Top 7 Data Analysis Degrees: Become an Industry Professional

Ever wondered what it’s like to work in the data analysis field? Maybe you’re already somewhat experienced in managing data, and you're looking to put your career into motion? Well, getting a data analysis degree may help you with that, but there are far better alternatives.

In this guide, we'll be looking at how data analysis certification programs could jump-start your career. Likewise, I’ll give you my top picks of the best online data analysis classes from world-renowned MOOC platforms. Now then, let’s jump right in!

Is it Worth Getting a Data Analysis Degree?

I’m sure you’re wondering what it takes to become a great data analyst. Well, apart from being good with data, you’ll need a great sense of math, statistics, computer science, and other skills related to numbers and IT. 

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In fact, data analysis degrees are usually tied to other fields of study. So, having a Bachelor’s in, let’s say, finance or economics would surely come in handy.

More than that, being a data analyst can be quite nerve-wracking. I mean, you’re just working with batches of information on your computer. How stressful can it be?

Well, there’s much more to it.

Ever since the big transition to the digital era, data analysis has become much more versatile. So now, people with data analysis degrees are able to fit into pretty much any field of work. 

However, there are a lot more responsibilities, especially in areas such as marketing and sales where you’ll be working with products, advertising, customer analysis, etc. 

Also, knowing that marketing is pretty much a never-ending process, data analysts regularly have to reinvent themselves, and adapt to certain areas.

Now, regardless if you’re experienced in working with loads of information or not, you need to have a certain type of skill set for a data analysis degree. You'll probably need some advanced knowledge of SQL, Microsoft Excel, and Python.

In terms of personal traits and traditional skills, being able to think critically, meet deadlines, and make visually attractive presentations with data is a huge advantage. 

So, by now, you’re probably wondering how much data analysts make. To be honest, the average salary of a data analyst is not that impressive - about $70k per year. However, experienced data analysts can make over $100k per year. 

But what about the data analysis degree? Given all the above benefits and drawbacks, is it actually worth getting one?   

Honestly, I would think so. Especially as a Master’s Degree. Having a BSc in, let’s say, computer science, and then getting an MS in data analysis sounds like a great combo to have.

However, there are barely any universities that offer online data analysis degrees. One of which is a Master’s Degree in Analytics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

However, the tuition fees for this program are almost in the five-figure range ($9,900). And you may even be charged extra if it takes longer for you to complete the degree. So, if you ask me, getting an online degree sounds quite risky. 

But in reality, you might not even need a data analysis degree. In fact, getting a professional data analysis certification program could be enough for your work application. 

Nowadays, lots of employers give entry tasks to see if you have the right skills for the job. So, if you perform well in your online data analyst classes, and gather the right skills, then you may be considered a suitable candidate.

For this reason, I’ve picked out some of the best data analysis online courses from MOOC platforms such as Udacity, Udemy, and Datacamp. Now here, you’ll find classes that require different levels of experience in the data analysis area. But some have no requirements.

Most importantly, the programs offer certificates of completion that you can add to your resume for potential career opportunities.

Now, let’s see what these classes have in store for you.

Nanodegree Program: Become a Data Analyst (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Udacity
• Duration: 4 months
• Price: $102
• Certificate: YES
• Level: Intermediate
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

If you’re experienced in managing data, and want to put your skills to the test, then try enrolling in this class.

The Nanodegree Program on Udacity will allow you to improve your skills at managing huge clusters of data. During the course, you’ll be focusing on two major programming languages: SQL and Python.

The estimated time to finish this class is 4 months, assuming that you’ll spend at least 10 hours per week studying. To fully understand the course material, you have to be experienced in Python (specifically NumPy and pandas software libraries )and SQL. 

Throughout the whole program, you’ll receive personalized services such as project reviews and technical support from industry experts. In fact, finishing the program will give you resume support, because Udacity courses are usually recognized by employers.

Anyways, let’s get into the actual program. Firstly, you’ll be introduced to the main data analysis processes such as analyzing and transfering information. Later on, you’ll get to Practical Statistics which is all about applying statistical inference and probability to real-world scenarios.

The final two courses will cover data wrangling (gathering, assessing, and cleaning batches of information) and visualization techniques on Python.

From start to finish, you'll be guided by a group of top data analysis experts and tech company CEOs. In fact, this exact course is rated at 4.6 out of 5 stars with positive feedback from previous students. 

Now, at the time of writing, the course price is set at $102, but you can always scroll through our coupon page for a potential discount.

If you’ve decided to enroll in this program, make sure it has everything you need. For this reason, let’s quickly look through the course material:

• Introduction to Data Analysis
• Practical Statistics with real-world data
• Data Wrangling 
• Data Visualization with Python

So, if you’d like to pursue a data analysis degree with Python and SQL, then this program might bring you up to speed.

Start the course NOW.

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Nanodegree Program: Business Analytics (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Udacity
• Duration: 3 months
• Price: $102
• Certificate: YES
• Level: Beginner
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

Like I’ve mentioned earlier, data analysis has a wide variety of uses in different work areas. As a matter of fact, this data analysis online class is all about managing data in a business environment.

It is an introductory class, packed with foundational skills of business analytics with SQL, Excel, and Tableu.

The estimated time to complete the course is 3 months, if you learn at a pace of 10 hours per week. Likewise, there are no requirements for this program so it should be suitable for complete beginners.

Now, at first, you’ll be briefly introduced to the fundamentals of business analytics. Then, you’ll be shown some core Excel skills to visualize and analyze data. Later on, you’ll learn how to use SQL and manage information stored in databases.

Finally, there will be a data visualization lecture where you’ll learn how to create attention-drawing stories via data-based visuals.

Now, you’ll be taught by a group of professionals from multiple backgrounds such as data science, analysis, and content development. In fact, their program is rated at 4.8 stars out of 5 with top reviews from previous students.

Currently, the price of the program is $102, but you could try some of our coupons for a nice discount.

Either way, let’s do a quick rundown of the course material:

• Introduction to Business Analysis
• Introduction to Data
• SQL for Data Analysis
• Data Visualization

So, this program seems like a great way to start your journey towards a data analysis degree. Even if you’re an experienced data analyst, you may use it as a refresher course.

Start the course NOW.  

Nanodegree Program: Data Analysis and Visualization with Power BI (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Udacity
• Duration: 3 months
• Price: $102
• Certificate: YES
• Level: Beginner
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

There are tons of software that you can use for data analysis which makes managing and presenting information that much easier. This course will get you up to speed on pre-processing, visualizing, and analyzing data with Power BI.

In case you’re wondering, Power BI is basically a business analytics software that lets you create visualizations, reports, and dashboards within a simple interface.

Now, it’s gonna take you at least 3 months to complete the program, given that you spend 5 hours per week. Also, you’ll need to have some high-school-level Microsoft Excel skills like creating pivot tables, and knowing some basic Excel functions.

So, here’s how your course is going to look: at first, you’ll be introduced to the ways of preparing and modeling data on Power BI with built-in tools. The next lecture will be about creating visualizations that make the clutter of data easier to understand. 

Finally, you’ll get to learn some more advanced data analysis methods like creating data statistics, forecasts, and strategies.

Now, the whole program will be presented by a group of business intelligence experts with backgrounds in finance, engineering, and data management.

As of right now, the price of the course is $102, but you could look for a discount on our coupon page for Nanodegree programs.

Anyways, let’s go through the program material and see what you’ll learn:

• How to prepare and model data
• How to create Data Visualizations
• Advanced Data Analysis

All in all, it seems like a great program for starters, especially if your job requires Power BI. So get ahead of the curve, and learn to use this data analysis service today!

Start the course NOW.

Microsoft Excel - Data Analysis with Excel Pivot Tables (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Udemy
• Duration: 6 hours 50 minutes
• Price: $182
• Certificate: YES
• Level: All Levels
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

Before you start pursuing a data analysis degree, make sure to master your skills in Microsoft Excel. In fact, this Udemy program may help you do just that!

Here you will go through Excel’s advanced features of data analysis, with a strict focus on pivot tables. 

It is almost a 7-hour long data analysis online course with 90 lectures, and a subtitle option in 5 different languages. Likewise, you’ll get 22 articles for personal use, and 6 downloadable resources at your disposal. 

In fact, the whole program will be backed up by video content and quizzes. After each lecture, you’ll get some homework assignments for revision. 

Now, let’s see what the program is all about. Firstly, you’ll start off with the absolute basics: how to create, manage, and update pivot tables. Later on, you’ll learn how to format a pivot table, manage data via sorting, filtering, and grouping features.

