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The differences between bioinformatics analysts and data analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a bioinformatics analyst, becoming a data analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a bioinformatics analyst has an average salary of $79,394, which is higher than the $74,342 average annual salary of a data analyst.
The top three skills for a bioinformatics analyst include python, next-generation sequencing and data analysis. The most important skills for a data analyst are data analysis, python, and power bi.
| Bioinformatics Analyst | Data Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $79,394 | $74,342 |
| Hourly rate | $38.17 | $35.74 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 30,669 | 167,520 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A bioinformatics analyst is responsible for assisting with laboratory examinations and research investigations on the Human Genome Project. Bioinformatics analysts analyze scientific data with the researchers to develop treatment plans for human diseases and maintain the accuracy of the database for algorithms. They submit genomic data to the medical professionals, write report findings, and discuss results to the researchers. A bioinformatics analyst must have excellent technical and analytical skills to operate various software tools and applications to generate data efficiently.
Data analysts are responsible for interpreting the company's statistics and providing sound recommendations to the organization. They manage the organization's data sets, usually related to market performance, finance, or human resources. They are in charge of studying the available data, spotting trends, interpreting what the data and the trends mean, and recommending suggestions that will help the organization perform better. Their recommendations should also be relevant and backed up with strong analyses. Data analysts are expected to have a good grasp of the current market trends in the industry.
Bioinformatics analysts and data analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bioinformatics Analyst | Data Analyst | |
| Average salary | $79,394 | $74,342 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $106,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Foster City, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Editas Medicine | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a bioinformatics analyst and a data analyst in terms of educational background:
| Bioinformatics Analyst | Data Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Biostatistics | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between bioinformatics analysts' and data analysts' demographics:
| Bioinformatics Analyst | Data Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% | Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 26.7% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 12% |