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The differences between business analysts and consultants 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 consultant. Additionally, a consultant has an average salary of $78,912, 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 consultant are customer service, strong analytical, and project management.
| Business Analyst | Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $74,431 | $78,912 |
| Hourly rate | $35.78 | $37.94 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 170,514 | 171,733 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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.
Consultants are individuals who were tapped by a company or an organization to work on a specific activity, depending on their field of expertise. They act as guides for the organization in undertaking projects that are related to their field. Consultants would usually assist organizations in planning, often giving advice when the need arises. They would, at times, take the lead in activities that involve data gathering and interpretation of data gathering results so that they can provide solid recommendations on actions that the organization may undertake. They may also guide the organization in implementing any changes brought about by their consultancy and in evaluating the effectiveness of the changes.
Business analysts and consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Analyst | Consultant | |
| Average salary | $74,431 | $78,912 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $103,000 | Between $58,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | L.E.K. Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a business analyst and a consultant in terms of educational background:
| Business Analyst | Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between business analysts' and consultants' demographics:
| Business Analyst | Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 13.8% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |