / 2020 Median Pay: $65,810
• Financial Reporting Analyst / 2020 Median Pay: $83,660

But that’s just the beginning of your options because this is only a small list of a handful of related jobs that you could pursue after completing your B.S. in MIS and Business Analytics. 

Once you’ve developed some experience in the field, you’ll gain access to a huge variety of other related jobs, including nearly any position in the field of data analytics. 

What Can I Do With a Master’s Degree in Data Analytics?

If you’ve already got a bachelor’s degree, then you may want to consider completing a Master’s Degree in Data Analytics with CSU Global, which will make you eligible for more senior-level jobs and specialized industry roles, including positions like: 

• Data Analyst / 2020 Median Pay: $86,200
• Business Intelligence Analyst / 2020 Median Pay: $87,660
• Database Administrator / 2020 Median Pay: $98,860
• IT Manager or Director of Information Technology / 2020 Median Pay: $151,150

Industry certifications are another possible way to set yourself apart from the competition when pursuing competitive jobs in data analytics. 

If you’re looking to maximize your chances of landing one of the best roles in the field, then you should consider completing a certificate program like those found on the CIO’s list of the best certifications for data analytics professionals, which includes: 

• Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP).
• Certification of Professional Achievement in Data Sciences.
• Cloudera Data Platform Generalist.
• EMC Proven Professional Data Scientist Associate (EMCDSA).
• IBM Data Science Professional Certificate.
• Open Certified Data Scientist.
• SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9.
• SAS Certified Data Scientist.

These certifications may help demonstrate that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to work with big data and analytics, which could help you stand out from the crowd and improve your marketability for industry jobs.

Should I Get My Degree in Data Analytics Online?

One of the great things about pursuing a degree in data analytics is that you have the option of receiving your education entirely online, which offers all sorts of benefits in terms of flexibility and freedom!. 

In fact, should you choose to study online with us at CSU Global, you’ll get to take advantage of several unique benefits, including: 

• No requirements to show up at set times or in physical locations
• Monthly class starts
• Accelerated courses

Thanks to these benefits, studying online with us may make juggling your studies with existing work and family responsibilities a much easier process.

If you want to get a degree to help launch or accelerate your career in data analytics, but you already have a busy schedule, then you should consider studying online at CSU Global.

Why Should I Choose to Study Data Analytics at CSU Global?

There are many reasons to choose one of our data analytics programs, including the fact that both programs are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and designed to provide you with everything you need to launch a successful, lifelong career in data analytics.

Reasons to Choose our B.S. in MIS & Business Analytics

This program is perfect for helping you develop the skills, abilities, and experience you need to break into the data analytics industry, as it’s extremely well-respected. 

In fact, our online B.S. in MIS & Business Analytics program was recently awarded the #1 ranking for Best Online Bachelor’s in Management Information Systems Programs from Best Colleges.

This program also generates excellent results for our students, with 93% of graduates reporting that they work in their field, and alumni also reporting an average starting salary of $77,000.

If your goal is to break into the data analytics industry, then you’d be hard-pressed to find a better path.

Reasons to Choose our M.S. in Data Analytics Program

Our online M.S. in Data Analytics program is the perfect option for advancing your career or preparing to make a career change from another field into a senior-level role in data analytics.

This program also holds several impressive rankings, including:

• A #3 ranking for Best Online Degree in Data Analytics from Best Master Programs. 
• A #9 ranking for Best Online Master’s in Data Science Programs from Intelligent.

Whether you choose to pursue a B.S. or M.S. with us, you can rest assured that your degree will provide real value when it comes time to find a job, as CSU Global itself is widely regarded as an industry leader in higher education.

In fact, we were recently awarded several prominent rankings, including:

• A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges. 

Finally, we offer our students affordable tuition rates and a tuition guarantee which ensures that your rate won’t increase for as long as you remain enrolled as a student with us.

To learn more about our fully accredited online degrees in data analytics, please call (800) 462-7845 or fill out our Information Request Form. 

Are you ready to get started? Apply today!