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Data Analyst

Stable

Technology

Turns data into decisions across banking, telco, retail and government. A common pivot from many degree backgrounds.

Data ScienceComputer ScienceBusiness

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Generate standard or custom reports summarizing business, financial, or economic data for review by executives, managers, clients, and other stakeholders.
  2. 2Maintain or update business intelligence tools, databases, dashboards, systems, or methods.
  3. 3Manage timely flow of business intelligence information to users.
  4. 4Provide technical support for existing reports, dashboards, or other tools.
  5. 5Identify and analyze industry or geographic trends with business strategy implications.
  6. 6Document specifications for business intelligence or information technology reports, dashboards, or other outputs.
  7. 7Create business intelligence tools or systems, including design of related databases, spreadsheets, or outputs.
  8. 8Collect business intelligence data from available industry reports, public information, field reports, or purchased sources.
  9. 9Disseminate information regarding tools, reports, or metadata enhancements.
  10. 10Conduct or coordinate tests to ensure that intelligence is consistent with defined needs.
  11. 11Synthesize current business intelligence or trend data to support recommendations for action.
  12. 12Analyze competitive market strategies through analysis of related product, market, or share trends.
  13. 13Identify or monitor current and potential customers, using business intelligence tools.
  14. 14Communicate with customers, competitors, suppliers, professional organizations, or others to stay abreast of industry or business trends.
  15. 15Maintain library of model documents, templates, or other reusable knowledge assets.
  16. 16Create or review technical design documentation to ensure the accurate development of reporting solutions.
  17. 17Analyze technology trends to identify markets for future product development or to improve sales of existing products.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • BI Analyst
  • EDI Analyst
  • Data Analyst
  • BI Consultant
  • BI Specialist
  • BI Coordinator
  • Reports Analyst
  • Business Analyst
  • Reporting Analyst
  • Business Consultant

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Computers and Electronics86%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Mathematics76%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language75%

    English

  • Administration and Management63%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Customer and Personal Service62%
  • Economics and Accounting60%

    Principles of AccountingEconomics

Skills to build

Problem-solvingSelf-learningAttention to detail

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsOften
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time
  • Time spent standingA little
  • Time walking or movingAlmost none

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

21%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.56%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Data Professionals · Shortage indicators met: INSUFFICIENT DATA

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

Entry

Private
RM3,200 – RM4,800

Mid-career

Private
RM6,000 – RM10,000

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Stable

Steady, reliable demand: a consistent number of openings.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.

Add my grades

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Business Intelligence Analysts

Source: JobStreet Salary Guide · as of Jan 2026

Check the salary figures yourself:JobStreet

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue