Implementation analyst vs business analyst

The differences between implementation 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 an implementation analyst, becoming a business analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an implementation analyst has an average salary of $82,268, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.

The top three skills for an implementation analyst include client facing, data analysis and shared services. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.

Implementation analyst vs business analyst overview

	Implementation Analyst	Business Analyst
Yearly salary	$82,268	$74,431
Hourly rate	$39.55	$35.78
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	108,170	170,514
Job satisfaction	4	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	43	44
Years of experience	6	4

What does an implementation analyst do?

An implementation analyst is an individual who is responsible for conducting data analysis and software testing when a company is doing a software upgrade. Implementation analysts must ensure that the company has the appropriate equipment to meet its operational needs by determining which hardware and software they should use. They provide workshops and conduct education for trainers on the functionality of the product as well as to conduct tests to ensure the proper functionality of the product. Implementation analysts must also prepare budgets for proposed equipment or tailor their recommendations to fit an established budget.

What does a business analyst do?

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.

Implementation analyst vs business analyst salary

Implementation analysts and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Implementation Analyst	Business Analyst
Average salary	$82,268	$74,431
Salary range	Between $60,000 And $111,000	Between $53,000 And $103,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Mountain View, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Washington
Best paying company	OpenGov	The Citadel
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between implementation analyst and business analyst education

There are a few differences between an implementation analyst and a business analyst in terms of educational background:

	Implementation Analyst	Business Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Implementation analyst vs business analyst demographics

Here are the differences between implementation analysts' and business analysts' demographics:

	Implementation Analyst	Business Analyst
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 49.4% Female, 50.6%	Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.5% White, 58.8% 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%

Differences between implementation analyst and business analyst duties and responsibilities

Implementation analyst example responsibilities.

Modify and create UNIX and TCL scripts to automate processes and to create utilities.
Manage service communication for patches/deployments through SharePoint and weekly emails for products.
Utilize extensive payroll and human resource knowledge to coordinate and manage multiple complex implementation projects simultaneously.
Maintain third-party software by building, testing, and distributing rpm packages to Linux workstations.
Used Microsoft Visio to maintain and update network diagrams, allowing network changes to be quickly document.
Analyze and resolve billing edits on billed/unbil accounts, verifying orders, determining medical necessity per CMS guidelines.

Business analyst example responsibilities.

Lead the implementation of a web-base application in an UNIX environment for an organization that manages pharmacy claims data.
Lead CRP sessions during implementation, design and testing.
Manage the resolution of forty plus software issues with PeopleSoft's design and development teams.
Used ALM as the requirements management tool to capture, prioritize, and manage requirements.
Complete updated version of website and provide CMS system to internal staff to manage website content.
Manage PeopleSoft security audits, end-user support for security issues, and security changes to role and permission lists.

Implementation analyst vs business analyst skills

Common implementation analyst skills

Client Facing, 19%
Data Analysis, 13%
Shared Services, 9%
Project Management, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
Process Improvement, 6%

Common business analyst skills

Project Management, 7%
Data Analysis, 6%
Business Analysis, 6%
User Stories, 5%
User Acceptance, 4%
Test Cases, 3%

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Implementation Analyst vs Business Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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