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The differences between functional consultants and data 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 consultant, becoming a data analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a functional consultant has an average salary of $85,317, which is higher than the $74,342 average annual salary of a data analyst.
The top three skills for a functional consultant include business process, prototyping and ERP. The most important skills for a data analyst are data analysis, python, and power bi.
| Functional Consultant | Data Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $85,317 | $74,342 |
| Hourly rate | $41.02 | $35.74 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 51,066 | 167,520 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A functional consultant is responsible for supporting a team of business analysts and software engineers in designing and creating a software system and related computer applications, following the specifications of a client on their software needs. Functional consultants analyze different technological approaches, evaluate technical solutions, and utilize the best system method to meet the requirements of a client efficiently. A functional consultant performs multiple diagnostic tests to ensure the optimal performance of the system. They should also have excellent communication skills, especially in coordinating with the clients on updates and adjustments as needed.
Data analysts are responsible for interpreting the company's statistics and providing sound recommendations to the organization. They manage the organization's data sets, usually related to market performance, finance, or human resources. They are in charge of studying the available data, spotting trends, interpreting what the data and the trends mean, and recommending suggestions that will help the organization perform better. Their recommendations should also be relevant and backed up with strong analyses. Data analysts are expected to have a good grasp of the current market trends in the industry.
Functional consultants and data analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Consultant | Data Analyst | |
| Average salary | $85,317 | $74,342 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $110,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Workday | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a functional consultant and a data analyst in terms of educational background:
| Functional Consultant | Data Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between functional consultants' and data analysts' demographics:
| Functional Consultant | Data Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.9% Female, 28.1% | Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 25.2% White, 51.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 12% |