Why Math Makes Me a Better Data Analyst

People say you don’t need a math degree to become a data analyst. But I have a math degree, and it gives me an advantage.

Although, not in the way you’d expect…

See, if you asked me to solve a conditional probability problem or use Bayes’ theorem for who knows what, you’d be waiting a while.

Or…

If you asked me to build a linear regression model, I’d have to Google what that means first. Since graduating college 2.5 years ago, I forgot a lot of the math I studied.

However, there are two invaluable takeaways I have from my degree:

1. It impresses people. When they hear I have a math degree, they go, “Whooooah… that’s impressive, man.”

2. It gave me some pretty-damn-cool, out-of-the-box problem-solving skills. I now have an intuitive ability to see problems from multiple perspectives, helping me solve them faster and more creatively.

Okay…

That first one doesn’t help me as a data analyst.

But the second point gives me a significant edge at work. So, here’s my take on the “Do you need a math degree to become a data analyst” argument:

"No, you don’t. But it's impressive if you already have one, so embrace it."