Explore the data job market! This project dives into job postings within the data analytics field, examining top-paying positions, in-demand skills, and the overlap of high demand with high salaries in data analytics roles.
Check out my queries for this project here: project_sql folder
For a more in depth look at my visualizations for this project, check out my Tableau Public account: David Greer Tableau Public
This project aims to provide insights into the data analyst job market, documenting exploratory data analysis (EDA) findings and answering key questions about top-paying roles, required skills, and market trends.
Data for this analysis was sourced from Luke Barousse's SQL Course.
Key questions addressed by this analysis include:
- What are the top-paying data & business analyst positions?
- What skills are required for these top-paying jobs?
- Which skill types should prospective data & business analysts focus on?
- What skills are most in demand for data & business analysts?
- Which skills correlate with higher salaries?
- What are the most strategic skills to learn?
- What are the leading companies offering top-paying roles for data & business analysts?
- Which cities present the most favorable job market for data & business analysts?
To conduct this analysis, the following tools were utilized:
- PostgreSQL: Used for querying the database and extracting insights.
- Tableau: Employed for effective data visualization.
- Visual Studio Code: My preferred code editor for querying and integration with GitHub.
Identifying the highest-paying roles involved filtering data & business analyst positions based on average yearly salary and location.
SELECT
job_id,
company_id,
job_title,
job_location,
job_schedule_type,
job_posted_date,
salary_hour_avg,
salary_year_avg,
ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) new_salary
FROM
job_postings_fact
WHERE
job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
AND ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY
new_salary DESC
LIMIT 10
;-
Salary Range: The salaries for these positions range from $375,000 to $813,280 per year. This indicates that these roles are highly compensated, likely due to the specialized skills, experience, and responsibilities associated with them.
-
Job Locations: The job locations vary across different cities, including New York, Sunnyvale, Los Angeles, San Mateo, San Francisco, Bethesda, and Austin. This suggests that high-paying opportunities for Data and Business Analysts are available in various regions across the United States with most of these regions having a high cost of living.
-
Industry and Company Diversity: The positions span across different industries and companies, including tech companies, consulting firms, and healthcare organizations. This diversity reflects the wide range of industries that require skilled Data and Business Analysts and the opportunities available across various sectors.
This section explores the competencies required for top-paying data & business analyst jobs by correlating job postings with skills data.
WITH top_paying_jobs AS(
SELECT
job_id,
company_id,
job_title,
ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) new_salary
FROM
job_postings_fact
WHERE
job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
AND ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY
new_salary DESC
LIMIT 10
)
SELECT
tp.job_id,
c.name company_name,
job_title,
new_salary,
skills,
type
FROM
top_paying_jobs tp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
tp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
JOIN
company_dim c
ON
tp.company_id = c.company_id
;-
Programming Languages: SQL, Python, R, and VBA are among the top skills demanded in these high-paying positions. Proficiency in programming languages is crucial for performing data analysis, developing analytical solutions, and automating processes.
-
Data Analysis Tools: Tableau, Looker, and Power BI are also prominent skills. These tools are essential for creating data visualizations and dashboards, enabling stakeholders to gain insights from data effectively.
-
Cloud Technologies: Skills like Databricks, BigQuery, and Snowflake indicate a growing demand for expertise in cloud-based data platforms. Companies are increasingly leveraging cloud technologies for data storage, processing, and analytics.
-
Libraries and Frameworks: Libraries such as Spark, Airflow, and Hadoop are also in demand, reflecting the need for skills in data processing, workflow management, and distributed computing.
A comparison of the broader skill types found in job postings is given in this section.
--Skill Count and Skill Share for data & business analysts
SELECT
skill_count,
type,
ROUND(skill_count / job_cnt * 100,2)AS skill_share
FROM (
SELECT
COUNT(*)::NUMERIC skill_count,
type,
(
SELECT
COUNT(sj.job_id)::NUMERIC
FROM
skills_job_dim sj
JOIN
job_postings_fact jp
ON
sj.job_id = jp.job_id
WHERE
job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
) job_cnt
FROM
job_postings_fact jp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
jp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
WHERE
job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
GROUP BY
type
) types
ORDER BY
skill_count DESC
;
--Skill Count and Skill Share for all jobs
SELECT
skill_count,
type,
ROUND(skill_count / job_cnt * 100,2)AS skill_share
FROM (
SELECT
COUNT(*)::NUMERIC skill_count,
type,
(
SELECT
COUNT(job_id)::NUMERIC
FROM
skills_job_dim
) job_cnt
FROM
job_postings_fact jp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
jp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
GROUP BY
type
) types
ORDER BY
skill_count DESC
;-
Focus on Analyst Tools and Programming: For data & business analysts, the most prevalent skill types are analyst tools (41.56%) and programming (37.34%). This indicates the importance of proficiency in tools for data analysis and visualization, as well as programming languages for data manipulation and scripting.
