Program analyst vs performance analyst

The differences between program analysts and performance 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 performance analyst. Additionally, a performance analyst has an average salary of $76,906, which is higher than the $75,039 average annual salary of a program analyst.

The top three skills for a program analyst include veterans, program management and project management. The most important skills for a performance analyst are data analysis, powerpoint, and visualization.

Program analyst vs performance analyst overview

	Program Analyst	Performance Analyst
Yearly salary	$75,039	$76,906
Hourly rate	$36.08	$36.97
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	156,716	70,065
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a program analyst do?

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.

What does a performance analyst do?

The duties of a performance analyst depend on one's place or industry employment. Typically, it is their responsibility to evaluate the performance of different systems within a company and review its financial history and activities. They must conduct extensive research and analysis, report findings, and provide advice on improving areas of concern. They may also assess the performances of employees and recommend additional forms of training if necessary. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to all the policies and regulations of the company.

Program analyst vs performance analyst salary

Program analysts and performance analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Analyst	Performance Analyst
Average salary	$75,039	$76,906
Salary range	Between $52,000 And $106,000	Between $57,000 And $102,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Maryland	Maryland
Best paying company	Apple	Meta
Best paying industry	Professional	Finance

Differences between program analyst and performance analyst education

There are a few differences between a program analyst and a performance analyst in terms of educational background:

	Program Analyst	Performance Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Program analyst vs performance analyst demographics

Here are the differences between program analysts' and performance analysts' demographics:

	Program Analyst	Performance Analyst
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%	Male, 59.9% Female, 40.1%
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, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 14.7% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between program analyst and performance analyst duties and responsibilities

Program analyst example responsibilities.

Attain NIH seed money to coordinate activities to improve rates of screening for diabetic retinopathy.
Achieve an understanding of the funding policy for the NASA programs and relate it to the EVM reporting.
Manage staff of project controllers to perform monthly close, reconciliations, general ledger review and invoice generation.
Support and manage projects utilizing agile and scrum methodology.
Manage all technical documentation for PMI's certification program.
Clean up and debug code in Html, Javascript, Actionscript, and Ajax.

Performance analyst example responsibilities.

Manage SharePoint inter-office documentation in relation to projects and internal processes.
Charge with and achieve the production of accurate and timely monthly investor reports and reconciliations in accordance with applicable service agreements.
Develop SQL scripts and store procedures using PL/SQL.
Involve in setting up the JMETER tool on various environments.
Develop presentations (PowerPoint) to be deliver to prospective clients.
Create custom Java jobs for server log analysis and graph plotting.

Program analyst vs performance analyst skills

Common program analyst skills

Veterans, 9%
Program Management, 7%
Project Management, 7%
Logistics, 6%
DOD, 6%
Customer Service, 4%

Common performance analyst skills

Data Analysis, 9%
PowerPoint, 7%
Visualization, 6%
Customer Service, 6%
Process Improvement, 5%
Data Collection, 5%

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Program Analyst vs Performance Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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