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The differences between functional analysts and systems analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a functional analyst and a systems analyst. Additionally, a functional analyst has an average salary of $96,841, which is higher than the $75,383 average annual salary of a systems analyst.
The top three skills for a functional analyst include business process, lifecycle management and HR. The most important skills for a systems analyst are customer service, project management, and troubleshoot.
| Functional Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $96,841 | $75,383 |
| Hourly rate | $46.56 | $36.24 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 52,085 | 141,289 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Functional analysts and systems analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Average salary | $96,841 | $75,383 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $131,000 | Between $58,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a functional analyst and a systems analyst in terms of educational background:
| Functional Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between functional analysts' and systems analysts' demographics:
| Functional Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| 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, 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 | 8% | 8% |