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The differences between principal analysts and associate 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 principal analyst, becoming an associate analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a principal analyst has an average salary of $114,156, which is higher than the $68,161 average annual salary of an associate analyst.
The top three skills for a principal analyst include portfolio, ERP and project management. The most important skills for an associate analyst are customer service, powerpoint, and data analysis.
| Principal Analyst | Associate Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $114,156 | $68,161 |
| Hourly rate | $54.88 | $32.77 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 158,160 | 97,311 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A principal analyst is responsible for evaluating the project management and product development procedures of an organization by analyzing data statistics and market trends. Principal analysts conduct operational audits to identify inconsistencies and defects, including the networks and system database. They create reports on their findings, as well as recommendations to improve optimization and maximum productivity. A principal analyst should be highly communicative and analytical as they also analyze sales reports and financial transactions to develop techniques for increasing profits and revenues.
An associate analyst is an individual who is responsible for the research and investigation for a specific business process and department to help the senior staff make further decisions. Associate analysts must use their analytical skills to understand how the collected data can affect business decisions, then prepare reports that detail findings and recommend solutions. They must assist in developing new business models that can generate profits while reducing costs. Associate analysts can work in various industries ranging from finance and operations to information technology (IT) and marketing.
Principal analysts and associate analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Analyst | Associate Analyst | |
| Average salary | $114,156 | $68,161 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $149,000 | Between $47,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Apollo Global Management | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal analyst and an associate analyst in terms of educational background:
| Principal Analyst | Associate Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between principal analysts' and associate analysts' demographics:
| Principal Analyst | Associate Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.6% Female, 24.4% | Male, 52.3% Female, 47.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 14.1% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |