Data communications analyst education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a data communications analyst. Data communications analysts usually study business, computer information systems, or electrical engineering. 55% of data communications analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 306 real data communications analyst resumes to see exactly what data communications analyst education sections show.

The most common colleges for data communications analysts are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online data communications analyst courses to help get the education required to be a data communications analyst.

What education do you need to become a data communications analyst?

What degree do you need to be a data communications analyst?

The most common degree for data communications analysts is bachelor's degree, with 55% of data communications analysts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 14%.

Bachelor's, 55%

Associate, 21%

Master's, 14%

Diploma, 7%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a data communications analyst?

You should major in business to become a data communications analyst. 19% of data communications analysts major in business. Other common majors for a data communications analyst include computer information systems and electrical engineering.

Business, 19%

Computer Information Systems, 13%

Electrical Engineering, 11%

Computer Science, 10%

Other Majors, 47%

Most common colleges for data communications analysts

Data communications analysts often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of South Florida, and George Mason University. Here are the most common colleges for data communications analysts in the US based on their resumes.

Data communications analyst common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	15.91%
University of South Florida	6.82%
George Mason University	6.82%
Cleveland State University	6.82%
DeVry University	4.55%

Show more common data communications analyst colleges

Best majors for data communications analysts

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	18.5%
2	Computer Information Systems	12.6%
3	Electrical Engineering	10.6%
4	Computer Science	9.9%
5	Information Technology	7.9%

Show more common data communications analyst majors

Best colleges for data communications analysts

The best colleges for data communications analysts are Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University in St Louis, and Georgetown University.

A data communications analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for data communications analysts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become data communications analysts.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

2. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

9. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$52,202

Enrollment

3,420

10. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$50,226

Enrollment

10,873

20 best online courses for data communications analysts

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Top 10 most affordable universities for data communications analysts

The most affordable schools for data communications analysts are Brigham Young University, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and purdue university.

If the best universities for data communications analysts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for data communications analysts.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

4. Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$7,879

Cost of attendance

21,223

5. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

6. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

7. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

8. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,713

Cost of attendance

21,995

9. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

10. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for data communications analysts

The hardest universities for data communications analysts to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University in St Louis, and Georgetown University.

Some great schools for data communications analysts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for data communications analysts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

3. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

10. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for data communications analysts

The easiest schools for data communications analysts to get into are Linfield College, nyack college, and saint martin's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a data communications analyst without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for data communications analysts.

1. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

4. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

5. University of Maine at Fort Kent

Fort Kent, ME • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

1,005

6. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

8. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

9. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average data communications analyst salary by education level

Data communications analysts with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $88,647 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, data communications analysts earn a median annual income of $81,926 compared to $78,626 for data communications analysts with an High School Diploma degree.

Data communications analyst education level	Data communications analyst salary
Master's Degree	$88,647
High School Diploma or Less	$78,626
Bachelor's Degree	$81,926
Some College/ Associate Degree	$76,345

Data communications analyst education FAQs

What is the best college for Data Communications Analysts?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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