What Degree Does a Data Analyst Need?
Data has become an important asset for many different businesses. By collecting and analyzing data, companies are able to uncover valuable insights and improve their daily operations. The demand for data processes has grown significantly in recent years, as companies race towards implementing more advanced techniques for handling their growing information needs.
For these reasons, more businesses are hiring data analysts. The field of research analytics is expected to grow by 27% by 2026. If you enjoy learning about analytics, data structures, and software, a degree in Computer Science with a focus on Data Analytics may be the right fit for you. These professionals use data to solve business problems, identify growth opportunities, and cut down on operational costs.
What is Data analysis?
Data analytics can be defined as the process of collecting, storing, and examining data with the end goal of making strategic business decisions. Rather than estimating how sales, inventory, and customer preferences will be in the near future, data analysis involves using accurate and timely information to arrive at conclusions that are more reliable.
As a data analyst, you could play a key role in solving company problems by using a data-driven approach. Your job responsibilities will involve using software, algorithms, and data mining techniques to sift through large amounts of data in search of valuable insights. From identifying why sales were slow to uncovering opportunities for saving costs, data analysts play a key role in any type of business.
The growing field of big data
Getting involved in data analysis is an exciting career path with longevity. This is because data is “hot”, and many companies are realizing the value that data analysis can provide. Big data is growing on a daily basis, with corporations spending an annual amount of $3.1 trillion on big data in the U.S alone.
This rapid growth has occurred because corporations are in need of more efficient technologies (and highly skilled personnel) to handle their data-driven processes. Big data comes from multiple sources, including sales reports, inventory, online orders, market trends, and even mobile applications. The primary challenge that businesses face is how to properly manage this data.
Such challenges have led to the need for more data analysis professionals who are capable of gathering, organizing, storing, and analyzing this data efficiently. It is no longer enough to simply collect data, as companies also need to process and analyze this data as quickly as possible. Have you ever browsed a webpage and received instant recommendations for products or services that you’d like? This is big data analytics in action.
If you enjoy learning about analytics tools and software, business intelligence, and data modeling patterns, consider a career as a data analyst.
Duties and responsibilities of a data analyst
You may be wondering what a day in the life of a data analyst looks like. These professionals handle many different aspects of a company’s daily operations. Data analysts collect and manage information from multiple areas of the company, including sales, HR, marketing, procurement, inventory, and production.
With this data in a central place, you can expect to carry out the following duties and functions.
- Preparing statistical models and algorithms for analyzing data
- Identifying unique trends and relationships between data sets
- Presenting your findings in a manner that is easy for management to understand (for example, charts and infographics)
- Establishing new criteria for data collection and analysis
- Ensuring the accuracy and quality of collected data
- Using advanced data mining tools to handle growing amounts of big data
What does a formal education in data analysis involve?
Data analysts typically pursue a degree in computer science (or a related field) before they can enter the job market. A degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or Information Science all provide you with a solid foundation for diving into the exciting field of data analytics.
When pursuing your degree, you’ll learn about statistics and data categorization, developing scripts, carrying out data mining, and deriving actionable insights from separate pools of information. You’ll also learn about cyber security essentials, software development, and carrying out SQL queries.
Having a formal education in data analysis will prepare you for this highly technical field- so you can become a valuable asset to businesses.
Career opportunities
With a formal education in computer science, data analysis, and software development, you can pursue a career in many different fields. From building websites and applications to offering consulting services to various firms, data analysts find themselves with several choices that suit their specific interests.
Here are some opportunities you could pursue with a formal education in computer science and data analysis:
- Computer Hardware Engineer
- Software Developer
- Quantitative Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Business Analyst
- Computer Programmer
If you want to be a part of taming Big Data for clients, you could earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Software Development Data Analytics Track. ECPI University offers this program at an accelerated pace, with classes on campus and online. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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