Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between technical consultants and business 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 technical consultant, becoming a business analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a technical consultant has an average salary of $89,290, which is higher than the $74,431 average annual salary of a business analyst.
The top three skills for a technical consultant include java, database and customer service. The most important skills for a business analyst are project management, data analysis, and business analysis.
| Technical Consultant | Business Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $89,290 | $74,431 |
| Hourly rate | $42.93 | $35.78 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 173,374 | 170,514 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A technical consultant is an individual who provides technical support and performs troubleshooting functions for the company's product or application. A consultant should be highly knowledgeable about the product or application so that he/she can assist users and clients with whatever issues they may be facing. A bachelor's degree is required to work as a technical consultant, particularly a degree in Computer Science or Engineering. Also, a consultant should conduct training sessions and therefore, must possess excellent communication skills.
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.
Technical consultants and business analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Consultant | Business Analyst | |
| Average salary | $89,290 | $74,431 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $118,000 | Between $53,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a technical consultant and a business analyst in terms of educational background:
| Technical Consultant | Business Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technical consultants' and business analysts' demographics:
| Technical Consultant | Business Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.3% White, 58.1% 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 | 8% | 11% |