Business intelligence analysts use data to help businesses navigate decisions. Once you have the necessary skills, there are several paths you can take to become one.
Business intelligence (BI) analytics refers to the processes businesses and data professionals use to collect, analyze, and report on data to make informed, data-driven decisions. Working in business analytics means using business intelligence tools, which continue to advance significantly as technology improves.
In 1958, BI came onto the scene using technology to collect data related to businesses. It has grown since then, becoming indispensable for businesses in today's data-rich environment. Here, you'll learn more about what business intelligence analysts do, how much they earn, and how to become one.
Ready to explore a career as a business intelligence analyst? Consider enrolling in the IBM Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst Professional Certificate—no degree or experience is required to start learning today.
A business intelligence analyst, also known as a BI analyst, uses data and other information to help organizations make sound business decisions.
Though exact job descriptions can vary, a business intelligence analyst’s role can be broadly broken down into three parts:
Breaking down key business data: A business intelligence analyst might gather, clean, and analyze data like revenue, sales, market information, or customer engagement metrics of a business. BI analysts can also be asked to program tools and data models to help visualize or monitor data.
Interpreting the data: Finding patterns or seeing areas in the data that signal a potential for improvement in business practices is a key part of a BI analyst’s job. For example, a BI analyst might analyze market trends to understand how a company might need to adapt its product.
Sharing findings: Sharing findings can include anything from visualizing data in graphs and charts, to putting reports together and presenting in front of other teams or clients. Business intelligence analysts will also make recommendations to improve or grow the business based on their findings.
A business intelligence analyst in the US makes an average salary of $115,446, according to Glassdoor [1]. This figure combines base pay with additional compensation such as tips, commissions, cash bonuses, and profit sharing.
Compare the business intelligence analyst salary to that of similar roles:
Role | Salary |
---|---|
Data analyst | $90,895 |
Business analyst | $103,709 |
Product analyst | $113,470 |
Business intelligence consultant | $139,630 |
Senior business intelligence analyst | $147,377 |
Business intelligence architect | $162,628 |
Business intelligence manager | $159,900 |
Business analysts, not to be confused with BI analysts, also analyze information to make recommendations to improve a business. But while BI analysts deal more directly with data to find insights, business analysts typically deal with the practical applications of those insights.
Read more: Data Analyst vs. Business Analyst: What’s the Difference?
Business intelligence analysts can get their careers started in analytical roles like data analyst. They can go on to become business intelligence consultants, business intelligence architects, managers, or other senior positions.
Here are skills a BI analyst typically has and the paths you can take to acquire them.
Database tools: Working with data will be a key part of your job. Knowing how to manage data using common data tools such as Excel and SQL are essential. Familiarity with data analysis tools that offer machine learning solutions has also become an increasingly sought-after skill among BI analysts.
Data visualization: Knowledge of services like Tableau and Power BI are often cited in job descriptions as important skills to have. These tools help create graphs and other visualizations of data.
Coding languages: As a BI analyst, you can be asked to create systems or processes to help analyze data and monitor key aspects of the business. Familiarity with coding languages like Python, Java, or R is often sought after in job listings.
Financial and business knowledge: A good understanding of business practices and finance will be critical to providing insights on improving the business.
Communication: A business intelligence analyst often speaks in front of teams or creates written reports in order to share findings. Having the written and verbal communication skills to synthesize research and recommendations is often core to the role.
Watch the video to understand the data analyst ecosystem and preview the IBM certificate:
Read more: 5 SQL Certifications for Your Data Career
There are several paths you can take to become a business intelligence analyst.
Professional certificates or online courses: A professional certificate or course are good ways to build needed skills like data analysis or familiarity with Power BI. Often with no previous related experience required, certificates or online courses can offer the flexibility needed to learn a new field while not disrupting your life. The University of Colorado offers a Data Warehouse Business Intelligence Specialization on Coursera that can teach you the essentials of business intelligence analysis.
You can also become a Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP) if you have two or more years of experience in computer information systems, data modeling, systems analysis, or a related field.
Read through a list of SQL and database certifications. You might also consider Google’s professional certificate in data analytics.
Bachelor’s degrees: A bachelor’s degree can bring you both the technical and critical thinking skills needed of a BI analyst. Focus your studies on a quantitative field like finance, mathematics, or data science.
Master’s degrees: A master’s degree can build on your previous experience and education to pivot you into a business intelligence analyst role. It’s a good idea to take your past experience into consideration in deciding what field is best for your master’s.
If you’ve worked in business for several years and need a stronger background in data, a master’s in data science might suit your needs. If you have a solid understanding of data analysis but need better business understanding, an MBA program with a focus on business analytics might be what you’re looking for.
To launch your business intelligence career, consider building foundational data analytics skills with the IBM Business Intelligence Analyst Professional Certificate. You'll gain a comprehensive skill building experience by learning data visualization and dashboards, using Excel for data analysis, and applying SQL to query databases.
学士学位是商业智能分析师最常见的入门要求。 通过主修统计学、工商管理、计算机科学或相关专业,开始培养工作中需要的技能。 有些商业智能分析师可能会继续攻读工商管理硕士(MBA)或数据科学研究生学位。
商业智能开发人员是通过开发报表、查询和可视化工具、交互式仪表盘和界面来为组织提供支持的人员。 如果你对商业智能的技术方面感兴趣,可以考虑成为一名商业智能开发人员。
如果你对商业战略和数据分析技术都感兴趣,那么商业智能可能是一个值得考虑的领域。 商业智能分析师的收入也往往高于其他 IT 专业人员,而且各行各业都需要他们。
Glassdoor. "Business Intelligence Analyst Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/business-intelligence-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,29.htm." Accessed May 16, 2025.
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