Best Online Data Analysis Courses – Top Picks for Beginners

Are you ready to jump into the exciting world of data analysis? Don’t know where to start?

This article is here to help. We’re offering the best online data analysis courses for beginners.

They are chosen for their in-depth coverage, easy-to-follow lessons, expert teachers, and great feedback from students.¹

Interested in learning programming with Python, SQL, or R? Want to dive into data visualization? Or understand statistics and machine learning?

Our list covers all these topics. These courses will give you the knowledge and skills you need. They are perfect for starting your journey into data analysis.²

Understanding Data Analysis

Data analysis turns raw data into valuable insights for business decisions. It covers many steps like collecting, cleaning, and interpreting data.

This process helps spot trends and relationships. These insights can solve problems or spot chances for growth.³

Microsoft Excel and Python are great for data work. R is good for complex data analysis.³ SQL manages databases and aids in analyzing data too.³

Industries may use data analysis for different purposes. For example, bioinformatics uses it for biological studies.³

Operations research looks at data for better decision-making.³ Market research uses data to figure out customer demand and pricing.

In today’s world, we create a lot of data. So, knowing how to analyze it is a big job skill.

Many companies need people who understand data analysis. This shows why learning about data analysis is important.⁴ It’s a key skill for many jobs because of its scientific approach to solving problems.

The data analysis steps include defining a problem and sorting through data. Many learn these steps through online courses. These courses teach important skills and tools for data work.⁴

Criteria for Selecting the Best Data Analysis Courses

When looking for top data analysis courses, we check for several important things. This ensures you get a good learning experience:

Comprehensive Curriculum: The course must teach a wide variety of skills. These include programming in Python, SQL, and R, analysis of data, and the basics of machine learning. A good mix like this helps prepare you well.¹

Beginner-Friendly Approach: The lessons are made for people just starting out. You won’t need any past knowledge. This opens the course up to everyone new to data analysis.¹

Instructor Quality and Reputation: The teachers should be experts in the field. They’ve proven they can teach well. Courses with great reviews usually mean the instructors are top-notch.¹

Flexible Learning Format: It’s important that courses offer different ways to study. Self-paced sections, interactive work, and real projects help you learn in your own way.¹

Certifications and Credentials: Getting a recognized certificate or credential is a big plus. It shows you’ve mastered the material. Plus, having it can help you get better jobs.⁵

Pricing and Financial Accessibility: Many pricing options, from free to monthly subscriptions, make courses more available. This helps more people get into data analysis.¹⁶

Course	Rating	Pricing
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate	4.8¹	Free to $49 per month¹
“Become a Data Analyst” on Linkedin Learning	4.7¹	$39.99 per month¹
Excel Skills for Data Analytics and Visualization Specialization	4.8¹	Free to $49 per month¹
Data Analyst in R course from Dataquest	4.8¹	$25 to $49 per month¹
“Business and Data Analysis with SQL” on Skillshare	4.9¹	$13.99 per month¹

These main points help us find the best data courses. They need to be clear, simple, and cost-friendly. This way, newcomers to data analysis can build their skills for success.

Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate on Coursera

The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate on Coursera helps beginners learn about data analytics.

It’s designed to cover many topics and get them ready for jobs in under six months. Google mentions this about the course series.⁷

This certificate includes seven courses to finish in less than six months, with less than 10 hours every week.

You’ll get more than 200 hours of instruction and lots of practice. The skills you gain range from regression modeling and Python to project management.⁷

The courses are about tools like Jupyter Notebook, Python, and Tableau, which are very useful in the industry.

They are highly rated, showing people are happy with what they learn. When you finish, you can apply for jobs in companies like Google, Deloitte, and Target.⁷

If you go further and take certain online degree programs, you might earn college credit.

The program also focuses on practical projects for learners to show what they can do. This way, learners can impress future employers.⁷

There are over 144,000 jobs in the U.S. that need advanced data analytics skills. Entry-level jobs pay around $118,000.

So, this certificate is great for those just starting in data analytics. Also, 75% of people who finish the certificate say they have a better job or salary within six months.⁷

Become a Data Analyst on LinkedIn Learning

The “Become a Data Analyst” path on LinkedIn Learning offers in-depth teaching. It covers various data analysis tools and methods.

This is different from the Google Certificate as it dives into Microsoft tools like Excel and Power BI. It also looks at Tableau and SQL.⁸⁹

In this path, you’ll learn Excel data manipulation and Power BI dashboard creation. There’s also Tableau for data visualization and SQL for queries. These skills are key for data analysis.⁸⁹

Key courses in the path include:

“Learning Excel: Data Analysis” by Curt Frye, with 373,403 viewers⁸
“Learning Data Analytics: 1 Foundations” by Robin Hunt, with 503,648 viewers⁸
“Learning Data Analytics Part 2: Extending and Applying Core Knowledge” by Robin Hunt, with 116,998 viewers⁸
“Power BI Essential Training” by Gini von Courter, with 395,166 viewers⁸
“Tableau Essential Training” by Curt Frye, with 60,694 viewers⁸
“SQL: Data Reporting and Analysis” by Emma Saunders, with 135,048 viewers⁸

The path also offers lessons on data cleaning and visualization. These are vital for a data analyst’s work.^{8 9}

This LinkedIn Learning path is great for anyone interested in data analysis. It focuses on leading software like Excel, Power BI, Tableau, and SQL. You’ll get a strong grasp of these essential tools and techniques.^{8 9}

Other Best Data Analysis Courses

Other than the Coursera and LinkedIn Learning courses we talked about, many superb data analysis courses are online.

They’re great for learning key skills like programming, data visualization, and statistics. They also cover machine learning in depth.

The Excel Skills for Data Analytics and Visualization Specialization on Coursera stands out.

It focuses on advanced Excel techniques for data work and presenting findings. Rated 4.8 out of 5,¹ it’s a fantastic option for boosting your Excel skills.

Want to learn R programming for data analysis? The Data Analyst in R on Dataquest is a top choice. It has a 4.8 rating,¹ and walks you through data analysis using the R language.

Looking to improve your SQL skills for data work and business insights?

Check out the Business and Data Analysis with SQL on Skillshare. It’s highly rated at 4.9,¹ and is very affordable at $13.99 a month.¹

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