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The differences between business analysts and systems analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a business analyst, becoming a systems analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a systems analyst has an average salary of $75,383, 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 systems analyst are customer service, project management, and troubleshoot.
| Business Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $74,431 | $75,383 |
| Hourly rate | $35.78 | $36.24 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 170,514 | 141,289 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 systems analyst is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of technology systems and analyzing its efficiency for business operations and clients' needs. Systems analysts create specific modifications to operating systems and help design solutions and processes. Other tasks include managing the system's workflow, diagnosing and detecting malfunctions, performing troubleshooting, and assisting clients' with their concerns. A systems analyst must have excellent command with programming languages and the knowledge with the technology industry to understand systems' complexities and processes.
Business analysts and systems analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Average salary | $74,431 | $75,383 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $103,000 | Between $58,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a business analyst and a systems analyst in terms of educational background:
| Business Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between business analysts' and systems analysts' demographics:
| Business Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.4% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |