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The differences between program analysts and senior 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 senior analyst. Additionally, a senior analyst has an average salary of $84,799, 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 senior analyst are analytics, data analysis, and tableau.
| Program Analyst | Senior Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $75,039 | $84,799 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $40.77 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 156,716 | 159,807 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
A senior analyst's responsibilities will vary in every organization or industry. However, their primary role is to gain an understanding of a company's strengths and weaknesses. Through this, they can devise strategies and determine new opportunities that would be significant in attaining financial gains and a more substantial client base. Furthermore, it is a senior analyst's responsibility to coordinate with various departments, and even clients, to establish a rapport that will be essential in gaining the needed information to catapult a company to its finest.
Program analysts and senior analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Analyst | Senior Analyst | |
| Average salary | $75,039 | $84,799 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $106,000 | Between $63,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a program analyst and a senior analyst in terms of educational background:
| Program Analyst | Senior Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between program analysts' and senior analysts' demographics:
| Program Analyst | Senior Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2% |
| 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, 8.4% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |