How To Become An Acquisition Analyst: What It Is and Career Path

What is an acquisition analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Wayne Durr

Acquisition analysts study and analyze vast amounts of data. They're considered a type of financial analyst who focuses on the procurement of one company by another. They conduct research and analysis to understand the benefits of an acquisition or merger. Acquisition analysts earn an average sum of $34 per hour, which is roughly $71,000 per year.

Acquisition analysts work for organizations that are looking to expand. They study large-scale purchasing opportunities, noting any problems that could arise and coordinating solutions accordingly. They ensure that an acquisition doesn't violate any applicable laws as the company drafts and draws documents to seal the deal.

A bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, or marketing is typically the minimum requirement for acquisition analyst positions. However, it's recommended to earn a higher degree, such as a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in accounting, engineering, or construction management. Relevant experience in finance, real estate, or technology can also prove beneficial for a career as an acquisition analyst.

What general advice would you give to an acquisition analyst?

Dr. Wayne Durr

Finance Professor, Stonehill College

Maximizing your salary potential starts with understanding your value. What skills and
capabilities can you articulate to a prospective employer? The ability to articulate these skills
and what you bring to that company can be challenging. Think of your resume like an artist
thinks of their portfolio. What projects or analysis have you worked on? You cannot articulate
the value you will bring to that prospective company without the ability to articulate your skills
and capabilities. Do your research to determine what other employers pay people with the

same abilities. Ask employers what the salary range is and use that as your baseline. As you
get close to graduating, your classmates talk about the job offers they receive and most likely
share the salaries they are being offered. Listen and use this as a baseline. All this gives you
an idea of your value. Your first job isn't always the place where you'll be able to maximize your
earning potential. Think of your first job as where you will get the work experience to maximize
your future earning potential. Look at this as the place where you will sharpen your skills and
develop new ones. This first job will be where you fill out your resume and either have an
opportunity to maximize your earning potential there or elsewhere in the future.
Additionally, think about passive income and the "side gig". If you don't feel like you're
maximizing your earning potential at that first job, think about how you can make money on the
side. I believe we now live in a society where truly maximizing your earning potential comes
from more than your current employer. The ability to earn money from a side gig is more
prevalent than ever before. I think every student should take an entrepreneur class. Think
about your skills, which one could make you some side money. Don't dismiss jobs you did
growing up, like delivery service, landscaping, etc. There are so many apps and websites that
people and companies are looking for anything from an hour to a couple of days worth of work.
Take that first six months on the job to get settled in, and then start thinking about that side gig.

ScoreAcquisition AnalystUS Average

Salary

5.2

Avg. Salary $66,957

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.8

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.10%

Asian 14.09%

Black or African American 5.64%

Hispanic or Latino 7.67%

Unknown 4.50%

White 68.00%

Gender

female 35.93%

male 64.07%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

5.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an acquisition analyst

Explore acquisition analyst education requirements

Most common acquisition analyst degrees

Bachelor's

73.6 %

Master's

16.5 %

Associate

6.7 %

Start to develop specific acquisition analyst skills

Skills	Percentages
DOD	7.38%
Program Management	6.94%
PowerPoint	6.00%
Acquisition Process	5.32%
Market Research	4.98%

Complete relevant acquisition analyst training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New acquisition analysts learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an acquisition analyst based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real acquisition analyst resumes.

Research acquisition analyst duties and responsibilities

Update and manage agencies contract portfolio on SharePoint, providing greater visibility and transparency of contracts award.
Assist customer in developing PWS to repair/resolve issues on custom build Bradley transmission test stand.
Administer and maintain a secure SharePoint site for all source selection documentation.
Develop, collect, disseminate and coordinate potential new business opportunities informational across the PEO.

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