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The differences between business analysts and lead business 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 lead business analyst. Additionally, a lead business analyst has an average salary of $107,171, 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 lead business analyst are project management, scrum, and business analysis.
| Business Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $74,431 | $107,171 |
| Hourly rate | $35.78 | $51.52 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 170,514 | 126,509 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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.
A lead business analyst utilizes data and analytical skills to plan, develop, and implement business systems and operations to help a company attain its short and long-term goals. Their duties focus on conducting market research and assessments, gathering and analyzing data, studying consumers and competitors in the industry, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses in existing systems. They also conduct risk assessments, create business models and forecasts, and identify solutions against potential or existing issues. Additionally, through their research findings, they develop recommendations in adherence to company standards and regulations.
Business analysts and lead business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $74,431 | $107,171 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $103,000 | Between $82,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a business analyst and a lead business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Business Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between business analysts' and lead business analysts' demographics:
| Business Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| 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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.2% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |