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The differences between applications analysts and analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an applications analyst, becoming an analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an applications analyst has an average salary of $80,144, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of an analyst.
The top three skills for an applications analyst include healthcare, customer service and patients. The most important skills for an analyst are customer service, troubleshoot, and data analysis.
| Applications Analyst | Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $80,144 | $73,007 |
| Hourly rate | $38.53 | $35.10 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 110,833 | 253,138 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
An applications analyst is an individual hired by a company to administer, monitor, and maintain all its software infrastructure and applications. Applications analysts must ensure the integrity and safety of all data and applications so that the company business can run smoothly and succeed. They are required to collaborate with applications developers and software engineers to provide a diagnosis of application errors and create long- and short-term resolutions. Applications analysts should also provide training and support of staff in using applications.
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Applications analysts and analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average salary | $80,144 | $73,007 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $109,000 | Between $53,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Ceridian | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an applications analyst and an analyst in terms of educational background:
| Applications Analyst | Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between applications analysts' and analysts' demographics:
| Applications Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.4% Female, 44.6% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.6% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 12% |