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The differences between principal 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 principal analyst and a systems analyst. Additionally, a principal analyst has an average salary of $114,156, which is higher than the $75,383 average annual salary of a systems analyst.
The top three skills for a principal analyst include portfolio, ERP and project management. The most important skills for a systems analyst are customer service, project management, and troubleshoot.
| Principal Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $114,156 | $75,383 |
| Hourly rate | $54.88 | $36.24 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 158,160 | 141,289 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Principal analysts and systems analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Average salary | $114,156 | $75,383 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $149,000 | Between $58,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal analyst and a systems analyst in terms of educational background:
| Principal Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between principal analysts' and systems analysts' demographics:
| Principal Analyst | Systems Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.6% Female, 24.4% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| 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, 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% |