How to become a graduate data analyst in the UK
The skills UK employers test, typical graduate pay, the main routes in, and how to build a portfolio that gets you interviews.
In this guide
Most graduate data analysts in the UK start on a graduate scheme or in a junior analyst role, and some train through a data analyst apprenticeship. Employers look for SQL, strong Excel, a visualisation tool such as Power BI or Tableau, some Python or R, and the ability to explain findings clearly. Many employers prefer a numerate degree, but what matters most is evidence that you can use the tools, which is why a small portfolio of projects helps.
What does a data analyst do?
Prospects describes data analysts as people who “translate numbers and data into useful information” that an organisation can use to solve business problems. Day to day, that means building dashboards and reports, tracking key performance indicators, and using tools such as SQL, Power BI and Tableau. The National Careers Service adds checking the quality of data, finding patterns and trends, and presenting findings to the people who make decisions.
Job titles vary a lot, so search for several of them:
| Job title | What it usually focuses on |
|---|---|
| Data analyst | Cleaning, analysing and reporting on data across a business |
| Insight analyst | Customer or market data, and what it means for decisions |
| MI or reporting analyst | Regular reports and dashboards that managers rely on |
| BI analyst | Business intelligence tools, data models and dashboards |
| Performance analyst | Tracking results against targets |
In the civil service, the Government Analysis Function uses levels from associate data analyst up to principal, with work such as managing, cleaning and aggregating data and using coding skills.
What skills do employers ask for?
Prospects lists advanced Excel, relational databases and SQL, Tableau or Power BI, a programming language such as Python or R, statistics, communication and presentation skills, and an understanding of data protection. The National Careers Service emphasises maths, analytical thinking, attention to detail and logical reasoning.
In practice, most analyst jobs rest on four things:
- SQL, to get data out of databases and summarise it.
- Excel, for quick analysis, pivot tables and lookups.
- A visualisation tool, usually Power BI or Tableau, to build dashboards.
- Communication, to turn a result into a clear recommendation for someone who is not an analyst.
Python or R becomes more important as roles get more technical, and on data science schemes.
How much do graduate data analysts earn?
| Source | Figure |
|---|---|
| Prospects | £23,000 to £25,000 in entry-level roles, and around £30,000 on graduate schemes at larger companies. It puts typical data analyst salaries at £30,000 to £40,000 |
| National Careers Service | About £28,000 as a starter |
| Aviva Data and Analytics graduate pathway | £33,200 (September 2026 intake) |
| NHS Health Informatics graduate scheme | £31,276 (as advertised in September 2026) |
Prospects notes that salaries in London, Manchester and Edinburgh are typically higher. Always check the current figure on the employer’s own page, because pay changes each year.
What are the routes in?
Graduate schemes. These are structured programmes, usually lasting two years, with training and rotations. Examples include the Aviva Data and Analytics graduate pathway, the NHS Health Informatics scheme, which accepts a 2:2 in any subject and includes a postgraduate diploma in data analytics, and data streams on retail and banking schemes.
Junior or associate analyst roles. Many analysts start in a single role rather than on a scheme. These jobs are advertised all year, often by smaller employers who do not run graduate schemes.
Apprenticeships. The Level 4 data analyst apprenticeship typically lasts 24 months plus an end-point assessment, and covers job titles including data analyst and junior analyst. It lets you earn while you train.
Public sector. The civil service, the ONS and the NHS all recruit analysts. The Government Statistical Service asks for a numerate degree that included statistics. Its Fast Stream scheme asks for at least a 2:1, while other routes can accept a 2:2 or a relevant postgraduate degree.
Do you need a certificate like PL-300 or the Google certificate?
Not usually. None of the job profiles above list a certificate as a requirement. They can still be a useful way to learn:
- Microsoft PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst). The study guide covers preparing, modelling and visualising data, and managing Power BI. It expects you to be comfortable with Power Query and DAX.
- Google Data Analytics certificate. Coursera describes nine beginner courses, about six months at 10 hours a week, covering spreadsheets, SQL, Tableau and Python.
A certificate shows commitment. A project that uses the same tools to answer a real question shows employers what you can actually do.
How do you build a portfolio?
