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How to hire a data analyst

Data analyst hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring data analysts in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a data analyst is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new data analyst to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a data analyst, step by step

To hire a data analyst, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a data analyst:

Here's a step-by-step data analyst hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a data analyst job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new data analyst
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a data analyst do?

Data analysts are responsible for interpreting the company's statistics and providing sound recommendations to the organization. They manage the organization's data sets, usually related to market performance, finance, or human resources. They are in charge of studying the available data, spotting trends, interpreting what the data and the trends mean, and recommending suggestions that will help the organization perform better. Their recommendations should also be relevant and backed up with strong analyses. Data analysts are expected to have a good grasp of the current market trends in the industry.

Learn more about the specifics of what a data analyst does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the data analyst you need to hire. Certain data analyst roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect data analyst also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    The following list breaks down different types of data analysts and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Data AnalystDescriptionHourly rate
    Data AnalystManagement analysts, often called management consultants, propose ways to improve the efficiency of an organization. They advise managers on how to make organizations more profitable through reduced costs and increased revenues.$25-49
    Business Analyst InternshipA Business Analyst Intern provides support to the business analysis team in preparing business plans and strategies. They make suggestions for improvements, write reports, perform research, and analyze data.$16-28
    Business Process AnalystThe business process analysts are responsible for producing, managing, and enhancing business processes to improve business performance using data. They gather, analyze, and transcribe information about internal processes to obtain a comprehensive picture of the company's internal workings... Show more$27-50
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Data Analysis
    • Python
    • Power Bi
    • Data Management
    • Visualization
    • Data Quality
    • Data Collection
    • SAS
    • BI
    • Analyze Data
    • Customer Service
    • PowerPoint
    • Strong Analytical
    • Statistical Analysis
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage patient s data in UNIX system.
    • Manage loan performance in Hyperion Financials using SQL and PL/SQL tools.
    • Manage and contribute to EDI processes ensuring HIPAA compliance and access to clearing house review on individual case status.
    • Develop Java application to automate reformatting of text files for an internal application.
    • Execute deterministic modeling and Monte Carlo simulations in MATLAB to achieve greater mathematical confidence in results obtain from analysis.
    • Manage weapon system project websites via SharePoint, including troubleshooting technical issues and developing guidelines for public/private information and user permissions.
    More data analyst duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the data analyst job description is a good way to get more applicants. A data analyst salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a data analyst in Vermont may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level data analyst. Additionally, a data analyst with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average data analyst salary

    $74,342yearly

    $35.74 hourly rate

    Entry-level data analyst salary
    $53,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 5, 2025

    Average data analyst salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$87,750$42
    2District of Columbia$82,722$40
    3New Jersey$82,520$40
    4Washington$81,246$39
    5Maryland$79,980$38
    6Massachusetts$78,717$38
    7New York$77,671$37
    8Virginia$76,591$37
    9North Carolina$73,797$35
    10Illinois$73,360$35
    11Texas$71,178$34
    12Michigan$70,301$34
    13Pennsylvania$69,941$34
    14Georgia$69,672$34
    15Minnesota$68,918$33
    16Ohio$68,292$33
    17Wisconsin$67,069$32
    18Colorado$66,659$32
    19Arizona$64,912$31
    20Missouri$64,155$31

    Average data analyst salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1The Citadel$142,177$68.355
    2Meta$130,568$62.77928
    3Google$126,772$60.95266
    4Addepar$124,448$59.838
    5Crunchbase$122,886$59.08
    6Looker$121,793$58.55
    7Course Hero$121,770$58.54
    8Microsoft$120,938$58.1472
    9TripActions$119,858$57.62
    10Pacific Investment Management Company LLC$119,604$57.5017
    11Fundbox$119,271$57.34
    12Upstart Network$118,783$57.11
    13NerdWallet$117,958$56.711
    14Airbnb$117,625$56.551
    15First Republic Bank$116,771$56.14
    16PitchBook Data$116,755$56.138
    17Dropbox$116,400$55.963
    18NVIDIA$116,029$55.7817
    19Apple$115,449$55.5077
    20PayPal$115,239$55.4025
  4. Writing a data analyst job description

    A data analyst job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a data analyst job description:

    Data analyst job description example

    About Us

    DevTech Systems, Inc. (DevTech) is an international consulting firm dedicated to development, with 38 years of experience providing advisory services and technical assistance to government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders in more than 100 countries. DevTech core practice areas include: Monitoring Evaluation, Research and Learning; Data Solutions; Public Financial Management and Fiscal Sustainability; and Education, Gender, and Youth.

    At DevTech, we care deeply about doing work that leads to positive change in the world. We celebrate diverse perspectives and are committed to an inclusive environment. We empower our employees to work autonomously and simultaneously give them the professional support that they need to learn and grow.

    Overview

    DevTech is looking for a Data Analyst to work as an institutional contractor on its Analytics, Data, Visualization, and Information Services (ADVISE) contract with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). ADVISE staff comprise much of the USAID Data Services team, led by USAID's Chief Data Officer (CDO) and situated in USAID's Bureau for Management, Office of the Chief Information Officer (M/CIO). The Data Services team's main purpose is to improve the usage of data and information at USAID, so that the Agency continues to ensure its development outcomes are supported by evidence. Data Services' work spans the “data lifecycle,” including planning, collection, cleaning, analysis, curation, reporting, and governance.

    The Data Analyst will work on the Reporting, Analysis, and Visualization Unit. The position will be primarily on the U.S. Government (USG) Foreign Aid Team and secondarily on the Transparency Team. The USG Foreign Aid Team is responsible for the entire data life cycle of USG Foreign Assistance funding data; from collecting, to cleaning, transforming, analyzing, visualizing, and publishing (see ForeignAssistance.gov). The Transparency Team is responsible for supporting the USG's and USAID's representation at several International Transparency organizations. The teams respond to a wide variety of requests, including those for Congress, the Executive branch, NGOs and the general public. In this role, the Data Analyst will contribute to the maintenance of the central database of USG foreign aid funding flows (~70%) and respond to data and analysis requests (~30%).

    This position's place of performance is Washington D.C. with the options for generous U.S. based telework or remote work.

    About the Team

    USAID Data Services' core values are:

    • We are passionate, ambitious and care deeply about our work and the USAID mission.
    • We are serious about meeting the needs of our customers.
    • We are funny. We have fun. And we are human.
    • We communicate and close feedback loops.
    • We are proactive. We do not wait for success to come find us.
    • We are a team who is committed to each other.

    In keeping with these core values, we respect and encourage an inclusive and diverse environment in which we see our differences as strengths. We are a team of motivated and responsible self-starters that enjoy working in a team-oriented environment. We are always looking for ways to grow, through feedback, learning, and collaboration.

    Responsibilities

    Primary Responsibilities

    • Extract, clean, transform, process, and standardize data from U.S. Government agencies for ingestion into a relational database.
    • Evaluate primary source data for quality issues and communicate suggested solutions to data owners at various USG agencies.
    • Contribute to guidance materials and communications for USG Foreign Aid Team data calls.
    • Document data processing methodologies for replicability and clarity.
    • Analyze USG foreign aid data to compile visual and concise verbal summaries to
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find data analysts for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your data analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit data analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit data analysts, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new data analyst

    Once you've decided on a perfect data analyst candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new data analyst first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a data analyst?

There are different types of costs for hiring data analysts. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new data analyst employee.

The median annual salary for data analysts is $74,342 in the US. However, the cost of data analyst hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a data analyst for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $25 and $49 an hour.

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