Data Analytics Engineers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of data analytics engineers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for data analytics engineers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of data analytics engineers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for data analytics engineers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Data Analytics Engineers?
Do data analytics engineers need a degree? What kind of experience do data analytics engineers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for data analytics engineers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Data Analytics Engineers
Jobs Postings for Data Analytics Engineers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 193,561 (47%)
- Master's degree: 93,420 (23%)
- No Education Listed: 79,476 (19%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 33,409 (8%)
- High School or GED: 14,657 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of data analytics engineers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 47% of positions. In 23% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 19% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Data Analytics Engineers
Jobs Postings for Data Analytics Engineers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 22,119 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 78,732 (35%)
- 4-6 Years: 80,389 (36%)
- 7-9 Years: 24,931 (11%)
- 10+ Years: 17,430 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for data analytics engineers. In 36% of job postings for Data Analytics Engineers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 35% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 11% of job postings for data analytics engineers.
What Kind of Degree Do Data Analytics Engineers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for data analytics engineers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 22 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective data analytics engineers, and in 2021 a total of 53,874 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective data analytics engineers.
Top Degree Programs for Data Analytics Engineers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Data Analytics Engineers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Mathematics, General. | 29,750 |
| Statistics, General. | 8,501 |
| Applied Mathematics, General. | 4,658 |
| Financial Mathematics. | 4,612 |
| Computational Science. | 1,344 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Mathematics, General. | 29,750 |
| Statistics, General. | 8,501 |
| Applied Mathematics, General. | 4,658 |
| Financial Mathematics. | 4,612 |
| Computational Science. | 1,344 |
| Computational and Applied Mathematics. | 1,164 |
| Business Analytics. | 823 |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other. | 644 |
| Data Science, General. | 526 |
| Data Analytics, General. | 493 |
| Applied Statistics, General. | 464 |
| Computational Mathematics. | 380 |
| Applied Mathematics, Other. | 250 |
| Computational Biology. | 209 |
| Data Science, Other. | 15 |
| Financial Analytics. | 13 |
| Mathematical Economics. | 10 |
| Data Analytics, Other. | 7 |
| Linguistics and Computer Science. | 6 |
| Data Visualization. | 2 |
| Economics and Computer Science. | 2 |
| Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics. | 1 |
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Degree Options for Data Analytics Engineers
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 19
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Class Type: Face-to-face, Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 18
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Data Analytics Engineers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by data analytics engineers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for data analytics engineers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Data Analytics Engineers
Based on 311,020 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Data Analytics Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Analysis | 157,262 | 51% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 135,565 | 44% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 109,483 | 35% |
| Data Science | 99,252 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 91,303 | 29% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Data Analytics Engineers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 136,395 | 44% |
| Management | 97,068 | 31% |
| Leadership | 73,780 | 24% |
| Problem Solving | 72,939 | 23% |
| Research | 71,539 | 23% |
Based on 311,020 job postings related to data analytics engineers, data analysis was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sql (programming language), python (programming language), data science, computer science and tableau (business intelligence software) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for data analytics engineers, followed by management, leadership, problem solving, research and mathematics.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Analysis | 157,262 | 51% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 135,565 | 44% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 109,483 | 35% |
| Data Science | 99,252 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 91,303 | 29% |
| Tableau (Business Intelligence Software) | 73,604 | 24% |
| Machine Learning | 70,827 | 23% |
| R (Programming Language) | 69,632 | 22% |
| Statistics | 60,864 | 20% |
| Business Intelligence | 60,620 | 19% |
| Dashboard | 60,084 | 19% |
| Data Visualization | 53,637 | 17% |
| Project Management | 53,488 | 17% |
| Power BI | 50,824 | 16% |
| Finance | 45,340 | 15% |
| Data Modeling | 41,182 | 13% |
| Data Management | 37,820 | 12% |
| Marketing | 37,205 | 12% |
| Economics | 33,817 | 11% |
| Agile Methodology | 33,480 | 11% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 136,395 | 44% |
| Management | 97,068 | 31% |
| Leadership | 73,780 | 24% |
| Problem Solving | 72,939 | 23% |
| Research | 71,539 | 23% |
| Mathematics | 67,032 | 22% |
| Operations | 64,431 | 21% |
| Microsoft Excel | 64,072 | 21% |
| Detail Oriented | 54,879 | 18% |
| Presentations | 54,102 | 17% |
| Writing | 53,927 | 17% |
| Innovation | 40,919 | 13% |
| Planning | 40,045 | 13% |
| Decision Making | 38,433 | 12% |
| Customer Service | 37,080 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 34,392 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 34,011 | 11% |
| Microsoft Office | 33,676 | 11% |
| Sales | 33,544 | 11% |
| Analytical Skills | 31,395 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about data analytics engineers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for data analytics engineers.
What do data analytics engineers do?
How much do data analytics engineers make?
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