Business analyst

Business analysts investigate situations and problems to find improvements for businesses.

Also known as: Process analyst, business systems analyst

• Starter salary£23,000 a year
• Experienced£55,000 a year
• Typical hours37 to 39 a week
• Green jobPotential

What you'll do

You could:

• speak to managers to learn what their business needs are
• write down what the business does and how
• analyse your findings to suggest changes and improvements
• explain the possible effects of changes, such as the costs, benefits and risks
• organise testing and quality checks
• support staff to make changes

Working environment

You could work in an office or at a client's business.

Skills and knowledge you'll need

You'll need:

• business management skills
• analytical thinking skills
• knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
• to be flexible and open to change
• the ability to use your initiative
• customer service skills
• the ability to work well with others
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications

How to become a business analyst

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

University

Any degree that teaches analytical skills can be useful for this role.

Some employers might prefer you to have a degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject such as:

• business information systems
• business management
• computing and systems development
• computer science

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

Apprenticeship

You could gain some of the skills and knowledge needed for this role through an apprenticeship.

For example, you could do the Business Analyst Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship or the Project Manager Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Direct application

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got several years' experience in project management, consulting or IT.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could:

• become a business project manager
• work as a consultant
• work in different industries
• set up your own company
• work freelance

Career tips

To become a business analyst, it might be useful to know about agile project management or other similar methods.

Guides for this industry

• Administration: pay, interviews and getting started →

Related roles

• Job roleManagement consultant
• Job roleBusiness project manager
• Job roleSystems analyst
• Job roleSocial media manager
• Job roleBusiness adviser

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0