Skills employers ask for in data and AI jobs
In 33,406 data and AI jobs in the SkillDrift job index, the most requested skill is SQL, named in 53.5% of postings. Python follows at 43.2%, then Data analysis at 30.4%.
Based on 33,406 job postings in the SkillDrift job index, read on 1 October 2026.
The 8 skills named most often
Each share is the part of all data and AI jobs that name the skill. One posting usually names several skills, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
- 1SQL53.5%17,859 of 33,406 postings
- 2Python43.2%14,445 of 33,406 postings
- 3Data analysis30.4%10,158 of 33,406 postings
- 4Power BI24.8%8,292 of 33,406 postings
- 5Data visualization24.5%8,180 of 33,406 postings
- 6Machine learning18.9%6,316 of 33,406 postings
- 7Excel16.6%5,554 of 33,406 postings
- 8Tableau16.3%5,444 of 33,406 postings
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The SkillDrift job index collects live job postings and reads the skills each one asks for. This page counts the postings in the data and AI role group, across all industries, and shows the share that name each skill. Skills appear as employers write them, so close variants such as Excel and MS Excel can both appear, because a posting may use either. The page is refreshed from the index, and the date above shows the last read.
Questions people ask
What is the most requested skill in data and AI jobs?
SQL. It is named in 53.5% of the 33,406 data and AI jobs in the SkillDrift job index on 1 October 2026.
How many job postings is this based on?
33,406 postings, read from the SkillDrift job index on 1 October 2026. Each share is the number of postings that name the skill, divided by all postings in this group.