4 Data Analyst Career Paths: Your Guide to Levelling Up

Getting a job as a data analyst is the first step in what could be a larger data career. Data analysts are in demand in the United Kingdom, with companies across nearly every sector looking for skilled professionals. So, what happens after you finish your qualifications and gain some professional experience in an entry-level position? Learn more about the four common career paths you can take once you get started in this fast-paced field.

Getting started: Entry-level data analyst jobs

If you’re new to the field of data analysis, your first job might be an entry-level role as a junior analyst. If you have some experience with transferable analytical skills from a previous job, you may be able to get hired as a data analyst.

Before applying for that first job, you’ll want to develop some core data analyst skills, including SQL, R, or Python, data management, statistical analysis, and data visualisation. Read more about how to become a data analyst, even if you don't have previous experience or a degree.

Levelling up: Four career paths for a data analyst

As you gain experience as a data analyst, you may encounter opportunities to advance your career in a few different directions. Depending on your goals and interests, you may progress into data science, management, consulting, or a more specialised data role. 

Take a closer look at four possible career paths you might take in the world of data.

1. Data scientist

Many data scientists start as data analysts. Making this transition typically involves:

• Advancing your programming skills

• Learning more advanced mathematics

• Developing an understanding of machine learning 

Many data scientists also have a degree in data science, computer science, or a related field. Whilst a degree may not be strictly necessary, having one can mean more job opportunities.  

2. Management

Another common career path for data analysts is to move into management positions. You might start out as a data analyst before advancing to senior-level analyst, analytics manager, or director of analytics.

If you’re interested in pursuing this path, you’ll want to focus on developing your leadership skills alongside your data skills. In some companies, a master’s degree in data analytics or business administration with a focus on data analytics might be required to attain these higher-level positions.

3. Specialist

As a data analyst, you might work in one of many different industries. Sometimes, your career path might take you deeper into the specialised knowledge of that industry.

• Business analysts use data to help make an organisation’s IT processes, organisational structures, or staff development more efficient and effective.

• Financial analysts use data to help guide investment opportunities, identify revenue opportunities, and mitigate financial risk.

• Operations analysts are tasked with optimising a company’s performance by identifying and solving technical, structural, and procedural issues.

• Marketing analysts, also called market research analysts, analyse market trends to help determine product and service offerings, price points, and target customers.

• Systems analysts use cost-benefit analysis to help match technological solutions to company needs.

4. Consultant

Once you’ve gained several years of experience analysing data for a company (or several different companies), you can consider working as a data analytics consultant. Instead of working for a company directly, you’d work as a freelance contractor or for a consulting firm, conducting analysis for a variety of clients.

Working as a consultant often means more variety in the type of analysis you’re performing, as well as greater flexibility (particularly when self-employed).

How much can you make? Data analyst salaries by role

Even entry-level data analyst positions tend to be well-paid. As you add years of experience and advanced job titles, salaries often go up accordingly. The following list offers a quick look at the average base pay of different data analyst roles in the UK in June 2024, according to Indeed:

• Junior analyst: £27,505

• Data analyst: £35,237

• Senior data analyst:- £48,637

• Analytics manager: £54,530

• Director of analytics: £83,076

• Data scientist: £51,221

• Business analyst: - £44,974

• Financial analyst: £39,454

• Operations analyst: £34,064

• Marketing analyst: £32,732

• Systems analyst: £36,498

• Data consultant: £48,394

Build your data analytics career

Data analysis is a thriving career option in the United Kingdom with several career paths you can choose from. Take the first step toward a career in data analytics, or add credentials to your CV with the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate available on Coursera. Build job-ready skills in less than six months. Upon completion, you’ll have a shareable certificate for your resume, as well as the ability to start applying for jobs directly with Google and various other employers. 

If you're ready to build on your existing data science skills to qualify for in-demand job titles like junior data scientist and data science analyst, consider the Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate.