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Careers in business intelligence

Michael Feder

Written by Michael Feder

Kathryn Uhles

Reviewed byKathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP,Dean, College of Business and IT

Business intelligence (BI) focuses on collecting, organizing and analyzing data related to a company’s activities. Business intelligence activities can be performed by people with several different job titles. Take at look at which one appeals to you.

What is business intelligence?

Business intelligence (BI) focuses on collecting, organizing and analyzing data related to a company’s activities. Business intelligence and business analytics are closely related, cross-functional disciplines. BI generally refers to the to collect and transform data into useful insights. Analytics, meanwhile, encompasses the specific data-science methodology within that system, which business analysts employ to find and interpret information from raw data.
The widespread adoption of BI means there are many specialties to choose from depending on your interests, skills, experience and knowledge.
BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032, are published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to ۴ý students or graduates.

Valuable skills for business intelligence professionals

Business intelligence careers require both hard and soft skills, which you can acquire through education and experience. Here is a look at skills needed in these in-demand specialties:

  • Technical skillscan include knowledge of general programming languages like Python and C++ and data-specific coding systems like SQL and R.
  • Software knowledgeis also essential. You will likely have to work with BI platforms like Tableau, Oracle BI or SAS Analytics.
  • Math and statisticsare important for all BI jobs, especially those involving modeling and forecasting.
  • Knowledge of industry-specific processescan be extremely helpful. The nuances and requirements for specific business operations can guide your analysis and ensure you account for necessary variables during your research.
  • Communication skillsare vital for all BI specialties. Regardless of the subject of your analysis, you will always need to present your findings to company decision-makers concisely.
  • Critical-thinking skillswill give you the requisite problem-solving skills to guide your analysis and help you interpret data in a useful way.

A combination of postsecondary education, internships, self-study and on-the-job experience is necessary to gain the diverse skills needed to succeed in business intelligence.

Types of business intelligence jobs

Computer systems analyst

Acomputer systems analystcollects data and studies IT-related processesfor a company. In this career, you look at existing systems and find ways to cut costs and increase efficiency. You can also deploy new tools, such as AI software, to automate specific functions.

As a computer systems analyst, you might suggest and test new systems, processes or hardware to see if it offers improvements over the current IT structure. You then create presentations and instructions so that non-technical staff can effectively use these tools.

As of May 2023, computer systems analysts earned between $63,230 and $165,700, with a median wage of$103,800, . You typically need a bachelor’s degree in a field likecomputer science.

Because almost every industry relies on digital infrastructure for daily operations, the demand for specialists in this field is projected to.

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of ۴ý. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. ۴ý does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

Financial analyst

Financial analystsare data analysts who study the money-related aspects of a business. In this BI-based career, you may examine current financial statements and find areas for improvement. As a financial analyst, you canfocus on investments, asset allocation or the expendituresof daily business operations.

Though you can qualify for a financial analyst job with anaccounting degree, the two professions are different. Accountants focus on record-keeping, reporting, compliance and budgeting. Financial analysts, on the other hand, look for ways to increase profits, decrease spending and invest income and assets more wisely. Degrees in finance or business can also help you qualify for this BI specialty.

As of May 2023, qualified financial analysts earned between$60,830 and $175,840, with a median wage of $99,010, .

Demand for financial analysts is projected to.

Management analyst

focus on improving a company’s operations, organization and decision-making processes through data-driven strategies. This is a broad data analyst career that can overlap with other BI specialties. For example, some management analysts may work on projects that involve financial analysis or higher-level operations research.

Specialists in this field aim to improve management decision-making or specific aspects of operations. For example, some BI professionals may concentrate on an area like inventory or human resources management. Others vary their focus from project to project.

Management analysts earnedas of May 2021, depending on experience, industry and location, according to BLS.

This field is projected tobetween 2021 and 2031.

Market research analyst

use consumer data to help companies understand and define their target market better. As a market research analyst, you will work with existing data to find trends and then create forecasts. This can be invaluable for planning the development and release of a new product or service.

In this specialty, you may also assess the effectiveness of current outreach or advertising campaigns using marketing analytics. As with all BI specialties, part of the job involves presenting findings in a non-technical report.

As of May 2023, market research analysts earned between$63,230, and $165,700, with a median wage of$103,800, .

Demand for qualified applicants is projected to.

Operations research analyst

An uses BI tools to focus on improving business processes. Depending on the industry and nature of a company’s processes, this specialty can overlap with other BI fields.

Operations research analysts can come from a technical (math or computer science) or business background. A well-rounded education that brings both hard and soft skills is essential for succeeding in this career.

As of May 2023, operations research analysts earned between $52,930 and $148,920, with a median wage of$83,640, .

BLS projects between 2023 and 2033.

Pursuing a career in business intelligence

A starting point on the journey to a career in business intelligence may be aBachelor of Science in Business degreeprogram, which imparts fundamental business skills. A statistics, math orcomputer science degreecan also be useful if you would like to focus on the technical aspects of business intelligence.

Undergraduate or postgraduate certificate programscan effectively supplement your knowledge in business or technical areas by focusing on the basics of a target subject.

Another option is to get aninternshipor entry-level job where you can learn the skills through hands-on experience.

Earn a degree in business at ۴ý

If you’re eager to build your business knowledge and skill set, ۴ý offers a variety of business degree options. These are:

Want to know about these and other business degrees? Request more info.

Headshot of Michael Feder

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at ۴ý where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.

Headshot of Kathryn Uhles

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Currently Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology,Kathryn Uhles has served ۴ý in a variety of roles since 2006. Prior to joining ۴ý, Kathryn taught fifth grade to underprivileged youth in ۴ý.

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