What is a market data analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Jane Caldwell

A market data analyst analyzes market trends to help businesses make informed decisions. These professionals collect and interpret data on consumer behavior, buying patterns, and economic conditions. A market data analyst uses statistical analysis and data visualization tools to create reports that highlight key insights and recommendations for their clients or employers across a variety of industries. A market data analyst is critical to helping businesses remain competitive in today's fast-paced marketplace.

What general advice would you give to a market data analyst?

Jane Caldwell

Senior Lecturer Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Pittsburgh

Be persistent, patient, and flexible. Be willing to change jobs and constantly search for the best opportunities. People who are willing to change jobs are able to increase their earning capacity and also increase their skill set and problem solving ability.

ScoreMarket Data AnalystUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $70,489

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%

Asian 14.32%

Black or African American 4.75%

Hispanic or Latino 11.30%

Unknown 4.89%

White 64.60%

Gender

female 39.57%

male 60.43%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a market data analyst?

Pros:

Opportunities to work with cutting-edge data technology
Exposure to various industries, financial products, and markets
Potential for high salaries and bonuses due to the demand for market data analysts
Ability to work remotely or from a variety of locations
Opportunities to develop skills in data analysis, programming, and statistical modeling

Cons:

High-pressure work environment with tight deadlines
Risk of burnout due to long hours, heavy workload, and weekend/holiday shifts
Limited interaction with end-users
Need to deal with large amounts of data, which can be overwhelming or tedious
Errors could result in significant financial losses for the client or company

Key steps to become a market data analyst

Explore market data analyst education requirements

Most common market data analyst degrees

Bachelor's

75.4 %

Master's

15.2 %

Associate

5.3 %

Start to develop specific market data analyst skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Analysis	13.82%
Python	13.20%
SQL	12.64%
Tableau	6.42%
Data Quality	5.43%

Complete relevant market data analyst training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New market data analysts learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a market data analyst based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real market data analyst resumes.

Research market data analyst duties and responsibilities

Manage project team meetings using SharePoint calendars.
Perform daily data maintenance and data integrity of MBS securities pricing pages.
Gather and document business requirements for various asset types including equities, fix income, derivatives and mutual funds.
Research and answer internal user's questions regarding securities.

Prepare your market data analyst resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your market data analyst resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a market data analyst resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable market data analyst resume templates

Build a professional market data analyst resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your market data analyst resume.

Apply for market data analyst jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a market data analyst job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do market data analysts rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Market data analyst reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Cons

Fundamental Economics

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019

Pros

I get to work on data that interests me and help make sure that data collection goes as planned. Lots of problem-solving with the flexibility to work a slightly different schedule or from home.