Overview
Data analysts turn raw business data into decisions. They build dashboards, run ad-hoc analyses, ship A/B test results, and partner with product, marketing, and operations teams to inform strategy. Indian fintech (PhonePe, Razorpay, Cred), e-commerce (Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa), and growth-stage SaaS hire heavily. The role is the entry point into the data career ladder for many graduates without a CS degree.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Write SQL queries against the data warehouse; build dashboards in Tableau, Looker, or Metabase; conduct A/B test analyses; ship cohort and funnel analyses for product teams; build self-serve analytics for non-technical stakeholders; document data definitions and metric calculations; present insights in product reviews; partner with data engineers on data quality issues.
Skills required
- SQL (intermediate to advanced)
- Python or R for analysis
- Excel or Google Sheets at expert level
- Tableau / Looker / Power BI / Metabase
- Statistics fundamentals
- A/B test design
- Data storytelling and visualisation
- Stakeholder communication
Education path
B.Sc Statistics, B.Sc Mathematics, BBA, B.Com, B.Tech, BCA — almost any quantitative undergraduate degree works. M.Sc Statistics or MBA can accelerate progression to senior roles. Self-taught analysts from non-quantitative backgrounds (English, History) successfully transition via online programmes.
Career progression
- 1Data Analyst (0-2 yrs)
- 2Senior Data Analyst (2-5 yrs)
- 3Lead Data Analyst (5-8 yrs)
- 4Analytics Manager (8+ yrs)
- 5Director of Analytics
Top employers in India
Useful certifications
- Google Data Analytics Certificate
- Tableau Desktop Specialist
- Microsoft PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst)
- Mode Analytics SQL Tutorial
- CFA Level 1 (for fintech analyst roles)