What do data analysts do? Explore a day in the life of a data analyst with insight from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. We are a Lasallian Catholic university that provides a vast range of academic programs, including a Master of Science in Data Intelligence and Geoanalytics degree that equips students with the hands-on technology skills they need for their daily job duties. Here, we discuss a data analyst career and a typical day on the job.
What Do Data Analysts Do?
A data analyst is a professional who gathers, examines, and interprets data from businesses to draw insights that help them make informed decisions. The data that analysts use can be from many different sources, such as website visitor traits, surveys, datasets from specialists, and more. Data analysts can work in many different industries and environments, including business intelligence, finance, healthcare, and more. Therefore, a day on the job can vary depending on where they work and in what industry. However, a typical day on the job of a data analyst can include:
- Meeting with stakeholders, data engineers, or leadership to gain insight into new projects
- Checking for new data and adding it to existing data systems or databases
- Cleaning data, which involves removing duplicates, errors, and outliers
- Using AI, statistical,and programming tools to interpret datasets and identify trends and patterns
- Visualizing data by creating charts and graphs
- Preparing data reports to communicate trends, patterns, and predictions to executive leadership
- Creating documentation for stakeholders so they can understand the data analysis process and recommendations
To become a data analyst, you will at least need a bachelor’s degree in a related field, like computer or data analytics. However, some senior positions may require a master’s degree.
Benefits of a Career in Data Analytics
If a day in the life of a data analyst sounds intriguing to you, consider pursuing this path as a career. There are several benefits of a data analytics job, including:
Range of Work Environments
One benefit of working as a data analyst is the range of work environments that are available to you, especially if you have a master’s degree. Data analysts can work in almost any industry because every industry has data that can provide helpful insights for companies. Some places where data analysts can work include government agencies, healthcare facilities, entertainment companies, energy corporations, software development companies, marketing agencies, investment banks, and more. Some data analysts may also be able to work remotely, which may be an advantage for some.
Strong Job Outlook
Another benefit of working as a data analyst is the strong job outlook the career can provide. Data is everywhere in today’s world, and data analysts are needed to interpret it and make it understandable for business executives and stakeholders. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the volume of data and the potential uses for that data will increase over the next decade, resulting in a demand for more data scientists who can mine and analyze the data. Although data scientists are different than data analysts, the demand for analysts will likely also increase alongside scientists because they collect and interpret data for businesses to use. However, the titles are often used interchangeably in the industry and have complimentary roles.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Another benefit of a data analyst job is the career advancement opportunities that can stem from it. Data analysts can start with entry-level positions and then advance into higher roles, like managers. They can also specialize in a certain domain, which can open more opportunities. Data analysts can also transition into data science, which may earn them a higher salary. If a data analyst pursues a master’s degree, they can be preferred for higher-level roles within a company, helping them advance.
Data Analytic Programs at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
If you’re interested in pursuing an online master’s degree in data analytics, look no further than Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. We offer a Master of Science in Data Intelligence and Geoanalytics program that prepares students with the hands-on technology skills they’ll need to work in these fields. Students will learn about key areas like data acquisition, data engineering, principles of data science, geoanalytics, and visual intelligence.
We also offer a fully online Master of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics program, which is another option for advancing your data analytics career.
Pursue Data Analytics at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
If you’re ready to pursue a career in data analytics and help companies make informed business decisions, apply to the M.S. in Data Intelligence and Geoanalytics program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Our programs are grounded in Lasallian Catholic principles to produce compassionate and ethical leaders in all areas. To learn more about our data analytic programs, request more information today to speak with a counselor or apply for admission today.
