Computing & Digital Technologies
Computing & Digital Technologies
Data Analyst
Turn data into decisions. Data analysts find the patterns that help organisations across Greater Manchester work smarter.
Data analysts turn raw information into insight that organisations can act on. They gather and clean data, look for patterns and trends, and present what they find in clear charts, dashboards and reports. Greater Manchester has one of the UK’s largest digital and tech sectors outside London, so data skills are in demand across finance, retail, healthcare, media, transport and the public sector.
Salary in Greater Manchester
- Average in Manchester: around £29,000 a year, with most roles between £23,000 and £40,000
- UK range: from about £28,000 for new starters up to £65,000 for experienced analysts
- Senior and lead analysts, and those who move into data science, can earn more
Career path
- Getting started: data technician or junior data analyst, often through an apprenticeship or a Level 4 or 5 qualification
- Analyst: owning reports and dashboards, and working directly with teams across the business
- Senior or lead analyst: leading projects and mentoring junior analysts
- Next steps: data team manager, data scientist building AI and machine learning tools, or freelance data consultant
How to get started
You can start with a college course or a Level 3 data technician apprenticeship, then move up through a Level 4 Data Analyst apprenticeship or a higher technical qualification such as a CertHE or HNC. Use the View Courses button to see GMIoT courses linked to this career.
Salary figures are a guide, based on National Careers Service and PayScale data for 2025 to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, sector and experience.
Key Responsibilities
Gather and organise data from different sources
Check data quality and remove errors or duplicates
Use analytical tools to find patterns, trends and relationships
Build dashboards, charts and other visual reports
Present findings and recommendations to managers and clients
Help automate repetitive data tasks
Skills Needed
- Strong maths and analytical thinking
- Attention to detail
- Logical reasoning and problem solving
- Clear written and verbal communication
- Confidence with spreadsheets, databases and data tools
- Ability to work independently and concentrate
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