Five routes into data analysis compared
It’s possible to become a data analyst in several ways, and the right one depends on your time, budget and circumstances. So here’s an honest comparison of five routes, including the ones we don’t offer.
The five routes at a glance
| Route | Typical time | Cost to you | Best for |
| Degree | 3 to 4 years | Fees up to £9,790 a year in England (2026/27) | School leavers and people who can study full time |
| Apprenticeship | Level 4: typically 24 months | No tuition fees, and you’re paid | People who can find an employer to take them on |
| Self-study | Open-ended | Free to low cost | Highly self-motivated people on a tight budget |
| Career programme | Months, part time | A fixed fee | Career changers who want structure alongside work |
| Moving across internally | Varies | Often employer-funded | People who already do some reporting at work |
1. Degree
A degree in a subject like statistics, maths, economics, computer science or data science gives you a deep grounding. Prospects notes that many employers ask for a degree that includes statistics, research methods or quantitative work, though a degree isn’t strictly required, and graduates in other subjects can get in by showing relevant skills and practical experience.
The trade-off is time and cost. In England, tuition fees are capped at up to £9,790 a year in 2026/27 for providers with both a Teaching Excellence Framework award and an access and participation plan.
2. Apprenticeship
The Level 4 Data analyst apprenticeship is roughly equivalent to an HNC and typically takes 24 months. You’re employed throughout, so you earn while you learn, and job titles include Data Analyst, Junior Analyst and Marketing Data Analyst. Prospects also mentions a Level 3 data technician apprenticeship in England.
The catch is that you need an employer to take you on, and places are limited.
3. Self-study
You can start learning for free. Khan Academy’s Intro to SQL runs in your browser, and data.gov.uk and the Office for National Statistics publish free UK datasets to practise on.
The downsides are structure, support and recognition. It’s easy to stall without deadlines or feedback, and self-study alone doesn’t give you a recognised certificate.
4. Career programme
A career programme gives you a structured path, support and certifications, usually part time over several months. Quality varies between providers, so check:
- Which certifications are included, and are the exam fees part of the price?
- Will you build real portfolio projects?
- Is there career support, such as a CV rebuild and interview preparation?
- If there’s a guarantee, what are the conditions?
- What’s the total cost, including any finance?
As an example, our Data Analyst Career Programme has seven modules from Excel to Azure AI, with 150 hours of training over 6 to 8 months part time on average.
It includes three Microsoft certifications with the exams (PL-300, DP-900 and AI-901) and costs £2,995. Which you can pay upfront or spread the cost over up to 60 months, subject to finance agreement.
5. Moving across internally
If you already do some reporting at work, this route is easy to overlook. In the government’s 2021 report Quantifying the UK Data Skills Gap, 56% of businesses said they preferred to develop data skills internally rather than recruit.
We suggest talking to your manager about taking on more reporting, ask whether training is available and look for data roles that come up inside your organisation. However, the downside is that it depends on your employer having data roles and supporting the move.
Whichever route you choose, build a portfolio
Something is always better than nothing, a small portfolio can show employers what you can do before you’ve had the job title. Prospects suggests building projects with open datasets that show how you defined a question, cleaned the data, chose a method and communicated your results.
What’s next:
Download our free Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Data Analysis, or book a free 15-minute chat with a career advisor to work out which route suits you.
