Business Intelligence Analysts
Also called Business Intelligence Analyst (BI Analyst), Competitive Intelligence Analyst, Intelligence Analyst, or Market Intelligence Consultant
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Business Intelligence Analysts do
You pull numbers out of company databases and turn them into clear reports and charts that help executives decide what to do next.
Business intelligence analysts answer questions with data. A manager wants to know which products sold best in the Midwest in the last three months, or whether a competitor is moving into your market. You pull the numbers from the company's databases, check they are right, and build a report or a dashboard (a screen of charts that updates on its own) so people can see the answer.
A big part of the job is steady, careful upkeep: keeping reports running on schedule, fixing them when they break, and helping people use them. Another important part is explaining. You write, present, and listen closely to what someone actually needs before you build anything. Curiosity and order both matter here.
A day in the life
You start with email and messages: a report failed overnight, and a sales director wants a new view of regional numbers. You fix the broken report first, then write code that asks the database for the sales figures and make sure the numbers make sense. Mid-morning you meet the director face to face, or on a call, to pin down what she really wants to see. Afternoon is quieter. You build the dashboard, write down exactly what it measures so others can follow it, and test it against figures you already trust. Before you leave you send a note telling users what changed. You are indoors, climate controlled, and sitting for most of it.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like finding the pattern hidden in a messy pile of numbers
- ✓Can explain something technical to someone who is not technical
- ✓Enjoy keeping things accurate, organized, and on schedule
- ✓Want work that mixes quiet screen time with regular meetings
- ✓Are willing to keep learning new tools throughout your career
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to be on your feet or outdoors most of the day
- –Lose patience with repetitive upkeep like fixing and rerunning reports
- –Dislike being interrupted by requests and technical support questions
- –Would rather not spend years on a bachelor's degree first
How people get in
- 1Build comfort with math, spreadsheets, and writing clearly while you are still in school.
- 2Earn a bachelor's degree, which is the typical way in. Common paths include computer science, information technology, management science, mathematics, and econometrics and quantitative economics (using math and data to study the economy).
- 3Learn to pull data out of databases using query code, and practice turning the results into charts and short written summaries.
- 4Make two or three sample dashboards or reports from public data so you have something concrete to show employers.
- 5Look for internships or entry-level data and reporting roles, where you usually work alongside more experienced analysts before running projects yourself.
- 6Practice presenting your findings out loud. Speaking, listening, and writing carry as much weight here as the technical side.
Who tends to enjoy it
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Leading
People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.
Official task list
Business Intelligence Analysts produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources. (O*NET)
- Generate standard or custom reports summarizing business, financial, or economic data for review by executives, managers, clients, and other stakeholders.
- Maintain or update business intelligence tools, databases, dashboards, systems, or methods.
- Manage timely flow of business intelligence information to users.
- Provide technical support for existing reports, dashboards, or other tools.
- Identify and analyze industry or geographic trends with business strategy implications.
- Document specifications for business intelligence or information technology reports, dashboards, or other outputs.
- Create business intelligence tools or systems, including design of related databases, spreadsheets, or outputs.
- Collect business intelligence data from available industry reports, public information, field reports, or purchased sources.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Writing
What you'll need to know
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
How much Business Intelligence Analysts make
The median pay for Business Intelligence Analysts in the U.S. is $120,230 a year ($57.80 an hour). Most earn between $67,240 and $199,130. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Washington ($163,350) and lowest in Mississippi ($69,490).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $103,120 | 1,740 |
| Alaska | $84,110 | 230 |
| Arizona | $107,240 | 4,560 |
| Arkansas | $109,390 | 530 |
| California | $141,590 | 39,310 |
| Colorado | $117,400 | 6,280 |
| Connecticut | $126,340 | 1,760 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 | 2,680 |
| Florida | $115,820 | 10,240 |
| Georgia | $104,340 | 9,260 |
| Hawaii | $102,130 | 300 |
| Idaho | $89,380 | 1,350 |
| Illinois | $106,560 | 10,520 |
| Indiana | $91,470 | 3,580 |
| Iowa | $95,830 | 2,300 |
| Kansas | $98,130 | 490 |
| Kentucky | $91,760 | 1,540 |
| Louisiana | $78,760 | 1,300 |
| Maine | $90,880 | 1,210 |
| Maryland | $136,370 | 3,340 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 | 9,420 |
| Michigan | $100,590 | 7,360 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 | 4,020 |
| Mississippi | $69,490 | 440 |
| Missouri | $97,090 | 4,730 |
| Montana | $100,490 | 220 |
| Nebraska | $98,230 | 1,980 |
| Nevada | $98,540 | 1,680 |
| New Hampshire | $100,620 | 1,100 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 | 6,430 |
| New Mexico | $95,850 | 560 |
| New York | $130,460 | 23,970 |
| North Carolina | $119,090 | 11,430 |
| North Dakota | $81,900 | 210 |
| Ohio | $102,630 | 6,100 |
| Oklahoma | $86,310 | 1,900 |
| Oregon | $125,990 | 2,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $106,850 | 13,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $80,350 | 100 |
| Rhode Island | $102,440 | 1,160 |
| South Carolina | $91,990 | 3,750 |
| South Dakota | $96,150 | 220 |
| Tennessee | $100,330 | 2,790 |
| Texas | $122,090 | 25,860 |
| Utah | $108,090 | 4,360 |
| Vermont | $127,070 | 200 |
| Virginia | $126,430 | 8,920 |
| Washington | $163,350 | 9,600 |
| West Virginia | $85,090 | 390 |
| Wisconsin | $106,680 | 4,370 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Computer Science 1,091 colleges
- Information Technology 783 colleges
- Management Science 407 colleges
- Mathematics 1,482 colleges
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 314 colleges
- Business Analytics 212 colleges
- Statistics 226 colleges
- Data Science 320 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 15-2051.01, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 15-2051. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.