Is a Data Analyst an IT Job? (Answered! + Similar FAQs)

This post may contain paid links to my personal recommendations that help to support the site!

So you’re currently exploring the data analyst career and you’re on a hunt for more details about which field the data analyst position is from. Here’s what you might be thinking: is a data analyst an IT job? Is it part of the IT field? I’ve done some research on data analyst positions, so here’s the answer.

A data analyst is an IT Job. IT jobs typically involve the use of computing technology. Data analysts use programming languages and databases in computing technology for business insight. However, data analysts work only with software and do not handle hardware computer IT support.

The definitions of an IT job currently available online aren’t as clear when it comes to determining if a data analyst is an IT position. I can totally understand the confusion behind all of this, trust me. Based on my research, I’ve determined the type of jobs that can be considered as IT jobs and why a data analyst is considered one.

If you’re hungry to learn more and would like a clearer picture, do read on below!

What Jobs Can Be Considered as IT Jobs?

You must be curious about what IT jobs are and how are they classified after hearing that data analyst are considered as it jobs. Let’s have a quick overview of what makes an IT job an IT job.

Any job that works within the field of computing can be considered an IT job. Although IT positions (Information Technology) are mainly seen as computer support providers, they are not limited to computer support functions. An IT position can either be in the IT department or distributed across departments in the company with computing job functions.

Now let’s first begin with the basic definition of IT jobs!

What are Information Technology (IT) Jobs?

IT jobs are career positions that involve the use of computing technology. This may involve the programming, maintenance and technical support of computer systems. IT jobs can be separated into 2 main categories – hardware and software positions.

Sounds simpler now right? IT jobs are pretty common in every organization and they form the backbone of the technology systems behind the company. If you’re exploring the other IT roles out there, you’ll likely need a list of the most common examples of IT jobs in a company! Not to worry though, I’ve put together a table below of some common examples I see around. Do check it out below!

What are Some Common Examples of IT Jobs?

	IT Job Title	Job Function	Category
1	IT Support Technician	Assist with setup, troubleshooting and maintenance of computers	Hardware/Software
2	IT Security Specialist	Cybersecurity and implementation of IT infrastructure	Hardware/Software
3	Computer Programmers	Write, test, develop computer programs	Software
4	Network Administrator	Maintenance of computer network	Software
5	Data Scientists	Extracts, cleans and analyzes data for actionable insights	Software

Now that we’re pretty clear about the IT job definitions and their common examples, let’s look back again at our original question about data analysts. Why would a data analyst be classified or considered to be an IT job? Let’s have look below.

Why Is a Data Analyst an IT Job?

Now that you’ve learned a lot about IT jobs, let’s hear more about the why!

A data analyst is an IT job because their tasks include the use of computers to process data. Data analysts utilize databases and programming for data transformation. In all IT positions, the use of computing technology is required.

What Does a Data Analyst Do?

In order for you to fully understand why, you’ll need to look into the details of what a data analyst does, on a regular basis. I’ve put the 5 main parts of a data analyst’s job below to summarize their job functions. Check it out!

5 Data Analyst Main Job Functions

1. Obtains user requirements for data reports and dashboards
2. Queries data from database sources
3. Cleans up data according to user requirements
4. Analyzes data for trends and insight
5. Presents insights for actionable business decisions

To help you understand this better, I’ve added a really useful video on the data analyst job functions, by my favorite YouTuber Alex the Analyst, down below! This video really highlights their job functions well. I’d recommend giving it a watch.

Across the various job functions, as described above, you’ll be likely to encounter multiple computing aspects. A data analyst is also similar to a Business Intelligence Analyst but with some slight differences, read more on that in my other post here.

For example, a data analyst will have to interact with a database using a programming language called SQL to instruct a computer to extract the right information.

Additionally, a data analyst will use programming languages like R and Python to clean and analyze data. Based on these examples, the use of computing is pretty obvious in a data analyst’s work. Therefore, I can quite confidently say that a data analyst is an IT job.

Similar FAQs

Is a Data Analyst a Non-Technical Job?

A data analyst is a technical job for most cases. Although data analysts are mostly seen as technical and spend more time working on them, they have dual responsibilities in the technical and non-technical fields. They are required to have a good understanding of both computing skills and interpersonal skills.

Is a Business Analyst an IT Job?

A business analyst is not an IT (Information Technology) Job for most cases. IT positions typically involve the use of computing technology, which business analysts do not use. However, this varies across organizations – in some business analyst positions, the technical computing knowledge of SQL programming is required.

Is a Data Scientist an IT Job?

A data scientist is an IT (Information Technology) Job. IT positions involve technical knowledge of computing technology, which data scientists use frequently. Data scientists use programming languages for developing machine learning models and predictions. Data scientists handle more of the software side of IT roles in a company.

Is a Data Engineer an IT Job?

A data engineer is an IT (Information Technology) Job. IT positions are usually highly technical and involve the use of computing technology. Data engineers satisfy this condition because they have extensive use of ETL tools, database systems and programming languages. They handle the software sections of a company, in contrast to usual hardware computer support positions.

Final Thoughts

The definitions of IT jobs out can be quite confusing for those who aren’t familiar, considering that data jobs like the data analyst are on the rise recently. However, I do hope that you’ve been thoroughly cleared up of any confusion through this post! The data analyst is most definitely an IT job! Thanks for reading!