How to Become a Business Intelligence Analyst

Companies create data through everything they do, from the individuals they interact with the to the products and services they manufacture and promote. These actions generate valuable information that can inform critical business choices. Data scientists have the knowledge and skills to parse through this information to uncover insights and using them to boost efficiency, streamline operations, and minimize expenses. In the world of business, these professionals are typically referred to as business intelligence (BI) analysts.

For a simple example, let’s consider a fitness center that offers a variety of memberships with associated perks. The center can track member traffic and class attendance to align staffing schedules with high-volume times. They can send surveys to members to devise personal training initiatives that are tailored to clients’ specific needs. All of this information (and more) is already available to the fitness center’s decision-makers — they just have to know how to use it. That’s where business intelligence comes in.

Business Intelligence Analyst Job Outlook

Business intelligence analysts apply data science principles to the raw data generated by company operations. They use a variety of tools and techniques to sift through the information, pinpointing areas for enhancement and opportunities for growth. Their specialized expertise is highly sought after: the employment outlook for management analysts is projected to grow by 10 percent from 2022 to 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

If you are a tech-savvy and inquisitive metrics-oriented multi-tasker, you could make a great business intelligence analyst. But first, it helps to understand the basics of this exciting profession. This article will discuss potential earnings and job titles, as well as the educational options to help you start or advance your BI analyst career. 

What Is a Business Intelligence Analyst?

Business intelligence analysts rely on a blend of analytical abilities and technical knowledge to sort through the vast amounts of data produced by business operations. While their general responsibilities revolve around identifying areas for business improvement, the specifics can vary. Some of the more common tasks BI analysts perform include:

• Preparing reports using tools like Tableau, Google Analytics, and HubSpot
• Using artificial intelligence tools like Microsoft Power BI, Sisense, or Qlik
• Analyzing customer or market data with tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Sprout Social
• Creating and managing databases using tools like SQL, MongoDB, and Google Cloud
• Developing information models with tools like Lucidchart, SQL Database Modeler, and Oracle SQL Developer

Interpersonal abilities are just as critical to a BI analyst’s success as hard skills — with a particular importance placed on effective communication. It’s important to remember that business stakeholders and decision-makers may not be versed in analytics jargon. It’s important that a business analyst can communicate their findings and recommendations using language that is accessible to all. Other important soft skills for BI analysts include time management, problem solving, and critical thinking abilities.

Curious about the industries that are hiring business intelligence analysts? Top employers of BI analysts include professional, scientific, and technical services; government; finance and insurance; and large corporations.

Why Become a Business Intelligence Analyst?

Business intelligence analysts aren’t just in demand across industries; according to the BLS, the median annual wage for management analysts was $95,290 in 2022. For management analysts in Arizona, the BLS reported an annual mean wage of $97,980 in 2023.

Analysts in professional, scientific, and technical services reported average earnings of $101,900, while those in government-related roles earned an average of $85,280 in the same year.

Business Intelligence Analyst Job Titles

It’s important to understand the BI analyst landscape before pursuing any related education. This can give you a clear idea around various job requirements and responsibilities, and help you familiarize yourself with various terms and titles used in job listings. 

The University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Business Analytics Certificate Course, in collaboration with Ziplines Education, covers a robust curriculum that can help you prepare for many in-demand roles, including:

• Business analyst: Evaluates and analyzes systems requirements, delivers status reports, and troubleshoots problems related to system optimization.
• Business operations specialist: Monitors and reports on business performance, and recommends improvements when appropriate.
• Business intelligence engineer: Designs, implements, and maintains company systems for collecting, storing, and analyzing internal data.
• Sales manager: Reviews and analyzes sales records, using data to project sales and profitability, and identify new markets.
• Operations analyst: Reviews company data and builds reports that include recommendations for improving business outcomes.
• Associate data analyst: Collects and analyzes data to uncover trends and patterns, assists in creating and maintaining databases, and conducts market research.
• Finance analyst: Evaluates current and historical financial data, studies economic and industry trends, and identifies opportunities to generate profit.
• Data scientist: Applies mathematical, problem-solving, and coding skills to manage big data and extract valuable insights.
• Data engineer: Builds and maintains a company’s data infrastructure, ensuring that data is accurate and available to those who need it. Stepping stone to data architect roles.

For learners who have a background in data analytics or data science, exploring advanced BI analyst roles may be an appropriate next step. You might consider working with big data, or work toward advancing your career and becoming a BI Director, Chief Data Officer (CDO), or Executive Consultant.

Importance of Business Intelligence Analysts

Every business creates data, whether or not they keep track of it. By bringing in a business intelligence analyst, business leaders can get the support they need to conduct important data analysis to decide if it’s useful.

Let’s go back to the fitness center example we used earlier. Imagine that the fitness center owner is interested in offering a new group class to increase membership retention. A business intelligence analyst may request data related to the current class schedule and attendance to look for patterns in class type, duration, and timeslot. They might go into specific member data to identify more granular trends and determine any correlations. Once they’ve reviewed the information, the BI analyst may recommend increasing the number of weekend and evening classes to accommodate more working members. Or, they may recommend offering live-streamed classes for members who can’t always make it to the fitness center.

Similarly, if the fitness center owner wants to cut back on overhead costs, the BI analyst will evaluate weekly and monthly financial trends to uncover any unnecessary or duplicate spending.

Become a Business Intelligence Analyst in 4 Steps

Are you ready to delve into the world of business intelligence? With the proper education, skills, and experience, you can distinguish yourself as a high-caliber candidate when applying for jobs. Whether you’re starting fresh or advancing in your journey toward business intelligence, we’ve crafted a roadmap to guide you toward becoming a certified business intelligence professional.

Step 1: Develop Business Intelligence Analyst Skills

Before you can officially start learning business intelligence skills, it’s important to assess your existing experience and background. Check out the table below to see where you fit in and discover the educational pathways suited to your unique situation.

Even if you don’t have formal business intelligence experience, you may have practical experience from your schooling or career. Individuals with a background in computer science, data mining, data collection, or artificial intelligence may already have many of the skills needed to perform common entry-level business intelligence analyst responsibilities.

Earning a certificate related to business intelligence activities and tools can further set you apart when applying for jobs. Some of the more popular certifications available include:

• Tableau Desktop Specialist: This certification validates core knowledge and skills related to Tableau Desktop. There are no prerequisites for this exam.
• Google Business Intelligence Professional Certificate: This certification demonstrates possession of the necessary skills for a business intelligence career. There are no prerequisites for this exam.
• Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate: This certification indicates strong proficiency across the technical skills and BI tools used for business analysis. Applicants must complete prerequisite training to qualify for this exam.
• Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®): This certification recognizes leading, senior members of the business analyst community with extensive experience. Applicants must have at least 10 years of relevant work experience to qualify for this exam.
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA): This certification highlights in-demand business analysis skills. Applicants must meet educational, experience, and training requirements to qualify for this exam.

The University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Business Analytics Certificate Course, in collaboration with Ziplines Education, is a promising option for learners interested in becoming Tableau Desktop Specialist certified. The 10-week program covers important knowledge and skills relevant to a wide range of roles, and prepares you to take the Tableau certification exam prior to completion.

In addition to earning the proper education and certifications to align with your business intelligence career goals, it’s just as important to incorporate continuous learning into your long-term plan. This will ensure that you:

• Stay aware of recent data anlaysis trends, tools, and technologies.
• Enhance your technical skills and remain effective in your role.
• Remain flexible in adapting to new industry challenges and changes.
• Keep up with industry developments to open up career advancement opportunities.
• Differentiate yourself from industry peers in a competitive job market.
• Have the knowledge and skills to take on new projects and responsibilities.
• Foster a growth mindset and stimulate your curiosity throughout your career.

Staying competitive as a certified business intelligence professional can also increase your earning potential. Learners who achieve long-term goals may be able to command a higher business intelligence analyst salary than those who do not invest in ongoing education.

Step 2: Gain Relevant Experience

Once you’ve completed your business intelligence education, you can start looking for ways to gain relevant experience in real-world settings. You might apply for internships or apprenticeships with businesses you’re interested in working for, learn while working through a co-op program, or even jump into the official job search and apply for entry-level analytics roles.

A portfolio of your work is another great way to supplement your resume and experience. It shows employers what you’re capable of and how you apply the skills you’ve learned to BI analyst projects and assignments. While it may be difficult at the start, try to tailor your portfolio to jobs and industries you want to work in. For instance, if you’re interested in more traditional analyst roles, you might include projects that showcase approach to applying data mining skills on complex data sets. Conversely, if you’re seeking project management roles, you may present your work as a case study to explain your thought process.

Building industry connections is a vital step in transitioning or advancing to a BI analyst role. In addition to any networking opportunities offered through your chosen degree or certificate program, you may find it helpful to reach out for mentorship from a trusted individual whose career path inspires you. These connections can pave the way for future job opportunities while keeping you informed about important industry developments.

Step 3: Specialize for Your Chosen Industry

Employers often seek candidates with specialized skills and deep expertise in a particular area within business analytics. Specializing your knowledge is one of the easiest ways to enhance your attractiveness as a BI analyst job candidate. Furthermore, the methods for data collection, analysis, and visualization can differ based on the industry you choose. 

As we mentioned earlier in this article, some of the top industries hiring business intelligence analysts and their responsibilities include:

• Professional services: BI analysts working in consulting, accounting, legal services, or marketing work closely with clients to understand their unique challenges and deliver data-driven solutions.
• Sciences: BI analysts working in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, biotechnology, or environmental sciences work with complex datasets to generate insights that drive innovations and improve outcomes.
• Technology: BI analysts working in software, IT services, telecommunications, or hardware work with large volumes of data to enhance business outcomes and promote innovation.
• Government: BI analysts working in government agencies, public health, law enforcement, or government finance work with diverse stakeholders to address complex challenges and improve citizens’ wellbeing.
• Finance: BI analysts working in banking, investment management, insurance, or financial services work with complex financial datasets to drive business growth, manage risks, and deliver value to clients.
• Insurance: BI analysts working as actuaries, claims analysts, customer analysts, or risk management analysts collaborate with stakeholders to manage risks and improve efficiencies.
• Corporate business: BI analysts working in sales, supply chain management, or human resources work across different functional areas to drive strategic decision-making and organizational performance.
• Health services: BI analysts working as an informatics specialist, population health analyst, or performance improvement analyst drive informed decision-making to enhance patient care and optimize processes.

Specializing in your preferred industry can provide you with a competitive edge and allow you to pursue a career path that aligns with your interests and offers opportunities for advancement. For instance, an aspiring data engineer may opt to take supplemental courses that focus on data warehousing skills, whereas a market research analyst may require skills related to data governance and data analysis.

Step 4: Apply for Business Intelligence Analyst Jobs

This is the step you’ve been preparing for! Your credentials, practical experience, internships, and projects have all led to the critical step of applying for business intelligence analyst positions.

At this point, you probably know the titles and industries you’re best suited for. As you begin your search, note the postings that align with your skills and interests, along with the particular responsibilities associated with each one. Learners in the University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Business Analytics Certificate Course, in collaboration with Ziplines Education, can learn helpful tips for customizing their resume to each job description, including using tech-friendly formatting and unique formatting to set themselves apart from other applicants.

You can also work toward completing important career readiness milestones through the career advice and support services offered through the program. This includes:

• LinkedIn profile optimization: Your career coach will identify ways that your professional presence attracts the right kinds of employers and gets attention on your profile.
• Small group workshops: Your career coach will provide you and your peers with career advice related to becoming a certified business intelligence professional.
• Career coaching: Your career coach will support you during the full job search process, answering any questions you may have along the way.
• Mock interviews and negotiations: Your career coach will help you polish your answers to interview questions and ensure you understand the job outlook for your chosen career path.

The on-demand modules, resources, and workshops are designed to help learners navigate the interview and post-interview, maximize their earnings, and transform their career.

This is also the time to start leveraging those professional networks and relationships you’ve built throughout your educational and professional journey. Sometimes, an act as simple as sending a clear and thoughtful message through LinkedIn can result in an interview and even getting hired.

The Business Analytics Certificate Course at Arizona

Ready to start your journey toward becoming a BI analyst? The University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Business Analytics Certificate Course, in collaboration with Ziplines Education, can help you accelerate your career with a foundation in both business and analytics. The curriculum covers in-demand topics, such as:

• Introduction to Business Analytics
• Data Modeling
• Basics of SQL
• Data Visualization Technology and Fundamentals
• Career Planning and Future of Business Analytics
• AI and Machine Learning in Business Analytics

The 10-week course is completely virtual, offering the flexibility toi learn on your own schedule while engaging in practical, hands-on exercises. Throughout the program, you’ll gain experience using BI tools with complex data, and receive personalized feedback from industry professionals. Upon completion of the course, you’ll be equipped to take the Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification Exam.

Start or Advance Your Business Intelligence Analyst Career

Whether you’re just getting started on your business intelligence analyst career journey, or you’re a seasoned professional looking to gain in-demand skills for the modern workforce, it’s possible to reach your goals in four simple steps.

Interested in learning more about the University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Business Analytics Certificate Course, in collaboration with Ziplines Education? Visit the Business Analytics Certificate Course website or, if you prefer to speak with an advisor, schedule a call to discuss the curriculum and available payment options.