The Ultimate Data Analyst Salary Guide [2024 Edition]

Kirstie Sequitin, CareerFoundry Editor

How much can you earn as a data analyst where you live?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the average data analyst salary, how paychecks for data analysts vary across the world, and the average rates of pay for roles at some of the world’s top tech companies.

We’ll also take a look at the steps you can take to retrain as a data analyst, and some resources available to those interested in making such a change.

If you want to skip straight to the salary data, just use the clickable menu:

  1. What is data analytics?
  2. Average data analyst salary based on location
  3. Average data analyst salary based on experience
  4. Do data analysts earn different salaries depending on the industry?
  5. What do the top tech companies pay data analysts?
  6. How do I increase my earning potential and employability?
  7. Become a data analyst: Final thoughts and next steps
  8. Working as a data analyst: FAQ

1. What is data analytics? 

Before we explore the average data analyst salary, let’s start with a brief introduction to what data analytics actually is. 

Companies are increasingly becoming aware that the only way to truly succeed in the modern age is to become data-intelligent. To do this, they require the skills of a data analyst: someone who analyzes and interprets data gathered from marketing campaigns, surveys, and purchasing statistics.

The ability to interpret data skillfully—and communicate findings clearly—can make the difference between a successful company and an unsuccessful one. Data analysts therefore carry a lot of responsibility for informing company strategy, which means the average data analyst salary tends to be pretty high.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for data professionals is projected to grow by 35% per year over the next decade, way over the average rate of 3%.

While some industries pay more than others, a data analyst can expect to earn a healthy salary in all areas of industry and at all levels of experience. Now is a fantastic time to retrain and enter the world of data analytics, given the huge amount of demand for those with the right skills.

You can learn more about it in our in-depth data analytics guide.

2. Average data analyst salary based on location

As you’d expect, the average data analyst salary varies depending on location.

Towards Data Science lists the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, South Africa and India as the top countries (based on salary) in which to work as a data professional—a category of job titles that includes data analysts.

We’re going to break down the salary by each country listed here, with available data from each country’s major cities:

Data analyst salary in the U.S.

According to Zippia, the average data analyst salary in the U.S. is $74,342. That said, how much you earn varies depending on which state and which metropolitan area you’ll be working in. In New York City, for example, you’ll find a range of opportunities and industries, so we’ve created a dedicated NYC data analyst salary guide for you, as well as one for Los Angeles on the other coast.

These are the 10 best cities in the U.S. to work as a data analyst:

1. Richmond, CA: $87,750
2. Washington, DC: $82,722
3. Jersey City, NJ: $82,520
4. Seattle, WA: $81,246
5. Baltimore, MD: $79,980
6. Boston, MA: $78,717
7. New York, NY: $77,671
8. Arlington, VA: $76,591
9. Raleigh, NC: $73,797
10. Chicago, IL: $73,360

List of the 10 best cities to work in the U.S. based on data analyst salary
List of the 10 best cities to work in the U.S. based on data analyst salary. Figures from 2023.

Salaries for data analyst jobs at all levels reflect the specific skills and aptitudes required for the roles. Most entry-level jobs in the field of data analytics command a healthy starting salary.

To give an example of what a data analyst can expect to earn depending on experience, Payscale gives a good indication of estimated salaries across the board.

Data analyst salary based on experience in the U.S.

Entry level (<1 years experience): $60,642
Early career (1-4 years experience): $65,400
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): $73,424
Experienced (10-20 years experience): $74,329
Late career (20+ years experience): $77,085

Data analyst salary based on experience in Germany

Payscale has also listed the national median average for data analysts in Germany as being €48,310. That average raises when you’re in the Bavarian capital of Munich (€54,045) and lowers when you’re in Bremen (€39,305). 

The German capital, Berlin, ranks middling on the list with regards to salary, but in terms of cost of living, it was typically lower there than in most other German main cities.

There are also a whole range of data bootcamps in Berlin, if you live there and are thinking of making a switch.

Entry level (<1 years experience): €43,152
Early career (1-4 years experience): €48,471
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): €56,832
Late career (20+ years experience): €58,000

In case you’re weighing up the two roles, we’ve conducted a full comparison of data analyst vs data scientist salaries in Germany for you to learn more.

