Data analyst job description template

What a data analyst does

Data analysts help a company answer questions with evidence. They pull data, clean it, build reports and dashboards, and explain what the numbers mean for the business. The role overlaps with data science and business intelligence, so the description should say what tools the analyst will use, which teams they serve, and whether the job is mostly reporting or deeper analysis. That's how strong candidates decide whether to apply.

Data analyst job description template

Copy the description, replace everything in [brackets], and cut any line that isn't true for your job. The duties and requirements are a starting point written by HR practitioners, not a legal standard, so edit them to match the real work.

Data analyst

Details
- Department: [Department]
- Reports to: [Manager title]
- Location: [City, State, or remote]
- Employment type: [Full-time, part-time, or seasonal]
- FLSA status: [Exempt or nonexempt]
- Pay range: [$X to $Y per year]

About [Company]
[Two or three sentences about what your company does, who it serves, and why people like working here.]

Job summary
We're looking for a data analyst to turn our data into clear answers, build dashboards leaders trust, and help teams make better decisions.

What you'll do
- Pull, clean, and analyze data from [databases and tools].
- Build and maintain dashboards and recurring reports.
- Answer business questions with clear analysis and recommendations.
- Define and document key metrics with stakeholders.
- Check data quality and investigate unusual results.
- Design and analyze A/B tests and experiments.
- Present findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Automate manual reporting work.

What you'll need
- [Two] or more years of data analysis experience.
- Strong SQL skills.
- Experience with [Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or similar].
- Clear written and spoken communication of findings.

Nice to have
- Python or R skills.
- Statistics or experimentation background.
- Experience in [industry].

Skills
SQL, Data visualization, Statistics, Business acumen, Storytelling, Data quality.

Physical demands and work environment
Office, hybrid, or remote setting.

Pay and benefits
[$X to $Y per year], based on experience and location. [List benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plan match, paid time off, and training.]

Equal opportunity
[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview, contact [name] at [email or phone].

How to customize it for your job

• Say whether the work is mostly reporting or deeper analysis.
• List the tools and databases.
• Name the teams the analyst will support.
• Describe the data maturity honestly.

Then check it against the HRTally job description standard, our 10-point checklist, and run it through the inclusive language swap list. Both take about five minutes.

How much to pay a data analyst

Half of US data scientists earned more than $57.80 an hour in May 2025, and half earned less, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That national figure is a starting point, not a pay range. Pay for the same job can differ by 30 percent or more between metro areas, so check the BLS occupation profile for state and metro data before you set your range.

BLS doesn't publish a separate wage estimate for the data analyst title, so we use the closest occupation it does publish. Treat the figures as a reference point and check local job postings for the same title.

To convert between hourly and annual pay, use our salary to hourly calculator. If you hire in a state or city with a pay transparency law, the range must appear in the posting itself. Our pay transparency laws guide lists where, and our guide to salary bands explains how to set ranges you can defend.

Exempt status, licenses, and legal notes

FLSA status: Depends on duties. Job titles don't decide overtime eligibility. Duties and pay do. Our guide to exempt vs non-exempt employees walks through each test, and the overtime calculator shows what a nonexempt employee is owed.

Data analysts are often exempt under the administrative exemption or the computer employee exemption, depending on duties, when paid above the salary threshold. Analysts who mainly run standard reports with little judgment may be nonexempt. Analysts who handle personal data should be trained on privacy rules that apply to your business, such as state consumer privacy laws, HIPAA for health data, or GLBA for financial data.

This is general information for US employers, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state and city, so confirm the current rules or talk to employment counsel before you rely on them.

Interview questions to ask

Ask every candidate the same core questions and score answers against the same criteria. Structured interviews are fairer and predict job performance better than open conversation.

1. Tell me about an analysis that changed a decision.
2. How do you check that your numbers are right before you share them?
3. Explain a confusing metric to a sales leader.
4. Write a SQL query to find our top 10 customers by revenue last quarter.

When you're ready to schedule, use our interview invitation email template. For a full hiring process, read the recruitment process guide.

Frequently asked questions