Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between program analysts and business 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 a business analyst. Additionally, a program analyst has an average salary of $75,039, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.
The top three skills for a program analyst include veterans, program management and project management. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.
| Program Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $75,039 | $74,431 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $35.78 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 156,716 | 170,514 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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.
Business analysts are employees who are responsible for interpreting business data and coming up with business solutions. They are well-versed in whatever business the company is in, and they have strong business acumen. They collect data related to the business and then interpret and analyze the data. Business analysts should be able to conduct different levels of analyses and must also be able to create a sound study. Once the analysis is done, they provide recommendations or strategic direction to decision-makers that will help the business become sustainable and grow.
Program analysts and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $75,039 | $74,431 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $106,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a program analyst and a business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Program Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between program analysts' and business analysts' demographics:
| Program Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |