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The differences between business analysts and software engineers 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 software engineer. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, 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 software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Business Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,431 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $35.78 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 170,514 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| 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 software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Business analysts and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,431 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $103,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a business analyst and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Business Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between business analysts' and software engineers' demographics:
| Business Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |