How to Become a Data Analyst Without a Degree

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Learn how to become a data analyst without a degree, including the type of work you'll do, the skills you need, and what it takes to progress in your career.

[Featured image] A young person sits at a laptop and participates in a video chat with a mentor explaining how to become a data analyst without a degree.

Key takeaways

You can become a data analyst without a degree by developing technical and workplace skills, gaining experience, building a portfolio, and networking. 

  • Data analysts earn a median total pay of $93,000 annually, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs will grow by 34 percent between 2024 and 2034 [1, 2].

  • Developing technical skills, such as programming languages and data modeling, as well as workplace skills, such as critical thinking and collaboration, can help you prepare for a data analyst role.

  • You can gain experience by working on an internship, developing a portfolio, and building a keyword-rich resume to market yourself for a job in data analytics.

Explore some paths you can take to become a data analyst and the skills you need to acquire along the way. If you’re ready to start building your data analysis skills, consider enrolling in the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to develop key analytical and visualization skills used by data analyst associates in as little as six months. By the end, you’ll have earned a career credential to showcase on your resume and LinkedIn profile.

What does a data analyst do?

Data analysts collect, organize, and process data to identify patterns and trends within the data that they can then use for several purposes, such as improving processes, making strategic business decisions, and solving problems. Here’s a closer look at some common job responsibilities in this role:

  • Data collection: You collect data from different sources. This can include surveys, Google Analytics, social media, and more. As a data analyst, you can also set up tools to help automate these processes for gathering data.

  • Data interpretation: Once you finish analyzing the data, you then interpret the results and create visualizations and reports to share these conclusions with decision-makers in the organization.

  • Process improvement: You might also work to improve the overall process with the help of data scientists, engineers, data architects, and company leadership.

Salary and job outlook

According to Glassdoor, data analysts in the US earn a median total pay of $93,000 per year [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. However, your earning potential may be influenced by factors such as the industry you work in. Some industries offering above-average pay for data analysts include financial services, information technology, and energy. You can also increase your salary by continuing to sharpen your skill set in areas such as data mining and predictive modeling while also earning certificates.

The field of data science, which includes data analysts, offers a positive job outlook as well, with opportunities only expected to continue growing in the coming years, featuring a projected 34 percent increase from 2024 to 2034 [2]. If you choose this profession, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects an average of 23,400 positions within this sector to be available each year between 2024 and 2034 [2].

How to become a data analyst without a degree

Without a college degree, you should establish a clear path toward reaching your data analyst career goals. This includes developing several technical skills and workplace skills to qualify for the job and understanding your options for how to develop those skills. 

1. Determine the relevant skills and requirements for your job goal.

Data analytics offers a variety of positions in different fields, so identify what you need to know to succeed in your career choice. Industry-specific knowledge and expertise can help separate you from other candidates because you will be able to discuss these subjects with potential employers. For example, as a marketing analyst, your role will involve skills for performing research on market trends and conditions to gain information about consumer habits.

2. Build technical and workplace skills.

To become a data analyst with no degree, you will have to find ways to develop all of the necessary technical and workplace skills for the job. Outside of a degree program, you can attend boot camps; earn certifications from Google, IBM, or Amazon Web Services; or take online courses to develop key technical skills in SQL, data visualization, and Python.

Remember, although technical skills are extremely important, you also need to develop workplace skills such as critical thinking and communication. Being able to share and explain your findings coherently to non-technical people is crucial to your success.

3. Gain work experience.

An internship can help you gain relevant work experience and advance toward a data analyst position. You will have a chance to practice the skills you’ve learned while acquiring a deeper understanding of working in the industry. From here, you can work toward starting in an entry-level role, leading you to a junior-level data analyst position.

Read more: Externship vs. Internship: What’s the Difference?

4. Build a resume or portfolio. 

To demonstrate your skills and experience to potential employers, you can build a portfolio to include with your job application. Your portfolio needs to contain examples of projects where you performed analysis, created visualizations, and showcased any relevant data-analytic skills. As for your resume, you can include specific keywords such as “Python,” “predictive analytics,” or “data mining” to help ensure it passes through applicant tracking systems so employers see it.

5. Reach out to recruiters or professionals

You can improve your chances of finding a job by putting effort into networking. Focus on developing contacts with people within the industry who could help you get in touch with hiring managers, or maybe they can simply provide you with information about working in the industry.

What qualifications do you need to be a data analyst?

While some employers may require you to have completed a bachelor’s degree in a subject such as data science or business intelligence, you may also qualify for a role as a data analyst with specific skills, such as technology knowledge, the ability to effectively communicate with clients, and reading and interpreting data. You may gain these skills through a degree program or by pursuing certifications and experience through entry-level roles that offer training.

Required skills for data analyst professionals

To prepare yourself for success as a data analyst, you will need to obtain certain technical and workplace skills. Here’s a look at some important data analyst skills.

Technical skills

Workplace skills

Data analyst career path

As a data analyst, you can expect to begin in an entry-level role. As you gain experience, you can transition to a junior data analyst job title and pursue opportunities as a senior data analyst. You may have opportunities to get more specialized titles, such as business analyst or other related data analyst positions, including data scientist, health care analyst, data engineer, financial analyst, and more.

Here are some median total salaries of different data analyst roles in the US:

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of January 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

How to progress in your data analyst career path

To take your career to the next level, it’s important to continuously learn in this space to stay up to date with the latest skills and tools through online courses, as this career is constantly evolving. Doing so can also increase your pay.

You also may consider earning a degree later in your career if it helps create opportunities for advanced positions. Lastly, growing your network and making connections throughout your career can benefit you. This will allow you to grow and learn from those with experience and find more job opportunities.

Explore free data analyst resources

Stay up-to-date with data analysis and other industry trends by subscribing to Career Chat, our LinkedIn newsletter. Then, check out these free resources for even more guidance:

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses. 

Article sources

1. 

Glassdoor. “Salary: Data Analyst in the United States, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm.” Accessed January 12, 2026.

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