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The differences between software quality 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 software quality analyst and a business analyst. Additionally, a software quality analyst has an average salary of $76,173, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.
The top three skills for a software quality analyst include regression, QA and sql server. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.
| Software Quality Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $76,173 | $74,431 |
| Hourly rate | $36.62 | $35.78 |
| Growth rate | - | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 146,751 | 170,514 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software quality analyst troubleshoots bugs for a software application. They are responsible for certifying the quality of applications and software. They also evaluate functional problems through regression testing, and they create test strategies based on project requirements. They interact with developers, project managers, customers, and stakeholders.
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.
Software quality analysts and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Quality Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $76,173 | $74,431 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $97,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Genentech | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software quality analyst and a business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Software Quality Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between software quality analysts' and business analysts' demographics:
| Software Quality Analyst | Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.0% Female, 48.0% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 11% | 11% |