Then, there will be a lecture on calculating values in your Excel pivot table. Finally, you’ll learn how to visualize data by using various charts with different layouts and styles.

Also, you will get a bonus lecture where you will analyze real-world scenarios like salary data, demographics, etc. After each part, there will be a small homework task where you’ll need to apply all that you’ve learned.

Now, this program was created by Chris Dutton who is the founder of Maven Analytics. He is a certified Excel expert, and has some of the best-selling analytics courses out there. In fact, his program is rated at 4.6 out of 5 stars with positive feedback from previous students.

As a matter of fact, many had this program as their first course on Udemy, and were surprised how useful it was. Most students claimed that the structure of the program made it very easy to follow and understand. 

Here’s an honest review from one of them:

"Really great course. All concepts were thoroughly explained. The case studies section was extremely beneficial as it allowed us to put everything we had learned into practice. Chris is a great teacher and I really enjoyed learning from him." - R. Kumar

Even though the program sits at a high price ($182), I’m fairly certain that it will up your game with Microsoft Excel. Either way, you may scroll through our coupon page for a nice discount on Udemy classes. 

Likewise, if you’re not happy with these data analysis classes, you can always ask for a refund, because Udemy offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee on all courses.

So now that we’re a bit more acquainted with the course, let’s see what the program actually has in store for us:

• Creating Excel Pivot Tables
• Exploring advanced Pivot Table skills
• Practicing Excel skills with real-life data 
• Lifetime Access to all the course material

Overall, if you want to get some advanced tips on data analysis from an industry expert, then you may try enrolling in this program. 

Start the course NOW.

Data Analysis with Pandas and Python (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Udemy
• Duration: 20 hours 37 minutes
• Price: $23
• Certificate: YES
• Level: All Levels
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

As I’ve stated previously, data analysis is a very versatile field. So, If you’re into coding, and want to pursue a data analysis degree, then give this course a try. 

With this program, you’ll learn how to use the pandas software library within Python.

The whole course consists of 177 lectures which are divided into 15 sections. On top of that, you’ll have 4 downloadable resources, and even 8 coding exercises.

It will take you approximately 21 hours to complete the program. In fact, you’ll get to choose from 7 subtitle languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish. 

Now, there are some basic/advanced data analysis and coding requirements. You’ll need to be somewhat familiar with Microsoft Excel’s features like vlookups, pivot tables, and functions. Likewise, having basic knowledge of Python and data strings is strongly advised.

For the course itself, you’ll begin with an introduction to data analysis with Python, and a quick guide on how to install and setup Jupyter Notebook. 

Right off the bat, there will be a bonus Python Crash Course for users who have no experience in coding with Python. But, if you’re pretty experienced in Python, then you may skip over this lecture.

At first, you’ll go through the concepts of Series within the pandas software library. Later on, you’ll get 3 lectures on DataFrames. The first part will be an introduction to the module. The other two lectures will give you insight into data filtering and extraction within the DataFrame structure. 

More than that, you’ll learn how to clean data with the pandas software library, and create a MultiIndex within DataFrame. The final couple of classes will get you on board with creating a DataFrameGroupBy object, and combining multiple DataFrames into a single one.

Your instructor will be Boris Paskhaver who is a software engineer with a degree in Business Economics and Marketing. His data analysis online course is one of the best-selling programs on Udemy, with about 160k enrolled students.

These data analyst classes are rated at a whopping 4.7 stars out of 5 with very positive insights from previous students. Some regard it as one of the best online courses ever. 

But how much will it cost you? Well, it’s actually quite a bargain if you ask me - $23 for a high-rated course with 21 hours of content. However, if you’d like to save on your purchase, try looking through our coupon page for a discount.

Now here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll learn during these data analyst classes:

• How to perform data operations within Python’s pandas software library
• How to manipulate 1D, 2D, and 3D data sets
• How to resolve issues with data sets 

So, if you're an experienced coder, but data analysis was never your cup of tea, then this course will surely bring you up to speed. Especially if you’re going for a data analysis certification.

Start the course NOW. 

Career Track: Data Analyst with Python (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Datacamp
• Duration: 62 hours
• Price: from $12.42
• Certificate: YES
• Level: All Levels
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

During this career track on Datacamp, you’ll get an extensive catalog of classes that are 62 hours long in total with 16 separate courses. During each lecture, you’ll be working with software libraries that are within Python such as pandas, Matplotlib, and Seaborn.

