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Research analyst vs product analyst

The differences between research analysts and product analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a research analyst, becoming a product analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a product analyst has an average salary of $79,316, which is higher than the $70,232 average annual salary of a research analyst.

The top three skills for a research analyst include data analysis, data collection and research projects. The most important skills for a product analyst are tableau, data analysis, and product management.

Research analyst vs product analyst overview

Research AnalystProduct Analyst
Yearly salary$70,232$79,316
Hourly rate$33.77$38.13
Growth rate19%11%
Number of jobs81,374176,369
Job satisfaction4.5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age3744
Years of experience64

What does a research analyst do?

A research analyst is responsible for providing a company with insights and advice concerning finance, investments, and expenditures. Utilizing their analytical skills and extensive expertise in marketing, they analyze the trends and significant factors to conclude which decision should be the best to make. They can also take part in conducting an in-depth analysis of a business and examine which areas require improvement or has potential. Furthermore, they may work with a company or independently as a freelance analyst.

What does a product analyst do?

A product analyst job utilizes data analysis software and notates trends in market research. Primarily, analysts project the costs of product development and marketing. They think of the possibilities for profit and sales and monitor the performance of products on the market to come up with a better product. Their responsibilities include company product evaluation, product understanding, and product rating reviews. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite, strong communication skills, and proficiency in database software is necessary for this job.

Research analyst vs product analyst salary

Research analysts and product analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

Research AnalystProduct Analyst
Average salary$70,232$79,316
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $107,000Between $56,000 And $111,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyThe CitadelMeta
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between research analyst and product analyst education

There are a few differences between a research analyst and a product analyst in terms of educational background:

Research AnalystProduct Analyst
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Research analyst vs product analyst demographics

Here are the differences between research analysts' and product analysts' demographics:

Research AnalystProduct Analyst
Average age3744
Gender ratioMale, 50.8% Female, 49.2%Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.6% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage10%12%

Differences between research analyst and product analyst duties and responsibilities

Research analyst example responsibilities.

  • Develop VBA to automate the analysis of website data, which save staff labor time.
  • Manage medication studies, and ensury clinical trial centers conduct studies in accordance with GCP standards.
  • Manage project team meetings using SharePoint calendars.
  • Work with engineering teams to troubleshoot issues.
  • Design and code windows in PowerBuilder for EMPRV application.
  • Assist with ongoing implementation of POS and PC systems for upgrades and new locations.
  • Show more

Product analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage CRM development teams in India.
  • Use the SoapUI tool to automate the API calls relate to the corresponding UI functions.
  • Document test procedures to ensure reliability and compliance with standards using JIRA to report and manage bugs.
  • Work as a team to manage a student-run portfolio by researching and debating various securities for the benefit of the fund.
  • Manage inventory and supervise site payroll and invoice processing.
  • Lead architecture, design and development of a customize financial analytics solution.
  • Show more

Research analyst vs product analyst skills

Common research analyst skills
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • Research Projects, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
  • Market Research, 4%
  • Python, 4%
Common product analyst skills
  • Tableau, 7%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Product Management, 6%
  • Product Development, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
  • Project Management, 5%

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