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.
Also called: Analytical Data Miner, Business Analyst, Business Consultant, Business Data Analyst, Business Database Analyst, Business Information Analyst
Median pay
$120,230
Pay for the broader BLS group “Data Scientists”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$67,240 – $199,130
People employed
262,440
Whole BLS group
Holland code
CIE
Conventional · Investigative · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 2.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 3.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
- 4.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 5.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 6.Do you want the same hours every week?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Business Intelligence Analysts pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (48 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Data Scientists”.
What business intelligence analysts do
- 01Generate standard or custom reports summarizing business, financial, or economic data for review by executives, managers, clients, and other stakeholders.
- 02Maintain or update business intelligence tools, databases, dashboards, systems, or methods.
- 03Manage timely flow of business intelligence information to users.
- 04Provide technical support for existing reports, dashboards, or other tools.
- 05Identify and analyze industry or geographic trends with business strategy implications.
- 06Document specifications for business intelligence or information technology reports, dashboards, or other outputs.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
Knowledge
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from business intelligence analysts
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists92% · —
- Statistical Assistants90% · —
- Search Marketing Strategists89% · group pay
- Document Management Specialists88% · group pay
- Management Analysts86% · —
Change into business intelligence analysts
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists92% · $78,760
- Statistical Assistants90% · $50,330
- Management Analysts89% · $101,860
- Search Marketing Strategists89% · $78,760
- Financial Quantitative Analysts88% · $81,100
Majors that lead here
- Artificial Intelligence
- Information Technology
- Computer Science
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
- Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- Bioinformatics
- Computational Biology
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other
- Mathematics, General
- Applied Mathematics, General
- Computational Mathematics
- Computational and Applied Mathematics
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.