Data Specialists: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of data specialists 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 specialists 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 specialists 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 specialists.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Data Specialists?

Do data specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do data specialists 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 specialists to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Data Specialists

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of data specialists. 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 Specialists

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 specialists. In 36% of job postings for Data Specialists, 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 specialists.

What Kind of Degree Do Data Specialists Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for data specialists, 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 specialists, 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 specialists.

Top Degree Programs for Data Specialists

Top Online College For Working Adults

Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.

Degree Options for Data Specialists

What Skills Do Data Specialists Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by data specialists 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 specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Data Specialists
Based on 311,020 job postings

Based on 311,020 job postings related to data specialists, 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 specialists, followed by management, leadership, problem solving, research and mathematics.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about data specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for data specialists.

What do data specialists do?
How much do data specialists make?

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