Difference Between a Data Scientist and a Data Analyst

Data Scientists and Data Analysts are Data Science professionals with some skills in common and different responsibilities. So, if you don’t know how a Data Scientist differs from a Data Analyst, this article is for you. In this article, I will introduce the difference between a Data Scientist and a Data Analyst based on role and responsibilities, skillset, education, and salary.

Difference Between a Data Scientist and a Data Analyst

A Data Scientist is a Data Science professional who works with data to solve business problems with the data generated by the company. And a Data Analyst analyzes data to gather valuable insights that can be used for decision-making and solving various business problems.

Data Scientists and Data Analysts have some skills in common in their skillset, but their responsibilities are different in an organization. So below is how we can differentiate a Data Scientist and a Data Analyst based on their role, skillset, education, and salary.

Data ScientistData Analyst
DefinitionA Data Scientist works with data to solve business problems with the data generated by the business.A Data Analyst analyzes data to gather valuable insights that can be used for decision-making and solving various business problems.
Role and Responsibilities1. Working closely with the data team and management.
2. Analysing the business environment and identifying growth opportunities.
3. Creating Reports and Dashboards.
4. Applying the latest data science techniques and ensuring data quality. 
1. Collecting data according to business needs.
2. Data cleaning and transformation.
3. Data Analysis
4. Communicating results with the decision-makers.
Skills RequiredData Analysis, SQL, Python/R, Tableau/Power BI,  Advanced Excel, Statistics, Data Visualization and Reporting, Storytelling, Business Intelligence, and Machine Learning algorithms.Data Analysis, Python/R, SQL, web scraping, Tableau/Power BI,  Advanced Excel, Data Mining, Data Visualization and Reporting.
Preferred Educational BackgroundComputer Science, Business, StatisticsComputer Science and Statistics
Salary as a FresherAverage Salary in the US: $92,000 /yr
Average Salary in India: ₹5,66,000 /yr
Average Salary in the US: $65,000/yr
Average Salary in India: ₹4,25,000/yr
Salary as an Experienced ProfessionalAverage Salary in the US: $1,05,000 /yr
Average Salary in India: ₹8,50,000 /yr
Average Salary in the US: $85,000 /yr
Average Salary in India: ₹7,00,000 /yr

So this is how Data Scientists and Data Analysts are different. In most companies, Data Scientists and Data Analysts are the same. You will only find the difference in the role of Data Scientists and Data Analysts in big tech companies. I hope it will help you decide which career is better for you according to your skillset, education, and expected income.

Summary

A Data Scientist is a Data Science professional who works with data to solve business problems with the data generated by the company. And a Data Analyst analyzes data to gather valuable insights that can be used for decision-making and solving various business problems. I hope you liked this article on the difference between a Data Scientist and a Data Analyst. Feel free to ask valuable questions in the comments section below.

Aman Kharwal
Aman Kharwal

I'm a writer and data scientist on a mission to educate others about the incredible power of data📈.

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