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Job outlook for data assistants in the United States
Are data assistant jobs in demand?
Data assistant job and salary trends over time
Data assistant jobs over time
Data assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,064 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,095 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,156 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,265 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,302 | 0.00% |
Average data assistant salary over time
Data assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,431 | $16.55 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $33,481 | $16.10 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $32,162 | $15.46 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | $30,922 | $14.87 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $30,092 | $14.47 | +2.2% |
Data assistant jobs by state
Most common states for data assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,403 | 20% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 115 | 17% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 214 | 16% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 115 | 16% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 111 | 15% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 837 | 14% |
| 7 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 515 | 14% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 436 | 14% |
| 9 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 147 | 14% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 118 | 14% |
| 11 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 747 | 13% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 740 | 13% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,528 | 12% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,099 | 12% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 364 | 12% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 232 | 12% |
| 17 | New York | 19,849,399 | 2,106 | 11% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,140 | 11% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 195 | 11% |
| 20 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 704 | 10% |
Most common cities for data assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington | 1 | 3% | $44,477 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 2 | 2% | $44,587 |
| 3 | Sarasota | 1 | 2% | $35,117 |
| 4 | Waco | 1 | 1% | $36,934 |
| 5 | West Palm Beach | 1 | 1% | $34,722 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 3 | 0% | $56,323 |
| 7 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $32,776 |
| 8 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $42,115 |
| 9 | Minneapolis | 1 | 0% | $33,681 |
Data Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of data assistant experts
Mississippi College
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Maryland - College Park
Kettering University
University of Rhode Island
Nazareth College of Rochester
University of Oregon
Central Connecticut State University
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Boise State University
Saint Peter's University
Georgia State University
Judson University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Washington State University
Wright State University
Pacific Lutheran University
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yipeng Yang: Get to know clearly the job duties quickly. Make good connections with colleagues and listen to their advices.
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Joseph Spivey: My first piece of advice is to recognize that you have achieved something hard and worthwhile by completing a mathematics major. There are not many people on this planet who have the knowledge and skills that you have developed! By completing a math major, you have proven that you have excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and these abilities and confidence in your abilities will pay off. I also think it’s worthwhile to identify a mentor early on who can help guide you to be successful.
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Taylor Poe Ph.D.: Remember to problem solve creatively just as you did in your coursework. The critical thinking and problem-solving skills you learned will be continually tested in whatever field you go into from your math degree. Also remember the benefits of collaborating with colleagues both in the field and in other disciplines.
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Taylor Poe Ph.D.: Data analysis is certainly a growing field, and we cannot deny the benefits of having some programming skills. The ability to communicate and work with others will open doors to bigger projects.
Spyros Kitsiou Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
Medical Illustration And Informatics
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Spyros Kitsiou Ph.D.: By targeting positions that align with your background and expertise and by adjusting aspects of your CV and cover letter to highlight your skills and competencies in relation to the position you are applying for. Also, by negotiating your salary and providing justification as to why you deserve more than the initial offer. Do your research and talk to people to gain a better understanding of what is the salary range of the position you are applying.
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Sean Cao: Data analytics skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and communication skills will become more important and prevalent in the next few years. Acquiring these skills positions students to gain a competitive edge in the era of AI.
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sean Cao: Acquiring in-demand skills and expanding institutional knowledge through industry experience can maximize salary potential at the beginning of your career. First, enhancing these skills through certifications, internships, and active involvement in pertinent projects can significantly boost your attractiveness to employers. Moreover, obtaining industry experience via internships provides invaluable practical knowledge and insights. Furthermore, networking within your industry can provide access to mentorship, recommendations, and insider information crucial for maximizing earning potential. Last, delving deeply into understanding your industry and specializing in niche areas can elevate your salary prospects.
Dr. Osama Aljarrah
Assistant ProfessorKettering University
Manufacturing Engineering
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Osama Aljarrah: As someone who deeply cares about my students' success beyond graduation, I strongly recommend seeking a mentor. Choose someone you respect and whose career path inspires you—whether it's a teacher, manager, or even a family member. A good mentor can offer invaluable guidance and support as you navigate the early stages of your career.
Ms. Jacqueline Kelley Esq.
Adjunct ProfessorUniversity of Rhode Island
Public Administration
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Ms. Jacqueline Kelley Esq.: Data analysis is becoming more and more important to create informed decision making.
Dr. Heather Lewis
Nazareth College of Rochester
Mathematics
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Dr. Heather Lewis: While some students do look for jobs directly related to mathematics, most of our students have found that their mathematics background is appealing to employers even outside of mathematics. With a background in math, you can do anything: this is so general that it can feel unhelpful, but in our experience it's surprisingly accurate. Math provides you with a skillset that is valuable in almost any career, and employers know this. Lean into problem solving and reasoning, look for something you find interesting, and see how those skills apply to that job. Math graduates tend to be very adaptable.
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Heather Lewis: Many of our students double major - a popular pairing is Mathematics and Ethical Data Science - which gives them experience with both real-life data and practice with applying their problem-solving skills to a variety of situations.
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Dr. Darek Nalle: AI and data analytics skills will be crucial for efficiency gains and competitive advantage.
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Darek Nalle: Attain credentials, focus on completing tasks efficiently, and communicate effectively to build relationships.
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Darek Nalle: Seek out a mentor. Join alumni associations and professional societies for networking. Volunteer in the local community.
Dr. Alfredo Rosete PhD
Associate Professor of EconomicsCentral Connecticut State University
Economics
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Dr. Alfredo Rosete PhD: Critical thinking, strategizing using data insights, creating a strategy for data collection
Fangjun Sang
Assistant Professor of AccountingUniversity of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Accounting And Related Services
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Fangjun Sang: Prepare to sit for the professional exams and get licensures, i.e. CPA, CMA, or a certificate relates to cybersecurity.
