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The differences between business analysts and technical 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 technical analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a business analyst has an average salary of $74,431, which is higher than the $74,045 average annual salary of a technical analyst.
The top three skills for a business analyst include project management, data analysis and business analysis. The most important skills for a technical analyst are java, customer service, and strong analytical.
| Business Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $74,431 | $74,045 |
| Hourly rate | $35.78 | $35.60 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 170,514 | 190,370 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 technical analyst is responsible for analyzing technical information and aligning it to the business strategies and procedures in meeting project goals. Technical analysts monitor technical system errors and provide immediate resolutions to ensure an efficient and smooth flow of operations. They comply with the business requirements and clients' specifications to facilitate the technical team with the best techniques to get the job done. A technical analyst should have excellent critical-thinking and communication skills, as well as having a broad knowledge of the technology industry and disciplines.
Business analysts and technical analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Average salary | $74,431 | $74,045 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $103,000 | Between $59,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a business analyst and a technical analyst in terms of educational background:
| Business Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between business analysts' and technical analysts' demographics:
| Business Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 69.9% Female, 30.1% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 18.5% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |