Business Analyst Career & Job Description

Business analysts have become a key part of successful organizations, helping companies put data research, strategy, and analysis into action. They find the root causes of business challenges, identify business opportunities and make recommendations on how to achieve business goals and stay competitive.

Business leaders increasingly turn to the work of business analysts to make data-driven decisions on organizational strategy. Professionals who hone their skills by completing business analysis training can help position themselves to fill this vital role.

What Does a Business Analyst Do?

At its core, a business analyst is a strategic problem solver, finding ways to quickly deliver innovative products to market, leading change, and making organizations more efficient. Business analysts also focus on meeting business needs while bridging the gap between an organization’s current position and the one it wants to reach.

Using data analysis, business modeling, and research, business analysts determine customer needs and develop ideas on how an organization can meet them. Their work makes organizations adaptable and agile in a marketplace where those attributes are increasingly important.

Those who work in this profession are also known as management analysts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS reports the typical duties for a business analyst include the following.

• Gathering information about problems to be solved or procedures to be improved
• Interviewing personnel and conducting onsite observations to determine the methods, equipment, and personnel that will be needed
• Analyze financial data, revenues and expenditures, and employment reports, among other data
• Finding root causes for problems and proposing solutions that many include new systems, procedures, or personnel changes
• Presenting findings to decision makers
• Conferring with managers to ensure changes work

Much of this work is done in delivering products and projects, making product and project management skills important for business analysts. They also need strong soft skills such as active listening and good speaking skills, according to the Occupational Information Network (O*NET OnLine), a government-run site on jobs affiliated with the BLS.

A business analyst must also have excellent critical thinking skills. Students in Villanova University’s Essentials of Business Analysis course learn that business analysts facilitate change by synthesizing information and modeling requirements from various stakeholders to better understand business problems and goals. 

They must separate stakeholder needs from desires and assess options to meet those needs. They also must communicate these options to all stakeholders and facilitate agreement on the proposed solution.

Business Analyst Salary and Job Projections

The average salary for management analysts was $93,000 in May 2021, according to the BLS. California, New York, Florida, Virginia, and Illinois employ the most business analysts. The highest salaries are in the Northeast.

The BLS projects 14% growth in the profession between 2020 and 2030, which translates into almost 100,000 new jobs. Healthcare and information technology are two of the industries where management analyst positions are expected to grow the fastest, according to the BLS.

The metro areas with the largest number of business analyst jobs are Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Dallas. The BLS also projects state capital cities to have clusters of management analysts in high demand.

As taught in the Essentials of Business Analysis course, typical jobs titles in the profession other than business analyst and management analyst can include the following:

• Business architect
• Business system analyst
• Data analyst
• Management consultant
• Process analyst
• Product manager
• Product owner
• Requirement engineer
• Supply Chain Analyst
• Change Manager

Education and Training

Business analysts require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Some employers may prefer business analysts to hold a master’s degree.

Business analysts can improve their skills by learning how to lead projects, as they typically become involved with tasks before, during, and after a project. That includes defining the strategy and the business case and verifying that solutions meet business needs.

Per the Essentials of Business Analysis course, becoming a successful business analyst takes core business skills and specialized knowledge that will advance a firm’s objectives. These core skills include:

• Written and verbal communication, including technical writing skills
• Understanding of systems engineering concepts
• The ability to conduct cost/benefit analysis
• Business case development
• Modeling techniques and methods
• Leadership

Employers may also prefer to hire candidates with International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA™) certification. To prepare for industry-recognized certification and develop the critical skills required for business analyst jobs, forward-thinking professionals can enroll in continuing professional education.

Business analysis training can help professionals master the skills needed to:

• Implement advanced strategies for gathering, reviewing, and analyzing data requirements
• Prioritize requirements and create conceptual prototypes and mock-ups
• Master strategic business process modeling, traceability, and quality management techniques
• Apply best practices for effective communication and problem-solving
• Sit for the CBAP™ certification exam
• Successfully compete for the most sought-after business analyst jobs

Becoming a business analyst puts you at the center of developing winning strategies for business, as well as assessing and improving ongoing operations. For those who want to play a vital role in business success, it’s a career that can fulfill their ambitions.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Career Outlook, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Management Analysts,” on the internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm (visited September 1, 2022)

National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth. Degree and/or certificate program options do not guarantee career or salary outcomes. Students should conduct independent research for specific employment information.