Data analyst salary based on experience in Australia

Entry level (<1 years experience): AUD$65,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): AUD$72,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): AUD$89,000
Experienced (10-20 years experience): AUD$99,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in New Zealand

Entry level (<1 years experience): NZ$58,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): NZ$63,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): NZ$73,000
Late career (20+ years experience): NZ$76,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in United Kingdom

Entry level (<1 years experience): £25,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): £29,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): £33,000
Experienced (10-20 years experience): £35,000
Late career (20+ years experience): £37,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in India

Entry level (<1 years experience): ₹400,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): ₹489,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): ₹764,000
Experienced (10-20 years experience): ₹1,017,000
Late career (20+ years experience): ₹1,500,000

Data analyst salary in Canada

Data analyst salaries across Canadian cities are pretty steady, with the average national base salary being C$59,972, according to Payscale.

Edmonton: C$57,575
Calgary: C$62,422
Vancouver: C$61,678
Ottawa: C$61,208
Toronto: C$60,966
Mississauga: C$55,982
Montréal: C$59,151
Halifax: C$55,000
London: C$49,987
National median: C$59,972

Data analyst salary in the United Kingdom

According to Glassdoor, data analysts in the United Kingdom can expect healthy starting salaries, with a nationwide average of £36,210.

Data analyst salary in Sweden

Information gathered from Salaryexplorer suggests that the average salary for data analysts in Sweden (508,000 SEK) is higher than the typical annual salary:

Stockholm: 537,000 SEK
Goteborg: 495,000 SEK
Malmö: 449,000 SEK
National median: 508,000 SEK

Data analyst salary in The Netherlands

Salaryexplorer also lists data analyst salaries across several cities in the Netherlands, which is considered to be higher than average country-wide.

Amsterdam: €59,000
Rotterdam: €58,200
s-Gravenhage: €57,400
Utrecht: €56,600
Eindhoven: €55,800
National median: €53,600

Data analyst salary in South Africa

Salaries for data analysts in South Africa vary greatly, but are above the typical national average, according to Indeed

Sandton: ZAR 626,849
Midrand: ZAR 560,647
Centurion: ZAR 532,768
Johannesburg: ZAR 1,112,853
Northern Suburbs: ZAR 467,428
Kempton Park: ZAR 371,583
Pretoria: ZAR 521,445
National median: ZAR 326,586

Data analyst salary in India

Payscale lists the average salary for data analysts in India as ₹491,296. Salaries in Bangalore—the so-called “Silicon Valley of India”—are markedly higher than the national average.

Bangalore: ₹591,436
Gurgaon: ₹551,058
Hyderabad:₹506,030
Pune:
₹465,695

Noida:₹494,387
Kolkata:
₹490,604

New Delhi:₹455,904
Mumbai:
₹429,751
Chennai:
₹445,624

Delhi: ₹404,394
National median: ₹491,296

List of the best cities worldwide to work in the based on data analyst salary
Data as of 2023. For current figures, see article lists.

3. Average data analyst salary based on experience

Salaries for data analyst jobs at all levels reflect the specific skills and aptitudes required for the roles. Most entry-level jobs in the field of data analytics command a healthy starting salary.

To give an example of what a data analyst can expect to earn depending on experience, Payscale gives a good indication of estimated salaries across the board.

Data analyst salary based on experience in the U.S.

Entry level (<1 years experience): $59,730
Early career (1-4 years experience): $64,437
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): $72,803
Experienced (10-20 years experience): $73,932
Late career (20+ years experience): $75,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in Germany

Entry level (<1 years experience): €42,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): €47,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): €56,000
Late career (20+ years experience): €58,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in Australia

Entry level (<1 years experience): AUD$63,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): AUD$72,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): AUD$89,000
Experienced (10-20 years experience): AUD$99,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in New Zealand

Entry level (<1 years experience): NZ$58,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): NZ$63,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): NZ$73,000
Late career (20+ years experience): NZ$76,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in United Kingdom

Entry level (<1 years experience): £25,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): £28,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): £33,000
Experienced (10-20 years experience): £35,000
Late career (20+ years experience): £37,000

Data analyst salary based on experience in India

Entry level (<1 years experience): ₹392,000
Early career (1-4 years experience): ₹464,000
Mid-career (5-9 years experience): ₹714,000
Experienced (10-20 years experience): ₹994,000
Late career (20+ years experience): ₹1,500,000

It’s important to acknowledge a certain level of fluidity with data analyst salaries, and those with more specific skillsets or a more in-depth understanding of programming languages can expect to receive a boost in their salary.

According to Payscale, those possessing working experience with the tool Tableau can expect to earn 8% more than those without. Similarly, knowing how to use the programming language SQL can result in a 5% salary boost.

Table showing data analyst salaries around the world based on years of experience.

Interested in seeing data analyst salaries purely from an entry-level perspective? Check out our full entry-level salary guide.

4. Do data analysts earn different salaries depending on the industry?

The beauty of being a data analyst is that such roles can be found in almost any industry. Most businesses make decisions based on their data, and they’ll need a data analyst to be able to do this.

LinkedIn’s salary tool lists the hardware and networking industries as the top paying for data analysts, with roles commanding an average of $73,000 in the U.S.

It seems that the median salary across the top five industries—hardware and networking, energy and mining, software and IT services, entertainment, and finance—are quite similar across the board, ranging from $68,000-$73,000.

The data analyst salary range between industries used to be much wider even just a few years ago, but as data analytics becomes normal practice across many industries, the average salary has also standardized over time. However, this is still much higher than the national average income in the United States of $53,490, according to JobTed.

5. What do the top tech companies pay data analysts?

Data analyst roles at the world’s top tech companies are often sought due to the high salaries on offer. As Payscale notes, Apple and Meta pay their data analysts much higher than average.

As well as the glamor of being based in a beautiful, well-equipped office, working in tech can be an incredible —if demanding—learning experience. Employees get to experience fast change while gaining insights into technology that is shaping our world.

Given the huge amounts of data being gathered by tech companies on a daily basis, it’s no surprise that data analysts play a huge role in the tech industry.

Payscale reports that data analysts working for Amazon can get paid up to $101,000 in the U.S., with Meta offering around $146,000, according to Indeed.

In the United Kingdom, Glassdoor reports that data analyst salaries at Amazon pay, on average, about £28,000. A data analyst working for Google in London can expect to be paid much higher, with salaries averaging £53,000.

6. How do I increase my earning potential and employability?

Data analysts typically have an aptitude for numbers and statistics. Those who have completed mathematics or engineering-related degrees at university are certainly equipped with the kind of tools required for data analyst roles.

Skills such as data modeling, data mining, and segmentation are all put to good use in the world of data analytics. Experience organizing and analyzing large amounts of information are what employers are looking for, along with communication skills required to present the findings of such work.

You’ll be expected to know programming languages including SQL, data visualisation software such as Tableau, and platforms including Sharepoint. Working knowledge of Python and R, popular programming languages with data analysts and data scientists, is going to increase your employability significantly.

Don’t underestimate the power of having salary negotiation skills. Here’s a guide for how and when to ask for a raise–it’s for designers, but the basic principles apply across the board!

7. Data analyst salary: Final thoughts and next steps

With an aptitude for analyzing data and a keen eye for numbers, anyone with the motivation can enter the world of data analytics. Having a background in mathematics isn’t necessary, and learning the relevant skills won’t require you to commit to years of education or training.

By taking a course in data analytics, you’ll be able to gain real experience working with the tools and programs data analysts use every day. You’ll also learn how to interpret data, and the most common ways to present such data in meaningful ways. If you’re not ready to commit to a full course, try out this free introductory data analytics short course first.

If you’d like to learn more about changing your current career for one as a data analyst, check out these articles:

8. Working as a data analyst: FAQ

Is data analytics a good career path?

Many data analysts report having a great work-life balance, according to Huffpost. As a growing field, to put it simply: there are more open roles for data analysts then there are people to fill them! So even if you’ve just finished a certification, it’s likely you’ll be able to find a fulfilling career in the field.

How much money can a data analyst earn?

It really depends on the job’s location, industry, and often what type of company you’re applying to, as they’ll vary greatly—as evidenced by this article! What you can be sure of is that as demand grows for data analysts, so too do to the prospective salaries attached.

Do I need a degree to become a data analyst?

Absolutely not! While it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree under your proverbial belt, many people looking to make a career change are not looking to prolong their job search with a multi-year-long program. These days, other types of data analytics certifications are becoming more common.

What skills can increase my data analyst salary?

Most recruiters and employers will be seeking out a mix of hard and soft skills for aspiring data analysts. Hard skills include knowledge of programming languages like Python and R, and experience in data visualization, for example. These can be evidenced in a live task or in your data analytics portfolio. Soft skills, which are harder to qualify—but are just as important!—include critical thinking skills and communication skills.

How else can I increase my data analyst salary?

Keep on learning! Stay up-to-date on what’s going on in the industry by reading data analytics blogs, networking with others working in the industry, and upskilling.

Related reading: What are the highest paying data analyst jobs?

What You Should Do Now

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