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
Jobs Postings for Data Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 62,568 (46%)
- No Education Listed: 35,515 (26%)
- Master's degree: 22,180 (16%)
- High School or GED: 11,633 (9%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,419 (3%)
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 46% of positions. In 26% of job listings no education level was listed and in 16% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Data Specialists
Jobs Postings for Data Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 6,618 (9%)
- 2-3 Years: 17,819 (24%)
- 4-6 Years: 23,467 (31%)
- 7-9 Years: 12,519 (17%)
- 10+ Years: 14,198 (19%)
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 31% of job postings for Data Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 24% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 19% 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 20 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective data specialists, and in 2023 a total of 219,690 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 5 Degree Programs for Data Specialists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 72,432 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 62,365 |
| Information Technology. | 35,591 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 12,850 |
| Management Information Systems, General. | 10,110 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 72,432 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 62,365 |
| Information Technology. | 35,591 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 12,850 |
| Management Information Systems, General. | 10,110 |
| Data Science, General. | 4,387 |
| Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration. | 3,494 |
| Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. | 3,190 |
| Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst. | 2,835 |
| Medical Informatics. | 2,611 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, Other. | 2,301 |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other. | 2,000 |
| Data Processing and Data Processing Technology/Technician. | 1,927 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications, Other. | 1,762 |
| Cloud Computing. | 730 |
| Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster. | 682 |
| Management Information Systems and Services, Other. | 318 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Other. | 72 |
| Data Science, Other. | 29 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics, Other. | 4 |
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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 111,022 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Data Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SQL (Programming Language) | 28,142 | 25% |
| Data Management | 25,123 | 23% |
| Computer Science | 24,399 | 22% |
| Data Analysis | 24,001 | 22% |
| Project Management | 19,108 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Data Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 49,096 | 44% |
| Management | 41,989 | 38% |
| Leadership | 29,659 | 27% |
| Operations | 25,601 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 24,438 | 22% |
Based on 111,022 job postings related to data specialists, sql (programming language) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 25% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for data management, computer science, data analysis, project management and data governance were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for data specialists, followed by management, leadership, operations, problem solving and research.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| SQL (Programming Language) | 28,142 | 25% |
| Data Management | 25,123 | 23% |
| Computer Science | 24,399 | 22% |
| Data Analysis | 24,001 | 22% |
| Project Management | 19,108 | 17% |
| Data Governance | 17,740 | 16% |
| Data Modeling | 17,271 | 16% |
| Data Warehousing | 17,190 | 15% |
| Data Quality | 17,166 | 15% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 16,087 | 14% |
| Data Architecture | 15,725 | 14% |
| Extract Transform Load (ETL) | 15,005 | 14% |
| Agile Methodology | 14,891 | 13% |
| Amazon Web Services | 13,789 | 12% |
| Microsoft Azure | 13,016 | 12% |
| Business Intelligence | 11,442 | 10% |
| Automation | 11,104 | 10% |
| Auditing | 11,072 | 10% |
| Workflow Management | 10,733 | 10% |
| Business Requirements | 9,717 | 9% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 49,096 | 44% |
| Management | 41,989 | 38% |
| Leadership | 29,659 | 27% |
| Operations | 25,601 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 24,438 | 22% |
| Research | 18,865 | 17% |
| Planning | 18,854 | 17% |
| Writing | 17,905 | 16% |
| Detail Oriented | 17,649 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 16,204 | 15% |
| Microsoft Excel | 14,511 | 13% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 13,812 | 12% |
| Innovation | 13,551 | 12% |
| Presentations | 13,467 | 12% |
| Governance | 12,905 | 12% |
| Microsoft Office | 11,983 | 11% |
| Information Technology | 11,850 | 11% |
| Coordinating | 11,636 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 11,557 | 10% |
| Influencing Skills | 11,157 | 10% |
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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