What is statistical analysis?

Statistical analysis is the process of collecting and organizing data in order to observe patterns in that data. This discipline examines numerical data for trends, and it has practical applications across multiple industries and business sectors. Statistical analysts can examine large or small amounts of data to determine what the data shows—and what should be done with that information. The business world has relied on statistical analysis for years, but the advent of computer technology has made analyzing large amounts of data increasingly easy. Computers allow statisticians to analyze copious amounts of data and look for more specific patterns and trends than ever before.

Why is statistical analysis important?

Statistical analysis is important because it helps you make sense—and make use—of data. No matter what industry you work in, you see data every day. You may not know how to interpret the data, or there may just be too much data to understand on its own merits. Using statistical analysis can help you interpret key patterns in your data and sort out extraneous information to understand what the data means and what you should do about it. If you have a background in statistical analysis, you can also test or disprove any analysis that you receive from someone else as well.

What are typical careers that use statistical analysis?

A thorough knowledge of statistical analysis can help you find a career in the financial sector, information technology, or other areas of the business world. You can find jobs giving businesses advice on how to invest or how to manage their money more efficiently, or you can consult with companies on how to budget for large projects. Market research jobs rely on statistical analysis skills, while software engineers analyze data to develop and test new and updated applications. Data scientists work with various organizations to help them identify patterns and trends in their field of business.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn statistical analysis?

From courses that introduce you to the basics of statistical analysis to more specific topics like hypothesis testing, data analysis in the health care industry, or risk management, you can gain a confident base of knowledge from online courses on Coursera. Specific topics you can discover include using logistic regression in R, survival analysis in R, bias and validity in epidemiology, statistics with Python, and data analytics.

What are the benefits of taking an online Statistical Analysis course?

Online Statistical Analysis courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Statistical Analysis skills. Choose from a wide range of Statistical Analysis courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Statistical Analysis courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Statistical Analysis, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Statistical Analysis Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Statistical Analysis Course Catalog

Status: Preview
Stanford University
Introduction to Statistics
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Statistics, Statistical Methods, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Regression Analysis, Statistical Inference, Probability, Exploratory Data Analysis, Quantitative Research, Data Collection, Probability Distribution
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
4.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Statistical Analysis Fundamentals using Excel
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Descriptive Statistics, Regression Analysis, Forecasting, Probability Distribution, Business Analytics, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Methods, Microsoft Excel, Statistics, Spreadsheet Software, Predictive Analytics, Probability
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
94 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Macquarie University
Statistics and Data Analysis with Excel
Skills you'll gain: Interactive Data Visualization, Pivot Tables And Charts, Data Visualization, Data Presentation, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Microsoft Excel, Correlation Analysis, Forecasting, Regression Analysis, Excel Formulas, Statistics, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Descriptive Statistics, Data Analysis, Business Analytics, Statistical Inference, Box Plots, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Visualization
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
16 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Imperial College London
Statistical Analysis with R for Public Health
Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills, Correlation Analysis, Regression Analysis, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data Literacy, Data Analysis, R Programming, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Software, Biostatistics, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Programming, Statistics, Statistical Methods, Public Health, Probability & Statistics, Epidemiology, Statistical Modeling
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Rice University
Business Statistics and Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Microsoft Excel, Pivot Tables And Charts, Regression Analysis, Statistics, Descriptive Statistics, Probability & Statistics, Graphing, Spreadsheet Software, Probability Distribution, Business Analytics, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Inference, Excel Formulas, Data Analysis, Data Presentation, Business Analysis, Statistical Methods, Sample Size Determination
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
13K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Data Analysis with Python
Skills you'll gain: Predictive Modeling, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Wrangling, Data Analysis, Data Import/Export, Pandas (Python Package), Statistical Modeling, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Manipulation, Scikit Learn (Machine Learning Library), Regression Analysis, Feature Engineering, Matplotlib, Python Programming, Data Cleansing, NumPy, Data Visualization, Descriptive Statistics, Supervised Learning, Data Pipelines
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
19K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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Introduction to Data Analysis using Microsoft Excel
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Spreadsheet Software, Pivot Tables And Charts, Data Analysis, Data Manipulation, Data Mining
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.3K reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Statistics with Python
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Modeling, Statistical Methods, Statistical Inference, Statistics, Bayesian Statistics, Data Visualization, Data Literacy, Scientific Visualization, Matplotlib, Statistical Visualization, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Jupyter, Statistical Programming, Regression Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Predictive Modeling, Python Programming
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
3.3K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Duke University
Data Analysis with R
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Inference, Exploratory Data Analysis, Regression Analysis, Statistical Reporting, Probability Distribution, Statistical Methods, R Programming, Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Statistical Software, Statistical Modeling, Probability & Statistics, Probability, Statistics, Correlation Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Data Visualization
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
7.5K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
Data Visualization with Tableau
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Presentation, Dashboard, Proposal Development, Data Visualization, Advanced Analytics, Tableau Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Visualization Software, Data Literacy, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Ethics, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Data Mapping, Pivot Tables And Charts, Tree Maps, Requirements Analysis, Analytics, Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Storyboarding
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
8.2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Excel Basics for Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel, Data Cleansing, Data Analysis, Data Import/Export, Spreadsheet Software, Data Wrangling, Data Quality, Pivot Tables And Charts, Google Sheets, Data Manipulation, Data Science, Data Visualization Software, Information Privacy
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
10K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Statistical Inference
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Inference, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Probability & Statistics, Probability, Statistics, Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Methods, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Probability Distribution, Sampling (Statistics), Sample Size Determination, Data Analysis
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
4.4K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks