How to Become a Data Analyst with No Experience in 2025?: A Complete Roadmap

You have probably heard of the term data analyst almost everywhere. Over the past decade, this field and profession have taken the job market and work landscape through a storm. As businesses advance and expand, the use of analytics in dealing with large data sets has led to revolutionizing the way we utilize data now.

Did you know? India ranks number #1 in the global demand for data analytics jobs. This only solidifies the career potential of a data analyst in India. With emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning with data analytics, more and more tech jobs are on the rise.

These opportunities offer lucrative opportunities for data analysts across industries. But did you know that you don’t necessarily have to have a degree to become a data analyst? Yes, you can pursue this role even without any prior experience in the field.

Read further as we further dive into answering how to become a data analyst with no experience and also highlight essential skills and salary outlook for a data analyst.

Also Read: Ultimate Guide to a Career in Data Analytics

Who is a Data Analyst?

Before we discuss the steps to become a data analyst, let’s understand who exactly is a data analyst?

A data analyst is a professional responsible for collecting, processing, and analyzing data to help organizations make informed decisions. They transform raw data into meaningful insights using statistical tools and software, identifying patterns and trends. Imagine a huge pile of unorganized, scattered, and uncategorized data. 

A data analyst with work with technical tools and technologies to strategically organize, categorize as well analyze the data. And, it is way more complex than it sounds.

Generally, a data analyst would work with various data sources, cleaning and organizing data to ensure accuracy. 

Data analysts also create reports and visualizations to communicate findings clearly to stakeholders. Their work supports business strategies, optimizing performance, and improving operational efficiency across different departments.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at what does a data analyst do by highlighting their key responsibilities:

• Collecting and acquiring data from various internal and external sources to ensure it's accurate, timely, and relevant
• Cleaning and preprocessing data by handling missing values, removing duplicates, and standardizing formats
• Analyzing data using statistical methods, identifying trends, patterns, and actionable insights for business decisions
• Creating meaningful data visualizations with tools like Tableau or Power BI to represent insights in a user-friendly format
• Preparing detailed reports summarizing findings, recommendations, and visualizations for stakeholders
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to gather data requirements and translate business needs into analytical solutions
• Designing and maintaining databases, ensuring they are structured for efficient querying, retrieval, and data integrity
• Automating data workflows to streamline processes, reduce manual work, and improve efficiency using Python, SQL, or R scripts
• Ensuring data quality and integrity through regular audits, validation checks, and adherence to data governance policies
• Supporting business strategy by providing data-driven insights to improve decision-making and achieve organizational goals

How to become a Data Analyst: Complete Roadmap for Freshers

Now that you have an idea of the definition and duties of a data analyst. Let's get on to discuss the steps you need to take to start your data analyst career. 

By following these steps, you'll build the necessary skills and experience to successfully transition into a data analyst role, even without prior experience.

1. Start from Getting your Data Analysis Basics in Place 

• Understand core concepts like data cleaning, transformation, and visualization
• Get familiar with statistical methods used in data analysis
• Learn the key roles and responsibilities of a data analyst

2. Master Essential Tools and Technologies

• Learn data manipulation tools like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
• Get comfortable with programming languages such as SQL, Python, or R
• Explore data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI

3. Enroll in Online Courses and Certifications

• Enroll in beginner-friendly data analysis courses on online learning platforms 
• Earn certifications in key tools and skills like Excel, SQL, or Python
• Focus on structured learning that builds foundational knowledge

4. Create a Work Portfolio with Data Analysis Projects

• Work with open datasets to practice and showcase your skills
• Create real-world projects that demonstrate your ability to clean, analyze, and visualize data
• Share your projects on GitHub or a personal website to build your portfolio

5. Gain Hands-On Experience

• Volunteer for non-profits or small businesses to offer free data analysis services
• Participate in data challenges or competitions on platforms like Kaggle
• Seek internships or entry-level roles where you can apply your skills in a real-world setting

6. Learn how to Communicate Insights Effectively

• Practice explaining complex data analysis results in simple terms
• Focus on storytelling with data to make insights more accessible to non-technical audiences
• Develop presentations using data visualizations to convey findings clearly

7. Build a Professional Network with Data Professionals

• Join online data communities, such as LinkedIn groups or Reddit forums
• Attend industry events, webinars, or conferences to meet professionals
• Reach out to mentors or peers for advice and guidance

8. Apply for Entry-Level Data Analyst Roles

• Work on creating a job-optimized resume to highlight relevant skills, projects, and certifications
• Focus on roles like that of a Junior Data Analyst or Data Intern that require minimal experience

         Check out these Must Read Data Analyst Interview Questions & Answers

9. Keep Track of Trends and Continue Your Learning Journey

• Follow industry blogs, podcasts, and influencers to stay informed about new trends
• Regularly update your skillset with emerging tools and technologies
• Continuously improve by learning new data analysis techniques and software