Newcastle University’s careers service advises building a portfolio of work, for example on GitHub, to show your skills. Three to five good projects are enough. For each one:
- Start with a clear business question, such as which stores are losing customers and why.
- Use real public data, for example from the ONS or data.gov.uk.
- Clean the data, analyse it in SQL, Excel or Python, and build one clear dashboard.
- Write a short summary: the question, what you found, what you would recommend, and the limits of the data.
Be ready to explain every step in an interview. Our guide to data analyst interviews and technical tests explains how projects come up in assessments.
Will AI replace data analysts?
The evidence so far points to AI changing the job rather than replacing it, but it is making the start of a career more competitive.
Demand for the skills is high, and expected to grow. In its Occupations in demand 2025 analysis, Skills England classes data analysts as an occupation in critical demand. In the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, a survey of more than 1,000 employers worldwide, data analysts and scientists are among the 15 jobs expected to grow fastest between 2025 and 2030. Seven in ten of those employers see analytical thinking as essential, more than any other core skill. Routine work is more at risk: the same report lists data entry clerks among the fastest-declining jobs.
AI is becoming part of the job. Indeed’s 2026 mid-year UK report found that almost half (48.8%) of UK data and analytics job adverts on Indeed mention AI. Employers increasingly expect analysts to use AI tools to work faster, and to check what those tools produce.
Starting out is harder than it was. Graduate hiring fell by 8% in the Institute of Student Employers’ 2025 survey, with 140 applications for every vacancy, and Indeed reports that UK graduate job adverts are at their lowest for the time of year since the pandemic. With fewer entry-level roles to go round, evidence of real skills matters more than ever.
The analysts who stand out combine the tools with judgement: framing the right question, checking data quality, spotting when a result looks wrong, and explaining it clearly to someone who is not an analyst. Build your portfolio to show exactly that. For the full picture, see our research on data analyst jobs.
When should you apply?
Graduate schemes open early. Prospects says most open in September or October, a year before the start date, and usually close at the end of the year or in early January, with some closing early once they fill. Junior roles are advertised all year.
Graduate jobs are competitive, so a strong portfolio and early applications make a real difference.
Questions
Do I need a maths or computer science degree?
Not always. Prospects says any degree can work if you have the skills, but many employers and schemes prefer a numerate subject such as maths, statistics, economics or a science. Some routes are stricter. The Government Statistical Service asks for a numerate degree that included statistics.
Should I learn Python or R?
Job profiles usually ask for “Python or R”, so either can work. Start with SQL and Excel, which almost every analyst job uses, then learn one programming language well. According to Coursera, the Google Data Analytics certificate now uses Python rather than R.
Will AI replace data analysts?
The evidence so far points to AI changing the job rather than replacing it. Employers surveyed by the World Economic Forum expect data analysts and scientists to be among the fastest-growing jobs to 2030. Almost half of UK data and analytics job adverts on Indeed now mention AI, so analysts who can use AI tools well and check their output are best placed.
Do I need the PL-300 or Google certificate to get hired?
No. The Prospects, National Careers Service and TARGETjobs job profiles do not list either as a requirement. They can help you learn and show commitment, but employers mainly want to see that you can use the tools on real data.
Sources
We checked these sources on 26 September 2026. Employers change their processes, so always check their own pages before you apply.
- Future of Jobs Report 2025, World Economic Forum
- 2026 Mid-Year UK Jobs and Hiring Trends Report, Indeed Hiring Lab
- Student Recruitment Survey 2025, Institute of Student Employers
- Data analyst job profile, Prospects
- Data analyst-statistician, National Careers Service
- Role profile, data analyst, Government Analysis Function
- Data analyst apprenticeship standard (ST0118), Skills England
- PL-300 study guide, Microsoft Learn
- Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Coursera
- Data and Analytics graduate pathway, Aviva
- Health Informatics graduate scheme, NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme
- Occupations in demand 2025, Skills England
- Joining the Government Statistical Service, Government Analysis Function
- Graduate schemes, Prospects
- Technology and data careers, Newcastle University Careers Service
We help students and graduates secure graduate jobs in data. Our guides are based on what employers and professional bodies say about their own processes. About us