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Fangjun Sang: Data analytics skills. Specifically, be able to learn new software tools quickly, be able to analyze databases and find patterns or issues from data analysis.
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Owen McDougal: The key to success is the desire to listen, learn, and think critically. A solid work ethic is important. Employees need to not just do what needs to be done, but embrace tasks and activities that provide value during lull times. In many employment operations, there is a need to find constructive activities during slack times, and step up to put in extra effort during busy times. A willingness to do what needs to be done for the organization is notable. Teamwork is critical. Working well with others and covering for colleagues when they need support sets people apart. Skills can be taught, but work ethic and collegiality are often conscious decisions.
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Owen McDougal: Step up to do what needs to be done when it needs doing. The employees that move up the ladder support their colleagues and make themselves available to take on time-sensitive tasks. The compensation and immediate recognition may not be immediate, but hard work gets noticed. Quality is doing the right thing even when nobody's watching. Gain experience, leverage that experience, and embrace each job assignment as an opportunity to learn and gain value that can be compensated by salary negotiation.
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Owen McDougal: Be open to the job available as opposed to your dream job. It is important to get a foot in the door, gain experience, demonstrate the desire to address whatever needs to be done, and to gain context for the work environment. Be patient regarding changes to job positions and promotions. Many companies want employees to understand how the operation works before moving people up to positions of oversight of other employees. To make informed decisions, it is critical to have some level of experience in the broader impact change may have to the operation.
Dr. Joshua Feinberg
Associate Professor of PsychologySaint Peter's University
Social Sciences
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Joshua Feinberg: Make sure you emphasize the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other tools you have picked up with your psychology major and undergraduate education. Many students worry that they don't have the direct experience that some jobs/employers are looking for; it is important that students emphasize the aspects of their education that are transferable to their career interests.
Angelo Bravos Ph.D.
Adjunct ProfessorJudson University
Management Information Systems And Services
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Angelo Bravos Ph.D.: Show enthusiasm and energy toward new projects, and be open to collaboration and working well in a team environment.
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bill Tumblin II: Obviously, AI and machine learning is emerging fast. Keep learning new technology skills. Since this question is likely sector and company-specific ask your boss and other official or unofficial mentors their view on the near-term future.
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Scott Gilbert: By maximizing the value you add to the enterprise. A good homework problem is to figure out what value the enterprise itself adds to society, and the role which you may play in the value generation process. Finding an enterprise where your value added is greatest is also helpful.
Sarah Whitley Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Career TrackWashington State University
Work And Family Studies
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Sarah Whitley Ph.D.: highlight the unique value-adds you bring to a position; show tangible outcomes of skills you have developed; highlight how your skills match the minimum and preferred qualifications and how you see yourself contributing to the mission and goals of the organization
What Data Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sarah Whitley Ph.D.: communication-frame communication with respect to varied communication abilities and cultural differences; critical thinking-accurately summarize and interpret data and effectively communicate actions and rationale, recognizing diverse perspectives; critical thinking-multi-task well in a fast-paced environment; leadership-seek out and leverage diverse resources and feedback from others to inform direction and use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods; teamwork-collaborate with others to achieve common goals and effectively manage conflict, interact with and respect diverse personalities, and meet ambiguity with resilience; technology-navigate change and be open to learning new technologies
What will help Data Assistants increase their earning potential?
Sarah Whitley Ph.D.: be open to a variety of entry level positions and professional development opportunities; show the unique value-adds you bring to positions-emphasize the development of soft skills and tangible outcomes from academic, work, and organization experiences; highlight how you display curiosity and seek out opportunities to learn; highlight how you engage in active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills; highlight how you have been able to make decisions and solve problems using sound, inclusive reasoning and judgement; highlight how you can multi-task in a fast-paced environment; highlight how you actively contribute to inclusive and equitable practices that influence individual and systemic change
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Interim ChairWright State University
Information Systems and Supply Chain Management Department
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Daniel Asamoah Ph.D.: The beginning of your career is a time for exploration and growth. Be proactive in seeking
opportunities to learn and develop while considering these four key pointers.
a) Stay Updated with Technology: The only constat is change. To this end, I implore all new
graduates to understand that Technology evolves rapidly, and keeping yourself updated
with the latest trends and tools in the field can give you a competitive edge. Tech blogs,
webinars, online courses are plausible avenues for keeping yourself apprised of
changes in the field. Also be open to change.
b) Develop a Strong Technical and Business Acumen: MIS is a unique field that combines
technology with business. Strengthen your understanding of both domains. Whichever
domain you find yourself (e.g. healthcare, sports etc.) learn how businesses in that
domain operate and how technology can be leveraged to solve related business
problems. If possible, pursue technical certifications (e.g. in cyber security, project
management, analytics etc.) that matches the trajectory that you would want to take your
career to.
c) Enhance Your Communication Skills: As someone who will act as a bridge between the
technical team and non-technical stakeholders, being able to communicate complex
technical information in an understandable manner is crucial. Practice both your written
and verbal communication skills.
d) Build a Professional Network: Networking is key in any career, but especially in MIS
where technology and business needs constantly evolve. Attend industry conferences,
join professional organizations, and connect with peers and professionals on LinkedIn.
Abby Xin Liu Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorPacific Lutheran University
School of Business
What general advice would you give to a Data Assistant?
Abby Xin Liu Ph.D.: I would recommend that new graduates be open to learning new skills and knowledge in the workplace and developing soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and networking skills.