The Great Debate: Do You Need a Degree to Be a Data Analyst?

Becoming a data analyst is a great way to break into the tech industry, but do you need a degree to be a data analyst?

Getting a degree is a lengthy and expensive process, and it may not open as many doors as you would like. Because of this, you should know what all of your options are before spending money.

Fortunately, things like bootcamps can help you get the certifications you need to become a data analyst at a fraction of the cost.

In this guide, we will help you understand more about data analysis and the requirements necessary to become an analyst.

What Is Data Analysis?

Data analysis revolves around gathering and analyzing data to make better decisions. Many businesses rely on it to offer good services and products because they can better understand their target audience and the current market.

The entire process involves several steps that each help a business determine what they can do to improve:

Ask Questions

Before a data analyst begins the process, they must ask themselves a few questions regarding the company’s goals. This will help them choose the types of information to collect.

Some of the main questions a data analyst must answer are:

• In what way does the company need to improve?
• How can the company do this?
• What is the company’s target audience?

General questions like these can be applied to all types of companies. However, unique questions can be asked depending on the type of company an analyst is working for.

For example, if a fitness company wants to sell more supplements, a data analyst may ask themselves about the quantity they regularly sell per year. They can then determine how to increase that number by going through the analysis process.

Collect Data

To get the best results, they must gather as much information as they can about the business and its customers. After asking questions, they will begin this process.

One may start by gathering internal company data, like sales reports and customer information. They can then gather data from social media platforms, government records, and other sources.

Analyze

With various tools, a data analyst can then begin analyzing the data they have gathered to look for trends and outliers. One of the best ways to do this is to put all of the information in a graph, which makes it easier to visualize things.

Conclude

At the end of the analysis process, a data analyst can provide various recommendations to help a business.

For example, if the data shows increasing sales during the winter, they may conclude the holiday season causes it. This would then allow them to determine businesses should prioritize marketing during the winter to maximize profits.

Do You Need a Degree to Be a Data Analyst?

To become a data analyst, you can either pursue a degree or teach yourself through various courses and bootcamps.

Both options can allow you to develop data analyst skills, but they each have several pros and cons. Understanding them will make it easier to decide which option is best for you.

Pursuing a Degree

A single data analyst degree does not exist, so you can choose to pursue any one of the relevant majors: data science, computer science, mathematics, economics, and more.

Some degrees may benefit you more when working with a certain type of company. For example, a computer science degree may help you when working for a tech company.

The main reason people choose to pursue a degree to become data analysts is to receive formal education in a professional setting. However, this can be quite expensive, and going to a university is not the only way to do this. The process can also take several years.

Bootcamps and Courses

Instead of getting a degree, attending bootcamps and taking courses to become a data analyst are excellent strategies. Doing so can not only help one get a job quicker, but they will also not need to spend much money. They will also receive several certifications that will qualify them for several types of data analysis positions.

Aside from the financial benefits of bootcamps and courses, they allow students to focus solely on data analysis. If one were to pursue a degree, they would need to take a variety of irrelevant courses before they could officially graduate.

Although many bootcamps focus on data analysis, one can also choose a coding bootcamp that will help them further improve their data analysis skills. This will make finding a job much easier later.

The Job Market

Before starting a career in data analysis, it is best to learn about the current state of the job market. If you are not sure whether data analysis is right for you, this will help you decide. You will also know what to expect when you start your job search.

The two main things to know are what the demand is like and what employers want to see from applicants.

Demand for Data Analysts

The data analytics market value is expected to grow to $745 billion by 2030, which is double its current value. Due to this growth, a plethora of companies will continue to demand data analysts each year.

As technology evolves, the tools and methods data analytics use also change. This allows them to handle various tasks more efficiently, and companies want to take advantage of them as much as possible. Because of this, you will not have an issue starting a career in data analysis.

What Employers Want to See

Before you begin looking for a job, knowing what employers expect from data analysts is crucial.

Employers want to see that an applicant is well-versed in several things, regardless of what their educational background is like. Having basic math skills, being communicative, and knowing how to solve a variety of problems are all things that employers look for.

If you can demonstrate these during an interview, you will significantly increase your odds of getting a job offer.

Tips for Aspiring Data Analysts

While becoming a data analyst can be an extremely rewarding career, starting the process may seem daunting. However, several tips will help you get the most out of data analytics, and you can apply them to many other things in your life.

Use these tips when you start your journey:

Decide Which Path to Take

Becoming a data analyst with no experience is not an option, so you must decide whether you will pursue a degree or attend bootcamps and courses. Only after taking one of these paths will you be able to develop the skills you need to start a career in data analysis.

Keep in mind that bootcamps can provide you with everything you need to become a data analyst at much more affordable rates than a university. Because of this, we recommend you take this path, especially if you want to start your career as quickly as possible.

Stay Focused

Another tip that will help you with all kinds of tech careers is to stay focused.

You may often feel demotivated or drained when learning about data analysis. However, staying focused is the key to absorbing material, so do everything you can to stay in a good mental state.

Pace yourself when learning, and take breaks if you feel as if you are taking on too much at once. With our flex data analytics bootcamp, you can learn at your own pace while having access to all of the materials that our full-time bootcamp offers.

Network with Others

Networking is one of the best ways to excel in tech careers, and you can start doing so as soon as you enter a bootcamp.

When you network, you can develop your communication skills while building strong business communications. This can lead to various opportunities, and if you want to start a data analytics business later, these connections can help you.

Be Proactive

Finding success in any career requires being proactive, which involves setting and accomplishing goals without hesitation.

If you decide you want to have a career in data analysis, you should start going through the necessary steps now. You should also think about the obstacles you will face and how you will overcome them.

Keep in mind that because data analytics is constantly evolving, you must also embrace change and be willing to learn new things, even after completing formal education. By staying up-to-date on the latest trends, you can ensure success in the industry.

Enroll in a Bootcamp Today

After reading this guide, you now know the answer to “Do you need a degree to be a data analyst?”

When you are ready to start your career in data analysis, Coding Temple will make sure you acquire the various skills you need to succeed. Not only can you use these skills to grow as a data analyst, but you can also use them to excel in other areas of your life.

Apply now to our data analytics bootcamp to start learning everything you need to land your first job.