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The differences between project analysts and lead 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 project analyst and a lead business analyst. Additionally, a lead business analyst has an average salary of $107,171, which is higher than the $71,174 average annual salary of a project analyst.
The top three skills for a project analyst include project management, data analysis and customer service. The most important skills for a lead business analyst are project management, scrum, and business analysis.
| Project Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $71,174 | $107,171 |
| Hourly rate | $34.22 | $51.52 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 207,513 | 126,509 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A lead business analyst utilizes data and analytical skills to plan, develop, and implement business systems and operations to help a company attain its short and long-term goals. Their duties focus on conducting market research and assessments, gathering and analyzing data, studying consumers and competitors in the industry, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses in existing systems. They also conduct risk assessments, create business models and forecasts, and identify solutions against potential or existing issues. Additionally, through their research findings, they develop recommendations in adherence to company standards and regulations.
Project analysts and lead business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $71,174 | $107,171 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $97,000 | Between $82,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Citi | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a project analyst and a lead business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Project Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between project analysts' and lead business analysts' demographics:
| Project Analyst | Lead Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.7% Female, 42.3% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.2% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |