How to become a data analyst

Data analysts turn numbers into answers. The usual path goes through spreadsheets, SQL, a little statistics and a tool for charts.

Good for: People who like numbers and puzzles, from school leavers to career changers. Typical time: 100–150 hours in total, depending on where you start.

The usual order of steps

1. 1
   Spreadsheets≈ 20 h

   Excel or Google Sheets: formulas, tables and pivots.
2. 2
   SQL≈ 30 h

   Ask questions of a database with queries.
3. 3
   Statistics basics≈ 25 h

   Averages, spread, correlation and common pitfalls.
4. 4
   Charts and dashboards≈ 25 h

   Power BI, Tableau or Python to show results clearly.
5. 5
   A portfolio analysis≈ 30 h

   Pick an open dataset, ask a question and explain the answer.

Free or paid?

Many good courses for each step are free; paid ones usually add a certificate, feedback from a teacher or a fixed schedule. Check the current price, dates and age limits on the provider’s own site before you pay.

Where to look for courses

Search these platforms for “Data analyst”. Compare ratings, prices and the date of the last update before you choose.

• Coursera
• edX
• Udemy
• Khan Academy
• YouTube

Get a plan with real courses

Stepora turns this outline into a plan with specific courses in the right order, matched to your level, budget and free time. It is free and takes half a minute.

The hours are rough, typical figures, not promises. Plans are made by AI and may contain mistakes.