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The differences between competitive intelligence analysts and research 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 competitive intelligence analyst, becoming a research analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a competitive intelligence analyst has an average salary of $70,693, which is higher than the $70,232 average annual salary of a research analyst.
The top three skills for a competitive intelligence analyst include pricing strategy, market research and powerpoint. The most important skills for a research analyst are data analysis, data collection, and research projects.
| Competitive Intelligence Analyst | Research Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $70,693 | $70,232 |
| Hourly rate | $33.99 | $33.77 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 12,571 | 81,374 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A competitive intelligence analyst specializes in recommending solutions to optimize a company's sales performance and business plans. They conduct extensive research and analysis to identify market trends, new business opportunities, client needs, and competitor strategies. Using their research findings, they produce and recommend new business plans and policies to help companies reach their short and long-term goals. Furthermore, as a competitive intelligence analyst, it is essential to develop solutions and suggest actions while adhering to the company's standards and regulations.
A research analyst is responsible for providing a company with insights and advice concerning finance, investments, and expenditures. Utilizing their analytical skills and extensive expertise in marketing, they analyze the trends and significant factors to conclude which decision should be the best to make. They can also take part in conducting an in-depth analysis of a business and examine which areas require improvement or has potential. Furthermore, they may work with a company or independently as a freelance analyst.
Competitive intelligence analysts and research analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Competitive Intelligence Analyst | Research Analyst | |
| Average salary | $70,693 | $70,232 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $96,000 | Between $45,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Xoom | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Finance |
There are a few differences between a competitive intelligence analyst and a research analyst in terms of educational background:
| Competitive Intelligence Analyst | Research Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between competitive intelligence analysts' and research analysts' demographics:
| Competitive Intelligence Analyst | Research Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.4% Female, 44.6% | Male, 50.8% Female, 49.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 2.9% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 10% |