Data analytics is a profession high in demand that could pay six-figure salaries without requiring a traditional college degree, according to a Moneycontrol report which cited Lisa Gevelber, Vice President at Google and founder of the Grow With Google program.
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“The demand for people who understand data and can use it to guide important business decisions is huge,” the report quoted Gevelber as having said.
Data analysts identify trends from raw data and interpret them to create insights which can be used to help shape business strategies.
They often use tools such as Excel, SQL, and Tableau to analyse metrics like sales performance or even website traffic to help companies operate more efficiently.
The best part of data analytics is that it is more skill-based, rather than having the entry barrier of traditional education, with a variety of industry-recognised certifications and online training courses available.
An example includes Google’s data analytics certification, which is available for $49 per month through the Grow With Google initiative. Others such as IBM and CompTIA, also offer such types of accessible training programs.
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These certifications impart skills such as coding, working with spreadsheets, and visualising data.
This is at a time when the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects such jobs to grow by over 30% in the next decade, which is three times faster than the average job growth rate.
“The versatility of data analytics means that it doesn’t matter where you live or what industry you work in,” the report quoted Gevelber as saying.
She added that familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI) tools can give job seekers a significant edge since “using AI to clean and structure data or brainstorm visualizations can make you much more productive.”
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How much can data analysts earn?
Entry-level data analysts can expect to get a median salary of $93,000, while seasoned professionals may be able to take home around $110,000 annually, according to the report which cited Glassdoor.
However, certain remote roles in industries like manufacturing, health care, tech, and finance, can pay even more, including amounts as much as $150,000 per year, according to the report.