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The differences between business analysts and business intelligence analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a business analyst and a business intelligence analyst. Additionally, a business intelligence analyst has an average salary of $80,249, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.
The top three skills for a business analyst include project management, data analysis and business analysis. The most important skills for a business intelligence analyst are business intelligence, analytics, and power bi.
| Business Analyst | Business Intelligence Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $74,431 | $80,249 |
| Hourly rate | $35.78 | $38.58 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 170,514 | 124,916 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Business analysts are employees who are responsible for interpreting business data and coming up with business solutions. They are well-versed in whatever business the company is in, and they have strong business acumen. They collect data related to the business and then interpret and analyze the data. Business analysts should be able to conduct different levels of analyses and must also be able to create a sound study. Once the analysis is done, they provide recommendations or strategic direction to decision-makers that will help the business become sustainable and grow.
The primary job of business intelligence (BI) analysts is to analyze data and identify areas of improvement for an organization. These professionals are responsible for identifying trends that may help managers, executives, and other departments make better decisions to improve company processes and modernization. Other duties include identifying areas of revenue loss and ways to maximize profit, analyzing competitors' use of BI, and implementing new methodologies and data analysis. This role is particularly analytical and needs a balance of communication, information technology, and problem-solving skills.
Business analysts and business intelligence analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Analyst | Business Intelligence Analyst | |
| Average salary | $74,431 | $80,249 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $103,000 | Between $59,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a business analyst and a business intelligence analyst in terms of educational background:
| Business Analyst | Business Intelligence Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between business analysts' and business intelligence analysts' demographics:
| Business Analyst | Business Intelligence Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 65.5% Female, 34.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |