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The differences between subject matter experts 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 subject matter expert and a business analyst. Additionally, a subject matter expert has an average salary of $103,749, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.
The top three skills for a subject matter expert include SME, project management and DOD. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.
| Subject Matter Expert | Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $103,749 | $74,431 |
| Hourly rate | $49.88 | $35.78 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 58,235 | 170,514 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A subject matter expert is someone who has special knowledge and expertise about a specific process or service, providing advice to other team members or directly assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns. Subject matter experts coordinate on planning strategic procedures to improve the work processes and ensure customer satisfaction. They are also active in participating in learning programs and training sessions to share their knowledge and best practices for their specialization. Subject matter experts identify potential business opportunities to generate more revenues for the business and achieve its profitability goals.
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.
Subject matter experts and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Subject Matter Expert | Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $103,749 | $74,431 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $146,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a subject matter expert and a business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Subject Matter Expert | Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between subject matter experts' and business analysts' demographics:
| Subject Matter Expert | Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 12.1% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 12% | 11% |