What is Data Analysis? Data analysis is the collection of data, arrangement of data, manipulation of data, processing of raw data, and examination of data and interpretation of the processed data into finished and meaningful results.
A processed data must be able to pass reasonable information to anyone who is going through the results. Before data can be made to have any meaningful result, such data have to pass through a series of tests and transformations.
The application of data analysis cannot be overemphasized. Data analysis applies to all endeavours of life. It is carried out in almost everyday activities. Some areas where data analysis is applicable include the following:
Medical statistics
Agriculture
Engineering
Environmental studies
Social Sciences
Arts
Sciences
Technology
ICT
Education
Business Administration
Law, etc
There is no endeavour of life that data analysis is not useful.
- Tools/Software for Data Analysis
- Who is a Data Analyst?
- Difference Between Data Analysts and Data Scientists
- Tips On How To Become A Good Data Analyst
- How to Become a Data Analyst As a Beginner
- Educational Requirements To Become A Data Analyst
- Benefits of Becoming a Data Analyst
- Average Salary of a Data Analyst in the USA
- Average Data Analyst Salary in UK
- Average Data Analyst Salary in Nigeria
Tools/Software for Data Analysis
Analysis of data is used to be done through manual processes until the development of science and technology. Today, manual methods of data analysis have become so obsolete that most of the analytical works are automatically carried out with the aid of computers.
To run any data analysis on a computer, there is a need for tools/software. Every kind of data analysis has its analytical tools and techniques, and even computers which there are compatible with.
It is therefore required that as a prospective data analyst or an expert in data science, you must get used to any of the software for data analysis. If not all, at least you must have good knowledge of the particular tool(s) that you make use of in your area of specialisation.
The following are some of the analytical tools and software for most regular Data Analyses:
- Excel
- SPSS
- Python
- Stata
- Minitab
- Qualtrics
- RapidMine
- HighCharts
- Apache Spark
- Talend
- Erwin Data Modeler
- SAS Forecasting For Desktop
- MySQL Workbench
- R Programming/R-studio
- Datapime
It is your hard work and dedication that will enable you to learn about these packages and become proficient in using them for data analysis. For example; you can decide to learn how to use SPSS for:
- Transforming Data
- Running Linear regression
- Running descriptive statistics
- Log transformation of data, and many more operations
Who is a Data Analyst?
A data Analyst collects, collates, arranges, manipulates, processes, examines and interprets data into finished and meaningful results. Being a good data analyst requires enough time, skills, experience and training.
So many persons had desired to be good in data analysis but due to the lack of the necessary skills, they could not be one. It is good that you undergo all the training required for you to make a good data analyst step by step.
This requires special attributes to acquire the knowledge that you need. Some people had spent a lot of money, thinking that money will fetch them the knowledge of data analysis.
Of course, money may get you the certificate but the experience goes beyond what money can buy. That is why you see today many graduates of Statistics who still spend a lot to get their statistical data analyzed.
A great number of these personalities wish they could analyze by themselves but they lack what it takes for it to be done. If you had ever wished to become a good data analyst, in reality, this is the time you move on with what you have passion for.
Whether you have a certificate or not in Data Analysis, you can still Analyse data very well if you decide to work hard. In this article, I am going to show you what to do and you will become a good data analyst.
If you are reading what I have published here it means that you have taken a step in the right direction. I will show you what it takes to be an expert in data analysis and some good qualities of a good data analyst.
All that you have to do is stick to this article and make sure that you read it carefully to the end. In the end, you would testify by yourself that it does not take just the certificate from any high Institution to show proficiency in analyzing data.
If you want to know more about how to start running data analysis on your own without spending much on paying professionals to be doing it for you, I enjoined you to take this article very seriously.
Difference Between Data Analysts and Data Scientists
There are so many persons who do not know the difference between a data analyst and a data scientist. Although both professionals work with data, the way the data are collected, collated and processed by each of them differ in many ways.
The major difference between data analysts and data scientists is dependent on what the data they have at hand is being used for.
In this section, I am going to show you how one differs from the other based on the common tasks.
Data analysts
Data analysts are saddled with the job of structuring data to solve tangible business problems using tools like SQL, R or Python programming languages, data visualization software, and statistical analysis. Common tasks for a data analyst might include:
- Collaborating with organizational leaders to identify informational needs
- Acquiring data from primary and secondary sources
- Cleaning and reorganizing data for analysis
- Analyzing data sets to spot trends and patterns that can be translated into actionable insights
- Presenting findings in an easy-to-understand way to inform data-driven decisions
Data scientists
On the other hand, data scientists often deal with the unknown by using more advanced data techniques to make predictions about the future. They might automate their own machine learning algorithms or design predictive modeling processes that can handle both structured and unstructured data.
This role is generally considered a more advanced version of a data analyst. Some day-to-day tasks might include:
Gathering, cleaning, and processing raw data
Designing predictive models and machine learning algorithms to mine big data sets
Developing tools and processes to monitor and analyze data accuracy
Building data visualization tools, dashboards, and reports
Writing programs to automate data collection and processing
Skills Required To Become A Data Analyst
A data analyst must be analytical in thinking and must possess the ability to use data visualization to arrive at a well-presented conclusion. To do this, he/she must acquire good knowledge in all or any of the following areas:
- SQL, R and Python programming
- Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and IBM DB2 databases
- Predictive modeling algorithms
- Amazon Web Services
- Apache Spark and Scala
- D3.js
- MapReduce
- PIG
- Machine learning
- Apache Hive
- Apache Hadoop
Tips On How To Become A Good Data Analyst
Some students have asked questions on whether it is possible to become a good data analyst since they did not study it as a Course in the High Institution.
