Role overview
A data analyst collects, cleans and interprets data to answer business questions and guide decisions. In India they typically write SQL queries, build dashboards in Power BI or Tableau, run analysis in Excel or Python, and translate findings into clear reports and recommendations that help teams understand performance, spot trends and act on what the numbers reveal.
A data analyst usually has around 0–5 yrs of experience and earns typically ₹3.5L–₹14L/yr in India. The day-to-day blends SQL, Excel, Power BI and more — this page gives you a ready-to-use data analyst job description template you can copy, plus the exact skills and salary employers expect.
Key responsibilities
A data analyst is typically responsible for:
- Query databases with SQL to pull and join the data a question needs
- Clean, validate and transform raw data into analysis-ready tables
- Build and maintain dashboards and reports in Power BI, Tableau or Looker
- Run exploratory analysis to surface trends, anomalies and correlations
- Translate business questions into measurable metrics and KPIs
- Present findings and recommendations to non-technical stakeholders
- Automate recurring reports and define data-quality checks
- Support A/B tests and ad-hoc analysis requests from product and marketing
Requirements & qualifications
To succeed as a data analyst, candidates usually need:
- Strong SQL skills and comfort working with large, messy datasets
- Proficiency in Excel and at least one BI tool (Power BI, Tableau or Looker)
- Basic statistics and the ability to interpret results correctly
- Clear data storytelling and stakeholder-communication skills
- Bachelor's degree in a quantitative, business or related field
Data Analyst skills
The most in-demand data analyst skills on listings today:
Not sure which of these you're missing? A free OnJob profile runs your CV against every live data analyst job and shows the exact skill gaps standing between you and a 100% match.
Typical salary & experience
Typical salary (India)
typically ₹3.5L–₹14L/yr
Experience range
0–5 yrs
These are typical ranges and vary by city, company and skills. For live, role-specific pay data, see the OnJob salary guide.
Data Analyst job description — FAQs
What does a data analyst do?
A data analyst gathers, cleans and analyses data to answer business questions, then presents the findings through dashboards and reports. The core daily work is writing SQL, building visualisations and explaining what the numbers mean to decision-makers.
What is the difference between a data analyst and a data scientist?
A data analyst focuses on describing what happened and why using SQL, BI tools and reporting. A data scientist goes further into prediction and machine learning, building statistical models and algorithms. Analyst work is more reporting-led; scientist work is more modelling-led.
Do you need to know coding to be a data analyst?
You need SQL and strong spreadsheet skills at minimum. Python or R helps for deeper analysis and automation, but many data analyst roles in India are achievable with SQL, Excel and a BI tool like Power BI or Tableau.
How much does a data analyst earn in India?
Freshers typically earn ₹3.5L–₹6L per year, mid-level data analysts ₹7L–₹12L, and senior analysts ₹14L+. Check our salary guide for the latest ranges by city and industry.