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The differences between principal analysts and technical 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 technical analyst. Additionally, a principal analyst has an average salary of $114,156, which is higher than the $74,045 average annual salary of a technical analyst.
The top three skills for a principal analyst include portfolio, ERP and project management. The most important skills for a technical analyst are java, customer service, and strong analytical.
| Principal Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $114,156 | $74,045 |
| Hourly rate | $54.88 | $35.60 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 158,160 | 190,370 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 technical analyst is responsible for analyzing technical information and aligning it to the business strategies and procedures in meeting project goals. Technical analysts monitor technical system errors and provide immediate resolutions to ensure an efficient and smooth flow of operations. They comply with the business requirements and clients' specifications to facilitate the technical team with the best techniques to get the job done. A technical analyst should have excellent critical-thinking and communication skills, as well as having a broad knowledge of the technology industry and disciplines.
Principal analysts and technical analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Average salary | $114,156 | $74,045 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $149,000 | Between $59,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Retail |
There are a few differences between a principal analyst and a technical analyst in terms of educational background:
| Principal Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between principal analysts' and technical analysts' demographics:
| Principal Analyst | Technical Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.6% Female, 24.4% | Male, 69.9% Female, 30.1% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 18.5% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |