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The differences between program analysts and 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 program analyst and an analyst. Additionally, a program analyst has an average salary of $75,039, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of an analyst.
The top three skills for a program analyst include veterans, program management and project management. The most important skills for an analyst are customer service, troubleshoot, and data analysis.
| Program Analyst | Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $75,039 | $73,007 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $35.10 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 156,716 | 253,138 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The job of program analysts is to plan, manage, and evaluate a company's computer programs. They usually perform different tasks, including researching and analyzing complex data to identify trends and offer the best recommendations for improvements. Other duties for this position may include creating policies and procedures, monitoring and evaluating program performance, and resolving any issues. This role's skills and requirements include a bachelor's degree in computer science, business, or related field. Previous work experience as a program analyst and critical thinking skills are also valued.
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Program analysts and analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average salary | $75,039 | $73,007 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $106,000 | Between $53,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a program analyst and an analyst in terms of educational background:
| Program Analyst | Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between program analysts' and analysts' demographics:
| Program Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 13.3% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |