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What is a business analyst-consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Rebecca Sarver,
Jana Carpenter
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A business analyst-consultant specializes in analyzing business operations and developing strategies for improvement. These analysts work as consultants for a variety of companies to identify areas of inefficiency, opportunities for growth, and ways to increase profitability. Business analyst-consultants use market research to develop recommendations for clients, and provide guidance on project management to ensure that projects are executed successfully. Business analyst-consultant are responsible for helping businesses operate more effectively and efficiently.

What general advice would you give to a Business Analyst-Consultant?

Rebecca SarverRebecca Sarver LinkedIn profile

Lecturer in Human Services Studies, Elmira College

Listen more than you talk. There is so much to be learned from clients, seasoned human service workers, and the community that you work within. By listening and observing versus always feeling compelled to speak, you will learn job skills, people skills, and your clients' needs.
ScoreBusiness Analyst-ConsultantUS Average
Salary
7.0

Avg. Salary $90,127

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.8

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 14.47%

Black or African American 7.50%

Hispanic or Latino 8.50%

Unknown 4.45%

White 64.91%

Gender

female 46.86%

male 53.14%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.2

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a business analyst-consultant?

Pros

  • Exciting and varied work with potential for travel

  • Competitive salary and benefits due to high demand for business analyst-consultants

  • Opportunity for career growth and advancement

  • Ability to develop expertise in specific areas

  • Flexibility in scheduling and work location

Cons

  • Long hours and high pressure

  • May face resistance from clients or colleagues

  • May require extensive travel, which can be tiring and disruptive to personal life

  • May be required to work on weekends or holidays depending on client needs

  • Limited job security, as contracts may end abruptly

Business Analyst-Consultant career paths

Key steps to become a business analyst-consultant

  1. Explore business analyst-consultant education requirements

    Most common business analyst-consultant degrees

    Bachelor's

    69.2 %

    Master's

    20.7 %

    Associate

    6.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific business analyst-consultant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Strong Analytical9.54%
    Business Process7.72%
    Data Analysis6.80%
    Project Management6.76%
    Business Analysts6.12%
  3. Complete relevant business analyst-consultant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New business analyst-consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a business analyst-consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real business analyst-consultant resumes.
  4. Research business analyst-consultant duties and responsibilities

    • Create process flow charts in VISIO and perform analysis to automate manual daily load processes.
    • Monitor and manage project KPIs relative to the definition, design and delivery of business & functional requirements.
    • Manage UAT for provider locator website and call center replacement implementations.
    • Lead requirements discovery for third-party off-shore development team and facilitate JAD sessions to solidify requirements and build consensus for application design.
  5. Get business analyst-consultant experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a business analyst-consultant. The most common roles before becoming a business analyst-consultant include business analyst, senior business analyst team lead and consultant.
  6. Prepare your business analyst-consultant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your business analyst-consultant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a business analyst-consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable business analyst-consultant resume templates

    Build a professional business analyst-consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your business analyst-consultant resume.
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  7. Apply for business analyst-consultant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a business analyst-consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first business analyst-consultant job

Zippi

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Average business analyst-consultant salary

The average business analyst-consultant salary in the United States is $90,127 per year or $43 per hour. Business analyst-consultant salaries range between $66,000 and $122,000 per year.

Average Business Analyst-Consultant Salary
$90,127 Yearly
$43.33 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do business analyst-consultants rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

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Business Analyst-Consultant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

-interacting with end users or customers - delivering successful products or services

Cons

Managing projects or leading large projects as this makes the BA role difficult to do well


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

Challenges, problem-solving,communicating with differnet individuals

Cons

some daily monotonous aspects of job.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Cons

Distance from technology

Pros

Sitting in between business and data. Helped leadership to build strategy.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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