Learning analytics careers: A path to $140K+ salaries

If you're looking for a high-demand career with impressive salary potential, learning analytics could be exactly what you're looking for. Thanks to the increase in data-driven decision-making requirements across education and corporate training, there are more open positions in learning analytics than ever before. Analysts can transform student data into actionable insights for businesses, schools, and institutions—and with a transition to learning analytics, you could find yourself in a high-paying role before you know it. Explore this fast-growing role to determine if this is the next step on your career path.

Entering the arena: The high-paying field of learning analytics

There are several reasons why learning analytics careers are a high-earning option with an equally high level of demand.

Industry demand

Today's businesses and educational facilities value data-driven insights more than ever before. Those insights can help to improve learning outcomes, build more comprehensive programs, and better understand student needs, all of which can prove invaluable for their businesses. As a result, learning analytics roles continue to open in many fields.

Career opportunities

There are a wide range of roles available, including the following:

• Learning analytics manager: Use data to improve learning and development programs
• Data strategist: Develop data-driven strategies to improve learning environments
• Educational data scientist: Use data to predict and understand educational trends and improve policies and practices

Many of these positions offer specialized opportunities, whether you're new to learning analytics or established in your career.

Learning analytics salary potential

A Learning Management System Analyst can make an average of $89,296 per year.¹ As your career progresses in this role, you could earn an average of $125,326 per year, with top earners making as much as $179,000.² An entry-level data scientist can make an average of $165,018 per year, with top earners bringing in $243,500.³ Many people find that working in learning analytics offers a wide range of potentially rewarding positions.

Transitioning to a career in learning analytics

For many people, the shift to a career in learning analytics can be incredibly rewarding. However, before you make the transition to learning analytics, make sure you take these key elements into account.

Skills

There are several skills that can help advance your career in learning analytics. Not only do you need strong data analysis skills, including the ability to use AI programs that help go through large quantities of data, but you also need to be able to utilize visualization strategies that can help others see what the data displays. You also need to know how to use tools like Tableau and Python, which are common in the field.

By building these skills, future learning analysts can prepare themselves for success.

Educational pathways

There are several educational pathways that can help direct learners into a career in learning analytics. However, a Master's Degree in Learning Analytics like the one offered by SMU is ideally positioned to prepare students with the expertise they need to qualify for these high-paying roles. You can also look into certifications that can help you build additional skills, which lets future employers know what you're capable of.

Professional experience

Professionals in education or those with extensive corporate training are also positioned to take their skills to a new level with a career in learning analytics. For example, if you've worked in education in the past, you likely have personal classroom experience and knowledge of trends and requirements in education, while corporate data analysts or those who have worked with corporate data in the past can transition those skills to the educational field by developing their knowledge of learning trends.

Applications of learning analytics

There are several ways learning analytics are already being used to improve educational outcomes across a variety of fields. Keeping an eye on those current uses, as well as future trends, can help set you up for success as you pursue your new career.

Education

One of the primary uses of learning analytics is, of course, directly in the field of education. Through data analysis, learning analysts can help educators improve student outcomes and curriculum effectiveness. With today's advanced data-collection methods, there is more information available about student performance and needs than ever before.⁴ Learning analysts can help educators bring those insights directly to the classroom, from letting them know about the latest strategies for engaging students to providing deeper insights into challenges that students may face. Not only can learning analysts provide big-picture information, but they can also assist educators as they develop their own curriculum and programs by monitoring student progress, performance, and outcomes. Many educators have already used analytics in education jobs. Now, learning analytics can take that knowledge and those skills to the next level.

Corporate training

Corporate training programs are also taking full advantage of learning analytics. Many modern corporate training programs take into account everything from differences in learning styles to the unique time constraints of each platform or requirement. Learning analysts can track student performance over time, allowing corporate trainers to modify their curriculum, lectures, and interactions with students in order to improve overall employee outcomes. As a result, employees are more likely to be engaged with corporate learning and training programs, which can significantly improve overall outcomes.

Emerging trends

As the field grows, new technology continues to provide deeper insight into learner performance and needs. Predictive analytics helps forecast potential future outcomes based on historic data, including analyzing new programs and curricula and evaluating potential changes in learner needs based on societal changes and company requirements. AI is also entering the field of learning analytics, providing deeper insights into learner needs and performance.

Launch your career in learning analytics

Learning analytics is an incredibly lucrative career that has immense potential. That potential is likely to continue to grow as more businesses realize the importance of incorporating learning analytics into their training programs. If you're looking for a career path with high earning potential and insightful applications, learning analytics could be exactly what you're looking for. Explore SMU's Master of Science in Learning Sciences program and its curriculum to determine whether this could be the next step on your career path, or apply today to start your journey. Scholarship opportunities and financial aid are available.