10. Develop a Strong Understanding of Business and Industry Context

• Learn how data analysis impacts decision-making in different industries like finance, healthcare, marketing etc.
• Understand key performance indicators (KPIs) and business metrics relevant to various sectors
• Stay informed about trends and challenges in the industry you want to work in to align your analysis with business goals

Skills You Should Learn to Become a Data Analyst

Your journey towards becoming a data analyst without any experience will require you to work on building a strong skill set with self-learning or through additional courses and certifications. Let’s learn what are the top skills you need to learn to become a data analyst and how are these skills useful:

1. Data Interpretation 

• Understand descriptive statistics like mean, median, mode, and standard deviation
• Apply inferential statistics such as hypothesis testing and regression analysis

2. SQL 

• Write complex queries to extract, manipulate, and analyze data from relational databases
• Use SQL functions like JOIN, GROUP BY, and subqueries to filter and aggregate data

          Learn SQL online with upGrad here!

3. Data Visualization

• Create meaningful charts, graphs, and dashboards to represent data insights
• Use tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Excel to visualize trends and patterns

4. Excel for Data Analysis 

• Utilize advanced Excel functions like VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and conditional formatting
• Organize, clean, and analyze large datasets using Excel’s powerful features

Check out our Free Course on Introduction to Data Analysis with Excel!

5. Programming 

• Use Python libraries (Pandas, NumPy) for data cleaning, manipulation, and analysis
• Write scripts to automate repetitive tasks and streamline data analysis workflows

Learn Python and Javascript with upGrad!

6. Data Cleaning and Preprocessing

• Identify and handle missing or inconsistent data in large datasets
• Use techniques like normalization, transformation, and outlier detection for clean data

Explore our Big Data Courses!

7. Industry Knowledge 

• Understand the business context and how data insights drive decisions
• Interpret data in a way that aligns with business objectives and KPIs

8. Communication Skills

• Present complex data insights in an easy-to-understand format for non-technical stakeholders
• Create clear, concise reports and visualizations to support decision-making

Explore upGrad’s Communication Courses and master this crucial skill!

9. Data Warehousing

• Learn data warehousing by understanding how to store, retrieve, and manage large volumes of data across multiple systems
• Use tools like SQL Server, AWS Redshift, or Google BigQuery to manage datasets

10. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

• Analyze complex problems by breaking them down into manageable data-driven solutions
• Think logically to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies in the data

Master problem-solving with our Guide to Problem Solving Skills Course, for absolutely free!

Data Analyst Salary Potential in India?

Almost every industry now recruits data analysts. Be it finance, e-commerce, healthcare, media & entertainment, or business intelligence, data analysts are popular across sectors. So, how much can a data analyst earn in India? Let’s talk numbers.

The average annual salary for a data analyst in India is 6.1 lakhs.

Below is the salary range for a data analyst in India according to various experience levels :

Source: AmbitionBox, Glassdoor

Get more insights here: Data Analyst Salary in India

Learn Data Analytics with upGrad

Your best bet to start your data analyst journey is through online learning courses and certifications. So, whether you are a complete beginner or a working professional looking to transition your career into a high-paying data analyst role, you will highly benefit from upGrad’s learning programs.

upGrad offers you the opportunity to learn at your own pace and from your own space. With our Data Analysis courses, we provide you with a range of course options from short-term certifications and PG certifications to MS courses in your desired field of specialization.

Check out our popular data analysis and science courses:

• Executive Diploma in Data Science & AI
• Certification in Data Science and Analytics specially curated for Freshers
• MS in Data Science from Liverpool John Moores University

So, how can you gain an extra edge in your data analyst journey with upGrad? We cater to your career advancement journey through the following:

• End-to-end assistance
• Placement support
• Mentorship from industry experts
• Networking opportunities
• No-cost EMI options 

Conclusion

Through this text, we aimed to provide a complete roadmap on how to become a data analyst with no experience. By following these simple steps, you can launch your data analyst career and bag some high-earning job opportunities for this highly sought-after job role in the market today.

Now that you have insight as to how can you get started, you may begin towards your data analyst journey. So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in upGrad’s data analysis courses and become a successful data analyst. Make sure to match the demands of the competitive job market by working on upskilling and profile enhancement.

If you’d like to explore more learning options, we have free courses and paid courses available in data science, AI, marketing, software development, and soft skills. Head over to our courses page now and pick your course of choice now!

Confused about your options in data analysis and data science? Book a free counseling session with upGrad counselors now!

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References:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-tops-global-demand-for-data-analytics-jobs/articleshow/113641351.cms
https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/data-analytics/data-analyst-job-with-no-experience/
https://www.datacamp.com/blog/how-to-become-a-data-analyst
https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/data-analytics/top-industries-hiring-data-professionals/
https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/data-analyst-salary
https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/data-analyst-salary?experience=4
https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/data-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm