Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between process improvement analysts and project analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a process improvement analyst and a project analyst. Additionally, a process improvement analyst has an average salary of $72,770, which is higher than the $71,174 average annual salary of a project analyst.
The top three skills for a process improvement analyst include lean six sigma, continuous improvement and sigma. The most important skills for a project analyst are project management, data analysis, and customer service.
| Process Improvement Analyst | Project Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $72,770 | $71,174 |
| Hourly rate | $34.99 | $34.22 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 106,343 | 207,513 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A process improvement analyst specializes in performing research and analysis to determine the strengths and weaknesses of a company's operations and procedures, recommending changes for optimal performance. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with different departments to gather records and data, conduct inspections, identify customers' needs, and spearhead projects for various operations. They must also maintain records of all observations and changes, produce progress reports, and conduct presentations for stakeholders and other high-ranking officials. Furthermore, it is essential to keep an active communication line with the workforce, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A project analyst is responsible for overseeing the development of new projects upon completion of data gathering. A project analyst must provide plans and design the project to its full potential. For this, it is essential to conduct extensive research and coordinate with all staff and departments involved through regular reports and various forms of communication. Furthermore, a project analyst must devise strategies to improve particular projects for it to succeed and achieve better results, all in adherence to the company policies and regulations.
Process improvement analysts and project analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Improvement Analyst | Project Analyst | |
| Average salary | $72,770 | $71,174 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $93,000 | Between $52,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Colorado Springs, CO | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a process improvement analyst and a project analyst in terms of educational background:
| Process Improvement Analyst | Project Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between process improvement analysts' and project analysts' demographics:
| Process Improvement Analyst | Project Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.8% Female, 45.2% | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 12.8% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 13.7% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |