Data analyst vs Business analyst has been a much-debated career option for professionals. Both professions have been playing a crucial and integral role in different industries. Recently, companies are in a race to leverage data to beat their competitors and provide better customer service. This has significantly increased the demand for both roles.
This blog will explain the nuances of a Business analyst vs Data analyst career. It will help you understand the differences and empower you to make the right career decision. However, to understand this, you have to know about data analyst vs business analyst responsibilities and roles in the industry.
Data Analyst vs Business Analyst Roles
Role of a Data Analyst
Data analysts are responsible for scouting and analyzing data to gather useful information. If a company faces a problem, it assigns a data analyst to use the relevant data and find useful information.
They start by collecting data and cleaning it to ensure quality. Once they have the right set of accurate data, they apply appropriate statistical analysis to that dataset. This allows them to find patterns and hidden insights. After finding the appropriate data, they convert it into appealing visual representations that help managers and stakeholders better understand it.
Business Analyst Role
A business analyst will work with the management team and stakeholders closely. They focus on the business requirements and find out the way to fulfill requirements.
Firstly, a business analyst will gather the requirements and then analyze the business operations to find out the weak areas. Then, they use data analytics and find out the important data that would help them form a solution. After finding the necessary solutions, they will report them to the stakeholders and top management. As part of their role, they have to update both the stakeholders and the management team spontaneously.
Data Analyst vs Business Analyst Skills
Data Analyst Skills
A data analyst has to be proficient in the following skills:
- Programming Skills
A data analyst must be proficient in programming languages, especially Python. Learning Python helps data analysts manipulate, analyze, and visualize data. Also, one should learn to use Python libraries like Pandas and Scikit-learn.
- Statistics
It is essential to have a strong knowledge of statistics because it helps data analysts find solutions and meaningful conclusions.
- Data Processing
Proficiency in working with data is the cornerstone of data analytics. A data analyst should know data cleaning, organizing, mining, and manipulating. Data analysts should be proficient in converting raw data to structured data with usable format.
- Big Data
Companies have started to leverage big data, so it is essential to gain proficiency in big data tools. A data analyst should learn tools like Hadoop and Spark to work with big datasets.
- Machine Learning
Machine learning has become one of the important tools for data analysts in recent years. The technological advancements in machine learning allowed data analysts to automate, build predictive models, and analyze large amounts of data.
Business Analyst Skills
A business analyst should be able to master both managerial and data skills. The following are some of the required skills for business analysts:
- Business Acumen skills
As a business analyst, one should have a solid understanding of business and its core operations. They must know about all aspects of the business, including products, finance, and marketing.
- Business intelligence
Business intelligence tools are very important for business analysts. It allows them to work with data effectively and prepare reports.
- Data analysis
Business analysts should be proficient in data analysis tools, including SQL, Excel, Tableau, Power BI, and Google Analytics. Gaining proficiency in programming languages like Python and R will be an added advantage. They should also be aware of building models and different data analysis tools and techniques.
- Data Visualization
Business analysts should be able to effectively communicate their findings to decision-makers, managers, and stakeholders of the company. So. it is essential that they know how to prepare appealing visualizations.
- Knowledge of New Technologies
Technologies are constantly evolving, and to stay relevant, professionals must keep up. A business analyst should be able to understand and learn new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
If you compare data analyst vs business analyst skills, you can find similar skill sets. Apart from the above-mentioned technical skills, it is essential to gain soft skills. Both professionals can gain a lot from having soft skills.
Outlook for Data Analyst vs Business Analyst Jobs
Data Analyst Outlook: There has been a high demand for skilled data analysts in this continuously growing data environment. With the rise of big data, machine learning, and cloud computing, the scope of data analysts has increased.
Business Analyst Outlook: The Outlook for this profession is highly positive, as companies are undergoing a major digital transformation. Business analysts can help companies keep up with digital transformation and improve business operations.
By comparing data analyst vs business analyst jobs, you can see that both of them have a great outlook for the future.
Data Analyst vs Business Analyst Salary
Salary of Business Analysts in India
Business analysts receive an average salary of Rs. 8 LPA. Their salary ranges from Rs. 6 LPA to Rs. 12 LPA, and it depends on the experience of the professional.
Data Analyst Salary in India
A data analyst’s annual salary ranges from Rs. 4 Lakhs to Rs. 10 Lakhs in India. Data analysts receive an average salary of Rs. 6LPA.
To Summarize
As you can see from the Business analyst vs data analyst comparison, both career fields have a bright future. If you are an individual who is interested in working with top business management, then you can aim for Business analyst roles. On the other hand, if you are into solving complex problems and finding insights, you can opt for data analyst roles.Both jobs have a good outlook and pay well as per the industry standards. However, you have to choose the course according to your talents and interests. If you are exploring data analytics and business analytics courses. You can give this Data Analytics and Business Analytics Course a shot. It teaches you how to leverage GenAI tools and prepares you for real-world job market demand.