-
Skill Type Differences: Analyst tools have a much higher skill share for data & business analysts (41.56%) compared to all data jobs (17.24%). On the other hand, cloud-related skills have a higher skill share in all data jobs (15.05%) compared to data & business analysts (7.84%). Similarly, Libraries are more prevalent in all data jobs (14.2%) than they are for data & business analysts (4.2%). This suggests that analyst tools are more important for data & business analysts to specialize in, while cloud and library skills are important if one wants to work in other roles in the broader data market.
An analysis of the most frequently requested skills in job postings is provided in this section.
SELECT
skills,
COUNT(sj.job_id) skill_cnt
FROM
job_postings_fact jp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
jp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
WHERE
job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst','Business Analyst')
GROUP BY
skills
ORDER BY
skill_cnt DESC
LIMIT 10
;-
Foundational Skills: SQL, Excel, and Python are the top three in-demand skills, indicating their importance as foundational skills for data and business analysis roles. Proficiency in these tools is essential for performing data manipulation, analysis, and visualization tasks.
-
Visualization Tools: Tableau and Power BI rank among the top skills, highlighting the increasing demand for professionals who can create compelling data visualizations. This trend reflects the growing importance of data storytelling and visualization in conveying insights to stakeholders.
-
Statistical Analysis: R and SAS, both statistical programming languages, are also among the top in-demand skills. This suggests that proficiency in statistical analysis and modeling remains valuable in the field of data and business analysis, particularly for roles that require advanced analytics capabilities.
This section investigates the average salaries associated with various skills to pinpoint the highest paying competencies.
SELECT
skills,
ROUND(AVG(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080))) avg_salary
FROM
job_postings_fact jp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
jp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
WHERE
ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) IS NOT NULL
AND job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
GROUP BY
skills
ORDER BY
avg_salary DESC
LIMIT 10
;-
Emerging Technologies: The prevalence of skills related to emerging technologies like blockchain (Solidity) and cloud computing (DigitalOcean) indicates a growing demand for expertise in cutting-edge tools and platforms.
-
Specialized Tools: Skills in specialized tools such as automated machine learning (DataRobot) and version control (SVN) highlight the importance of proficiency in niche areas, suggesting a willingness among companies to pay a premium for specialized skills.
-
Salary Range: The average salaries for these top paying skills range from approximately $136,000 to $246,586. This indicates a significant potential for high earning within the data and business analysis field, especially for those with expertise in niche or in-demand areas.
By merging insights from demand and salary data, this section identifies skills that offer both high demand and lucrative salaries, providing a strategic focus for skill development.
-- Optimal Skills (High Pay & High Demand) for data & business analysts
WITH top_sal AS (
SELECT
skills,
ROUND(AVG(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080))) avg_salary,
COUNT(*) job_post_count
FROM
job_postings_fact jp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
jp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
WHERE
ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) IS NOT NULL
AND job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
GROUP BY
skills
)
SELECT
*
FROM
top_sal
WHERE
avg_salary > 80000
AND job_post_count > 1500
ORDER BY
avg_salary DESC
;
-- Optimal Skills for all jobs
WITH top_sal AS (
SELECT
skills,
ROUND(AVG(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080))) avg_salary,
COUNT(*) job_post_count
FROM
job_postings_fact jp
JOIN
skills_job_dim sj
ON
jp.job_id = sj.job_id
JOIN
skills_dim s
ON
sj.skill_id = s.skill_id
WHERE
ROUND(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080)) IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY
skills
)
SELECT
*
FROM
top_sal
WHERE
avg_salary > 80000
AND job_post_count > 3000
ORDER BY
avg_salary DESC
;-
Python Dominance: Python stands out as the top skill across both data & business analyst roles and all data jobs based on its combination of a high average salary and its high demand, indicating its universal importance in the data industry for tasks such as programming and data manipulation.
-
Diverse Skill Set: While data & business analysts prioritize tools like Tableau and SQL, all data jobs demand a broader range of skills including big data technologies like Spark and cloud platforms like AWS and Azure.
-
Salary Versus Demand: Specialized skills in big data technologies command higher salaries, but more generalist skills like SQL and Python have greater job demand, suggesting a trade-off between specialization and broader market appeal in terms of job opportunities.
What companies stand out as the top destinations for data and business analysts seeking both professional growth and financial reward?
SELECT
c.name company_name,
COUNT(*) job_post_cnt,
ROUND(AVG(COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080))) avg_salary
FROM
company_dim c
JOIN
job_postings_fact jp
ON
c.company_id = jp.company_id
WHERE
COALESCE(salary_year_avg, salary_hour_avg * 2080) IS NOT NULL
AND job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst', 'Business Analyst')
GROUP BY
company_name
HAVING
COUNT(*) >= 15
ORDER BY
avg_salary DESC
LIMIT 10
;-
TikTok Leads in Salary: TikTok tops the list with the highest average salary for data and business analysts, indicating competitive compensation in the tech industry.
-
Financial Giants: Companies like Citigroup, USAA, and TIAA are among the top earners, showcasing the lucrative opportunities available in the financial sector for data and business analysts.
-
High-Level Positions Hosted by Recruiting Companies: The rest of the top 10 is filled out with various roles hosted by technical recruitings/consulting companies.
How do various job locations stack up as top destinations for data and business analysts, offering both lucrative financial rewards and opportunities for professional growth?
SELECT *
FROM(
SELECT
COUNT(*) job_count,
job_location,
ROUND(AVG(salary_year_avg)) avg_sal
FROM
job_postings_fact
WHERE
job_title_short IN ('Data Analyst','Business Analyst') AND
(
-- Include rows where the job location contains a city name along with the state
job_location LIKE '%, VA' -- Virginia
OR job_location LIKE '%, TX' -- Texas
OR job_location LIKE '%, FL' -- Florida
OR job_location LIKE '%, NC' -- North Carolina
OR job_location LIKE '%, SC' -- South Carolina
OR job_location LIKE '%, KY' -- Kentucky
OR job_location LIKE '%, AR' -- Arkansas
-- Capture abbreviations and variations
OR job_location LIKE '%NC%' -- North Carolina
OR job_location LIKE '%SC%' -- South Carolina
OR job_location LIKE '%VA%' -- Virginia
OR job_location LIKE '%KY%' -- Kentucky
OR job_location LIKE '%AR%' -- Arkansas
OR job_location LIKE '%FL%' -- Florida
-- Other variations
OR job_location LIKE '% N. Carolina%'
OR job_location LIKE '% S. Carolina%'
OR job_location LIKE '% Virginia%'
OR job_location LIKE '% KY%'
OR job_location LIKE '% AR%'
OR job_location LIKE '% Fla%'
-- Exclude cases with only state value
AND (
job_location NOT LIKE '%Virginia%'
AND job_location NOT LIKE '%Texas%'
AND job_location NOT LIKE '%Florida%'
AND job_location NOT LIKE '%North Carolina%'
AND job_location NOT LIKE '%South Carolina%'
AND job_location NOT LIKE '%Kentucky%'
AND job_location NOT LIKE '%Arkansas%'
)
)
AND salary_year_avg IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY
job_location
)
WHERE
job_count > 9
ORDER BY
avg_sal DESC
;-
Virginia's Lucrative Markets: Virginia cities like Vienna, McLean, and Arlington offer lucrative opportunities for Data and Business Analysts, with average salaries ranging from approximately $96,035 to $121,438.
-
Texas' Competitive Landscape: Texas cities such as Plano, Austin, and Dallas present competitive job markets for analysts, with average salaries ranging from approximately $91,448 to $106,939, indicative of strong demand across industries.
-
Florida's Diverse Job Landscape: Florida provides diverse job opportunities for analysts, with cities like Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami showcasing vibrant markets, despite varying average salaries ranging from approximately $64,148 to $102,542.
These are some of the most important insights that I gleaned from my analysis:
- Salary Range: Highly compensated roles range from $375,000 to $813,280 annually, reflecting specialized skills and responsibilities.
- Programming Languages: SQL and Python are crucial skills for data analysts, facilitating data analysis and automation.
- Analyst Tools and Programming: Analysts prioritize tools like SQL and programming, emphasizing data manipulation and visualization over cloud-related skills.
- Foundational Skills: SQL, Excel, and Python are top skills, essential for data manipulation, visualization, and analysis.
- Emerging Technologies: Skills like blockchain (Solidity) and cloud computing (DigitalOcean) command high salaries, reflecting demand for cutting-edge expertise.
- Python Dominance: Python stands out as a strategic skill for high demand and salary across data & business analyst roles and all data jobs.
- TikTok Leads in Salary: TikTok offers the highest average salary, with financial giants like Citigroup also providing lucrative opportunities.
- Virginia's Lucrative Markets: Virginia cities offer lucrative opportunities, with average salaries ranging from $96,035 to $121,438 annually.
Through this project, I was able to grow and solidify my SQL, Tableau, and story-telling skills. Along with my personal development, I was able to get a better, more synthesized picture of the current job market for my desired jobs.The information found in this data set can be used to help prospective data professionals looking to improve their job search. This analysis highlights important skills, top companies, and top areas in my desired regions to live in for data and business analyst positions.