This must have been because some of them did study Courses that are related to data analysis, while some who did related courses did engage very well in the practical aspects of data analysis.
For this reason, I have decided to publish this article to show you what to do if you want to start data analysis as a job. Apply the following if you must be a good data analyst:
Be dedicated to learning:
You cannot be a good data analyst if you are not ready to learn. Almost all the tools/software for data analysis require special attention and training before you can get used to them. You must be ready to learn with time.
Learn to Sacrifice:
Things to sacrifice for you to become a good data analyst are time, resources and other pleasurable periods. Learning packages for data analysis require that you become dedicated to learning as discussed above and this must cost you a lot to achieve it.
Have a good Computer:
Due to the bulky nature of data analysis and some technicalities involved in getting data analysed, you must use a computer and not manual processes to do your job.
Master the tools:
You have to know the particular tool that is suitable for the kind of data that you want to analyse and also how such a tool works before you can embark on any analytical work. If it requires you to pay for the training, make sure that you pay and get the knowledge.
Always Practice:
While you are learning the skills, make sure that you always put to practice whatever you are learning. It is your constant practices that guarantee you perfection in data analysis. Start working with small data until you get to bigger ones.
Be confident:
You have to be confident in yourself. Some data analysis is usually bulky, robust and very complex. If you do not develop self-confidence you might be scared away from running that kind of analysis. The more you try to work with complex data, the earlier you become experienced and expert.
Finally, you have to always study other people’s works. Well-presented works by experts will give you more knowledge when you closely study them.
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How to Become a Data Analyst As a Beginner
Most employers would want you to employ workers with good experience about their job; that is, those who have worked as a date analyst in others companies. Luckily, you don’t have to wait to get hired to start gaining experience. Data to analyze can be found anywhere around the world.
If you’re switching to data analysis from another field, start to develop your experience by working with data. Many degree programs, certificate courses, and online classes include hands-on projects with real data sets. You can also find free data sets on the internet (or scrape your own) to gain experience collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing real data.
Educational Requirements To Become A Data Analyst
There are some essential degree certificates that any intending data analyst should choose to go for. Those degree courses include the following:
- Computer science
- Statistics
- Mathematics
- Business administration
- Communications
- Economics
- Marketing
- Engineering
- Business analytics
- Data science
- Informatics
Benefits of Becoming a Data Analyst
Field of data analysis is one of the areas with the most trending and highest paying jobs around the world. Being a data analyst gives one a better living than one could imagine. That is the reason why you must build yourself some data analytical skills as I have shown you in the previous section.
Average Salary of a Data Analyst in the USA
The average salary of a certified data analyst in the US is $80,500 annually plus many other unlimited opportunities around the world.
The following is the breakdown of the average salaries of data analysts based in different states in the United State of America:
Alabama: $57,766 per year
Alaska: $39,473 per year
Arizona: $73,731 per year
Arkansas: $60,280 per year
California: $77,428 per year
Colorado: $73,761 per year
Connecticut: $69,179 per year
Delaware: $66,861 per year
Florida: $58,821 per year
Georgia: $64,663 per year
Hawaii: $60,021 per year
Idaho: $55,474 per year
Illinois: $67,884 per year
Indiana: $57,587 per year
Iowa: $69,730 per year
Kansas: $48,486 per year
Kentucky: $60,406 per year
Louisiana: $53,774 per year
Maine: $44,022 per year
Maryland: $82,692 per year
Massachusetts: $70,812 per year
Michigan: $59,095 per year
Minnesota: $58,410 per year
Mississippi: $55,292 per year
Missouri: $64,357 per year
Montana: $58,287 per year
Nebraska: $59,379 per year
Nevada: $62,457 per year
New Hampshire: $83,324 per year
New Jersey: $65,645 per year
New Mexico: $58,760 per year
New York: $72,138 per year
North Carolina: $85,266 per year
North Dakota: $59,710 per year
Ohio: $62,414 per year
Oklahoma: $73,912 per year
Oregon: $66,079 per year
Pennsylvania: $63,443 per year
Rhode Island: $62,382 per year
South Carolina: $55,819 per year
South Dakota: $57,101 per year
Tennessee: $60,696 per year
Texas: $72,147 per year
Utah: $57,746 per year
Vermont: $53,649 per year
Virginia: $71,309 per year
Washington: $72,281 per year
West Virginia: $56,162 per year
Wisconsin: $70,168 per year
Wyoming: $55,602 per year
Average Data Analyst Salary in UK
The average salary of a data analyst in the UK is £29,000 in addition to so many other explorable opportunities in different parts of the world.
Average Data Analyst Salary in Nigeria
The average salary of a data analyst in Nigeria is N1,500,000 annually. The following are the fringe benefits of working as a data analyst in Nigeria:
Basic salary = N98,000 – N7,000,000
Bonus = N19,000 – N3,000,000
Profit sharing – N39,000 – N680,000
Total = N103,000 – N9,000,000
Data analysis is an interesting discipline that can fetch you a job in every field of specialisation. You have to apply everything that I have unveiled in this article if want to take advantage of the benefits of data analysis.
I am hopeful that everything in the article will be helpful for you to become a good data analyst. You can share this article with your friends.
For more information on how to become a good data analyst, kindly use the comment section below.
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