A large amount of data is gathered every day to make important decisions. From businesses, government agencies, to various organizations, many are gathering data to guide their strategy and so better serve their clients. Business data analytics is about analyzing complex data and therein finding patterns that can lead to actionable insights for companies.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, research analysts, of which data analysts are a big part, should expect a much faster than average growth of 20 percent from 2018-2028. A 2018 KMPG survey of Chief Information Officers saw 46 percent indicate that they saw “big data and analytics” as one of the jobs with a shortage of people. According to Indeed.com, starting median salaries for entry-level data analysts are $54,000 per year up to $72,000, with the potential to become a data scientist starting at $115,000 and high demand by companies to fill positions in data analytics.
A data analyst evaluates, interprets, and presents data to various stakeholders in various forms of communication. They may be involved in auditing, monitoring, and reporting on data within an organization. Data analysts work in a wide range of industries ranging from business, health informatics to non-profit organizations to visualize and report on existing data. Data scientists use data mining, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to predict what will happen in the future.
The Business Data Analytics concentration prepares you to analyze, interpret, and communicate insights from data to develop strategies that lead to action. A data analyst is someone with keen analytical skills who is comfortable working with databases, software applications, and communicating insights to various audiences.
|2018 Median Pay||$63,120 per year |
$30.35 per hour
|Typical Entry-Level Education||Bachelor's degree|
|Work Experience in a Related Occupation||None |
|On-the-job Training||None |
|Number of Jobs, 2018||681,900|
|Job Outlook, 2018-28||20% (Much faster than average)|
|Employment Change, 2018-28||139,200|