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The differences between functional analysts and business analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a functional analyst, becoming a business analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a functional analyst has an average salary of $96,841, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.
The top three skills for a functional analyst include business process, lifecycle management and HR. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.
| Functional Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $96,841 | $74,431 |
| Hourly rate | $46.56 | $35.78 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 52,085 | 170,514 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Functional analysts are professionals specializing in a specific line of business, technology, and industry. They collect information by interviewing managers and employees and studying the company's systems and procedures. They design computer systems that meet business requirements and prepare reports for the managers. Additional duties for this role include installing and configuring new systems, running tests to ensure that specifications are met, and writing user manuals. Functional analysts are also responsible for conducting training on new capabilities to existing end-users.
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.
Functional analysts and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $96,841 | $74,431 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a functional analyst and a business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Functional Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between functional analysts' and business analysts' demographics:
| Functional Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 19.5% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |