Career change to data analyst
O*NET has no occupation called “data analyst”. It lists “Data Analyst” as a job title in these occupations, so this page covers all of them. Together they employ 397,540 people (BLS, May 2025). Below: the jobs whose skills carry over best, what you need to get in, and pay.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025 and BLS CPS 2025 · How we match careers
- Median pay, Data Scientists
- $120,230
- Usual preparation
- A bachelor's degree
- Workers 45 or older
- 28%
- Careers on this page
- 8
The best jobs to switch from
Jobs whose skills carry over best into these careers, by our career-change match score, with the skills people in that job usually need to build.
| If you are now… | Best match | Match | Your median pay now | Skills to build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Data Managers | Social Science Research Assistants | 92% | $120,230Broader BLS group | None big |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | Business Intelligence Analysts | 92% | $78,760 | Instructing, Quality Control Analysis, Programming |
| Operations Research Analysts | Database Architects | 90% | $88,940 | Technology Design, Programming, Troubleshooting |
| Statistical Assistants | Business Intelligence Analysts | 90% | $50,330 | Systems Evaluation, Systems Analysis, Management of Financial Resources |
| Management Analysts | Business Intelligence Analysts | 89% | $101,860 | Programming, Quality Control Analysis |
| Search Marketing Strategists | Business Intelligence Analysts | 89% | $78,760Broader BLS group | Operation and Control |
| Biostatisticians | Bioinformatics Scientists | 88% | $105,650Broader BLS group | Technology Design, Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | Database Architects | 87% | $81,490Broader BLS group | Operations Analysis, Technology Design, Troubleshooting |
| Data Warehousing Specialists | Business Intelligence Analysts | 87% | $139,500Broader BLS group | Instructing, Service Orientation |
| Investment Fund Managers | Financial Quantitative Analysts | 87% | $166,570Broader BLS group | Programming, Quality Control Analysis |
| Environmental Economists | Financial Quantitative Analysts | 86% | $124,720Broader BLS group | Operations Monitoring, Programming, Negotiation |
| Document Management Specialists | Business Intelligence Analysts | 85% | $116,580Broader BLS group | Judgment and Decision Making, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | Data Scientists | 84% | $99,070 | Programming, Quality Control Analysis |
| Business Continuity Planners | Business Intelligence Analysts | 84% | $83,050Broader BLS group | Programming, Operation and Control |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | Social Science Research Assistants | 84% | $167,220Broader BLS group | Programming, Quality Control Analysis, Operation and Control |
Skills to build: skills that are at least 0.25 points more important in the new career (O*NET 31.0 importance, 1–5). How we match careers
What you need to get in
Education (Data Scientists)
O*NET does not publish an education breakdown for this career.
Usual preparation: A bachelor's degree (O*NET 31.0 Job Zone). Most common on-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
The careers on this page
| Career | Median pay | U.S. jobs | Usual preparation | Workers 45+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientists | $120,230 | 262,440 | A bachelor's degree | 28% |
| Database Architects | $139,500 | 67,140 | A bachelor's degree | 48% |
| Social Science Research Assistants | $61,990 | 30,640 | A bachelor's degree | — |
| Statisticians | $105,650 | 29,030 | A graduate degree | 36% |
| Survey Researchers | $69,460 | 8,290 | A graduate degree | — |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $98,920Broader BLS group | — | A graduate degree | 29% |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $120,230Broader BLS group | — | A bachelor's degree | 28% |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts | $81,100Broader BLS group | — | A graduate degree | — |
Similar careers to consider
The careers most like data scientists by skills and daily work (O*NET 31.0).
- Mathematicians81% similar · $126,710 · A graduate degree
- Biostatisticians81% similar · $105,650 · A graduate degree
- Bioinformatics Technicians80% similar · $81,490 · A bachelor's degree
- Data Warehousing Specialists80% similar · $139,500 · A bachelor's degree
- Computer and Information Research Scientists79% similar · $140,300 · A graduate degree
- Operations Research Analysts79% similar · $88,940 · A graduate degree
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Questions about switching to data analyst
What jobs make it easiest to switch to data analyst?
By our skill match, people working as Clinical Data Managers (92%), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (92%) and Operations Research Analysts (90%) have the most transferable experience.
What education do you need for data analyst?
Usual preparation for data scientists: a bachelor's degree (O*NET 31.0 Job Zone).
Is it too late to switch to data analyst at 40?
28% of data scientists are 45 or older and their median age is 38.4 (BLS Current Population Survey, 2025, broader occupation group).
How much do data scientists make?
The national median is $120,230 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). Highest-paying states: Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370).