Data Analyst labor category
Data Analyst is a government contracting labor category with levels I through IV. GSA ceiling rates run about $79–$234/hr depending on level. That's what the government pays the contractor, not your salary.
Updated Oct 21, 2026 · Data: GSA CALC+
What a Data Analyst does
On government contracts, this role involves cleaning datasets, building visualizations, and identifying trends that help agencies improve operational efficiency or policy outcomes. Entry-level roles usually require a bachelor's degree and focus on data entry, basic reporting, and standard software usage. As you advance to mid-level and senior roles, the scope shifts toward complex predictive modeling, cross-departmental data architecture, and advising leadership on data-driven strategies. Progression is typically mapped by years of experience and specialized certifications in tools like SQL, Python, or data visualization platforms. Your background in structured military operations and reporting provides a unique advantage in translating complex mission requirements into logical data formats that agency stakeholders can readily understand and utilize for better decision-making.
Typical Data Analyst duties
- Clean and normalize large datasets to ensure accuracy and consistency across federal reporting systems.
- Develop interactive dashboards and automated reports to track project performance and key metrics.
- Perform statistical analysis to identify operational trends and potential areas for resource optimization.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to define data requirements and ensure information meets agency reporting standards.
- Document data analysis processes and methodologies to ensure compliance with government quality control policies.
Data Analyst levels, requirements, and GSA CALC+ rates
Levels map to years of relevant experience. A degree can substitute for years (about 2 years per step).
| Level | Experience | Most common education | GSA ceiling rate, 25th–75th ($/hr) | GSA ceiling rate, median ($/hr) | Rough salary estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | 0–3 yrs | Bachelors | $79/hr – $124/hr | $99/hr | $86k–$114k |
| Level II | 4–7 yrs | Bachelors | $101/hr – $151/hr | $124/hr | $107k–$143k |
| Level III | 8–12 yrs | Bachelors | $125/hr – $187/hr | $156/hr | $135k–$180k |
| Level IV | 13+ yrs | Bachelors | $180/hr – $234/hr | $211/hr | $183k–$244k |
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $79/hr – $124/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $99/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $86k–$114k
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $101/hr – $151/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $124/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $107k–$143k
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $125/hr – $187/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $156/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $135k–$180k
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $180/hr – $234/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $211/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $183k–$244k
GSA ceiling rate: what the government pays the contractor, not your salary. It includes overhead, benefits, and profit. Source: GSA CALC+, current contract year, synced Oct 25, 2026, 2,129 rates.
Common certifications: Security+, Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA CySA+, Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (CTIA), GISCP
Clearance for this labor category
About 9% of Data Analyst GSA rates require a clearance. Put your clearance on the very first line of your resume, under your name and contact info. Level and status only. Never list program names, SCI caveats, or classified details. Use the free Clearance Formatter.
Military codes that map to Data Analyst
Sample Data Analyst resume bullets
Public-safe, quantified examples. Replace the numbers with your own.
- Developed automated reporting dashboards for a $5M agency project, reducing manual data processing time by 40% for a team of 15 stakeholders.
- Analyzed performance data for 500+ users, identifying a critical bottleneck that led to a 15% increase in operational throughput.
- Managed a complex database containing 10,000+ entries, ensuring 99.9% data accuracy while maintaining strict adherence to federal privacy protocols.
What level Data Analyst are you?
Enter your years, education, certifications, and clearance. Get your likely level, the GSA rate range for that level, and what would move you up.
With 0 years of relevant experience and a no degree, your effective experience is about 0 years. Under the common GSA CALC+ rule that a degree step substitutes for roughly 2 years, that maps to Level I. Verify against the specific contract.
Move up · To reach Level II, add about 4 more years of relevant experience, or earn a certification the contract requires (e.g. Security+, PMP) that the contract requires.
GSA ceiling rate: what the government pays the contractor, not your salary. It includes overhead, benefits, and profit. Source: GSA CALC+, current contract year, synced Oct 25, 2026, 957 rates.
No account needed. Opens the free translator prefilled with Data Analyst. Share link encodes only your selections, no names.
Data Analyst labor category: quick answers
How does my military experience map to Data Analyst levels?
Junior ranks with technical, logistics, or admin backgrounds often map to Level I or II roles. Senior NCOs or officers with extensive experience in planning and operations management are often competitive for Level III roles.
Is a security clearance required for this role?
Only about 9% of federal data analyst contracts explicitly mandate a clearance. However, positions supporting intelligence or defense agencies will almost always require one.
How do pay levels typically progress?
Contract rates generally start near $98 per hour for entry-level positions and can exceed $175 per hour for expert-level roles requiring advanced certifications and deep domain knowledge.
Do I need a formal degree to be a competitive candidate?
While a bachelor's degree is common, many contractors accept equivalent years of specialized experience or professional certifications in high-demand tools like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI.
Reviewed by the Good to Go team · Last updated 2026-10-21 · Sources: GSA CALC+, O*NET
More about this roleShow
On government contracts, this role involves cleaning datasets, building visualizations, and identifying trends that help agencies improve operational efficiency or policy outcomes. Entry-level roles usually require a bachelor's degree and focus on data entry, basic reporting, and standard software usage. As you advance to mid-level and senior roles, the scope shifts toward complex predictive modeling, cross-departmental data architecture, and advising leadership on data-driven strategies. Progression is typically mapped by years of experience and specialized certifications in tools like SQL, Python, or data visualization platforms. Your background in structured military operations and reporting provides a unique advantage in translating complex mission requirements into logical data formats that agency stakeholders can readily understand and utilize for better decision-making.
Each contract defines its own labor categories and levels, so confirm the fit against the posting. Pay figures here are estimates from GSA CALC+ ceiling rates, not a guarantee.
Find your Data Analyst level
Enter your years, education, certifications, and clearance. Get your likely level and the GSA rate range for it.
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