How much does a data analyst make in the UK? Your expert role guide!

How much does a data analyst make in the UK?

Data analyst job description
What factors influence a data analyst salary in the UK?
Why should you leverage the Robert Half Salary Guide?
How to negotiate a data analyst salary?
What is the career trajectory and future salaries for a data analyst?

Put your keen analytical skills to work with a role in data analysis. Our experts give a glimpse into life as a data analyst, the role responsibilities, the average salary, potential career moves, and how to negotiate the best remuneration deal.

As a data analyst, your daily responsibilities will focus on gathering, analysing, and interpreting data to provide valuable business insights. Company leaders will make strategic decisions based on the findings you present.

Key role responsibilities

Mining primary and secondary data for analysis

Extracting valuable business insights, patterns, and trends

Maintaining high-quality data via regular cleanses

Creating easy-to-understand data visualisations for colleagues and stakeholders

Report preparation

Data modelling

Analysing market research

To land a role as a data analyst, you'll need strong mathematical and IT skills, an excellent analytical mind, and a talent for explaining complex trends or insights to people at all levels. Data analysts also have a thorough knowledge of data analysis techniques and statistical methodologies.

Read: Business analyst jobs: which role is right for you?

To command a higher salary as a data analyst, you’ll need to show you’ve got in-demand skills and plenty of experience in the role.

According to data collected for the Robert Half 2024 Salary Guide, the most desirable data analysts in the current hiring market have Python and SQL skills and potentially ReactJS and NodeJS for those wanting to move into data science.

Regarding soft skills, the Salary Guide indicates that the tech sector is specifically looking for data analysts with top-notch communication skills, excellent stakeholder management skills, and good time management skills.

Given the fast pace of tech and commerce, you could command a higher salary with a proven track record of resilience and adaptability, too.

Read: How to get a data analyst job in London

There are several ways an ambitious, methodical professional could use the Salary Guide to secure a well-paid offer in their dream role. You can start by using it to uncover in-demand skills for the tech sector and to get a snapshot of hiring overall. This tactic can help you tailor your CV and application to secure an interview.

You can also use the guide to benchmark salaries, which gives you stronger bargaining power when negotiating for new or existing roles. For example, data collected for the 2024 guide shows that an entry-level data scientist in the UK can earn up to £31,750.

Mid-level data analysts can earn anything up to £47,250; the most experienced professionals with fully optimised skill sets can earn anything up to £55,000. You can also use the guide to learn which perks and benefits are commonly offered in the UK so you can ensure you’re always getting the best remuneration package available.

Access the Robert Half Salary Guide

As a junior or graduate, the best way to negotiate good starting data analyst pay is to use a trusted industry benchmarking report, like our Salary Guide, to establish the average salary based on your experience and skill set.

It's important to go into negotiations with a fair and grounded expectation of what you'll be offered, and an industry report can help you establish this.

Read: How to negotiate a higher salary

Are you re-negotiating your salary with an existing employer? Use the Salary Guide to ensure your current salary meets the average UK benchmark for your experience level. You can use this intel, along with robust evidence of KPIs, goals and targets you’ve met to leverage a higher salary.

Whether you’re a new employee or tenured, it’s important to walk into negotiations with a fair and reasonable expectation of what you might be offered.

Know what you’re prepared to take and be willing to negotiate with non-monetary benefits that might make the deal feel sweeter.

As a data analyst, there are several career pathways open to you. Although you can work your way up from junior to a senior analyst, you could also move into a data engineer role and command a maximum average salary of £67,500. You also have the option to become a data scientist — a role with a top-end average wage of £69,500.

Are you hoping to work your way to the top of the business? You might like to set your sights on a role as director of analytics and data science. In your current role, you could also be on track to join the company's C-suite as chief data officer (CDO). The world is your oyster!

Are you ready to find your next opportunity? Browse open Data analyst roles now or upload your CV to the Robert Half site. To learn more about Data analyst salaries and hiring trends in the tech industry, access the Robert Half Salary Guide now.