Business Intelligence Analysts: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of business intelligence analysts about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for business intelligence analysts to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of business intelligence analysts expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for business intelligence analysts.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Business Intelligence Analysts?
Do business intelligence analysts need a degree? What kind of experience do business intelligence analysts typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for business intelligence analysts to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Business Intelligence Analysts
Jobs Postings for Business Intelligence Analysts By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 193,561 (47%)
- Master's degree: 93,420 (23%)
- No Education Listed: 79,476 (19%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 33,409 (8%)
- High School or GED: 14,657 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of business intelligence analysts. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 47% of positions. In 23% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 19% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Business Intelligence Analysts
Jobs Postings for Business Intelligence Analysts By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 22,119 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 78,732 (35%)
- 4-6 Years: 80,389 (36%)
- 7-9 Years: 24,931 (11%)
- 10+ Years: 17,430 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for business intelligence analysts. In 36% of job postings for Business Intelligence Analysts, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 35% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 11% of job postings for business intelligence analysts.
What Kind of Degree Do Business Intelligence Analysts Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for business intelligence analysts, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 22 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective business intelligence analysts, and in 2021 a total of 53,874 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective business intelligence analysts.
Top Degree Programs for Business Intelligence Analysts
Top 5 Degree Programs for Business Intelligence Analysts (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Mathematics, General. | 29,750 |
| Statistics, General. | 8,501 |
| Applied Mathematics, General. | 4,658 |
| Financial Mathematics. | 4,612 |
| Computational Science. | 1,344 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Mathematics, General. | 29,750 |
| Statistics, General. | 8,501 |
| Applied Mathematics, General. | 4,658 |
| Financial Mathematics. | 4,612 |
| Computational Science. | 1,344 |
| Computational and Applied Mathematics. | 1,164 |
| Business Analytics. | 823 |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other. | 644 |
| Data Science, General. | 526 |
| Data Analytics, General. | 493 |
| Applied Statistics, General. | 464 |
| Computational Mathematics. | 380 |
| Applied Mathematics, Other. | 250 |
| Computational Biology. | 209 |
| Data Science, Other. | 15 |
| Financial Analytics. | 13 |
| Mathematical Economics. | 10 |
| Data Analytics, Other. | 7 |
| Linguistics and Computer Science. | 6 |
| Data Visualization. | 2 |
| Economics and Computer Science. | 2 |
| Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics. | 1 |
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Degree Options for Business Intelligence Analysts
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 19
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Class Type: Face-to-face, Online coursework
- Months To Complete: 18
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Business Intelligence Analysts Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by business intelligence analysts to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for business intelligence analysts, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Business Intelligence Analysts
Based on 311,020 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Business Intelligence Analysts
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Analysis | 157,262 | 51% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 135,565 | 44% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 109,483 | 35% |
| Data Science | 99,252 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 91,303 | 29% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Business Intelligence Analysts
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 136,395 | 44% |
| Management | 97,068 | 31% |
| Leadership | 73,780 | 24% |
| Problem Solving | 72,939 | 23% |
| Research | 71,539 | 23% |
Based on 311,020 job postings related to business intelligence analysts, data analysis was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sql (programming language), python (programming language), data science, computer science and tableau (business intelligence software) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for business intelligence analysts, followed by management, leadership, problem solving, research and mathematics.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Analysis | 157,262 | 51% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 135,565 | 44% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 109,483 | 35% |
| Data Science | 99,252 | 32% |
| Computer Science | 91,303 | 29% |
| Tableau (Business Intelligence Software) | 73,604 | 24% |
| Machine Learning | 70,827 | 23% |
| R (Programming Language) | 69,632 | 22% |
| Statistics | 60,864 | 20% |
| Business Intelligence | 60,620 | 19% |
| Dashboard | 60,084 | 19% |
| Data Visualization | 53,637 | 17% |
| Project Management | 53,488 | 17% |
| Power BI | 50,824 | 16% |
| Finance | 45,340 | 15% |
| Data Modeling | 41,182 | 13% |
| Data Management | 37,820 | 12% |
| Marketing | 37,205 | 12% |
| Economics | 33,817 | 11% |
| Agile Methodology | 33,480 | 11% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 136,395 | 44% |
| Management | 97,068 | 31% |
| Leadership | 73,780 | 24% |
| Problem Solving | 72,939 | 23% |
| Research | 71,539 | 23% |
| Mathematics | 67,032 | 22% |
| Operations | 64,431 | 21% |
| Microsoft Excel | 64,072 | 21% |
| Detail Oriented | 54,879 | 18% |
| Presentations | 54,102 | 17% |
| Writing | 53,927 | 17% |
| Innovation | 40,919 | 13% |
| Planning | 40,045 | 13% |
| Decision Making | 38,433 | 12% |
| Customer Service | 37,080 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 34,392 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 34,011 | 11% |
| Microsoft Office | 33,676 | 11% |
| Sales | 33,544 | 11% |
| Analytical Skills | 31,395 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about business intelligence analysts? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for business intelligence analysts.
What do business intelligence analysts do?
How much do business intelligence analysts make?
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