So, first of all, you’ll begin with 4 lectures on how to use Python, and how software libraries like pandas and Matplotlib can help you manage and visualize data. Then, you’ll get a single lecture on the Seaborn software library which will help you make sleek designs within Python. 

Later on, there will be a chapter on how to import and clean data. Likewise, you’ll get to learn how to visualize, and extract certain parts of data. The last couple of data analyst classes will be on the fundamentals of SQL, pandas software libraries, and databases in Python.

It’s a lot to take in, I know. However, if you’re quite experienced with Python and SQL, then you should be familiar with most of this stuff. If not, well, lucky for you - everything is within hand's reach!

Now, you will be instructed by a group of data analysis experts from multiple fields of work. Each instructor will present 1-2 classes of the program. 

When you’re done with all the lectures, you’ll be given a shareable statement of accomplishment, or, in other words, a data analysis certification. You can share it on social media, Linkedin, or put it on an online resume.

So, how much do these data analysis classes cost? Well, the base price of a standard plan is $12.42 which gives you free access to 350+ courses, 12 career tracks, and more. However, you may use some of our coupons for a discount, or try using Datacamp’s free plan with limited access. 

Now, let’s do a brief recap of things that you’ll learn during this program:

• Data Science in Python
• Data Manipulation with pandas
• Data Visualization with Matplotlib and Seaborn
• How to import and clean Data in Python
• Introductory knowledge of SQL
• Basics of Python and SQL databases

So, if you’d like a full package of data analyst classes that may kickstart your career - give this career track a go. Maybe it will be a breakthrough that you always needed.

Start the course NOW.

Career Track: Data Analyst with R (Enroll Here)

• Platform: Datacamp
• Duration: 77 hours
• Price: from $12.42
• Certificate: YES
• Level: All Levels
• Discount: Available
• Apply HERE

There are some other coding languages that can be used for data analysis, one of which is the R programming language. And this particular career track will tell you all about it.

The Data Analyst with R program has 77 hours worth of content, with 19 separate courses. What’s great about this course is that it doesn’t require any coding experience. However, if you do know your way around the R programming language, then the course should be a breeze.

Now, you’ll start off with an introduction to the R programming language. Right after that, there will be an intermediate R class, during which you’ll get 6 hours of content about conditional statements, vector functions, and loops.

Later on, you’ll learn how to use Tidyverse and ggplot2 to visualize data. Then there will be some lectures on data manipulation with dplyr. Also, you’ll have data analyst classes on how to import and clean data with the R programming language.

After that, you’ll get to do some data analysis work via a case study. Finally, the program will come to an end with an introduction to statistics in R and SQL databases.

So now, let’s see who you’ll be working with. It is quite a large and diverse team of instructors. A team of 15 experts to be exact. They specialize in data analysis, product management, and statistics, from which you’ll get a wide variety of input. 

Now, as for any other Datacamp program, you can get full access and benefits to one of these data analysis certification programs for $12.42. Likewise, you may swipe through our coupon page for a discount, or use the free Datacamp plan for limited access to the course.

So, now, let’s gather everything that we’ve learned about this course so far, and do a quick recap. Here’s what you’ll get to learn:

• Fundamentals of R in Data Analysis
• How to use Tidyverse
• Data Manipulation with dplyr and data.table
• Data Visualization with ggplot2
• How to import and clean data with R
• Data Analysis and Statistics in R
• Fundamentals of SQL Data Analysis

All in all, I believe this program may be a great starting point if you’re going for a data analysis degree, especially if you're not that experienced in using R for data analysis. But, if you're a self-taught R expert, then this program may greatly reflect your resume.

Star the course NOW. 

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Conclusions

So, have you decided where you’d like to start learning for your data analysis degree? If you haven’t - be sure to check through some data analyst classes on the best MOOCs available. Platforms like Udacity, Udemy, and Datacamp will surely get you on track for your personal or professional needs.

In any case, if you do not feel satisfied with your program, Udacity has a 2-day refund policy, and Udemy offers a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. In fact, Datacamp offers a free plan which lets you view the first chapter of any course. So, what are you waiting for? Start your professional career today!

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