State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Business Intelligence Analyst Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Business Intelligence Analysts is $120,230 a year ($57.80/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 33.5% through 2034, with about 23,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 15-2051Computer and MathematicalLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $120,230
- Projected growth
- +33.5%
- Openings a year
- 23,400
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst (BI Analyst), Business Intelligence Consultant (BI Consultant), Business Intelligence Coordinator (BI Coordinator), Business Intelligence Specialist (BI Specialist), Competitive Intelligence Analyst.
How much do Business Intelligence Analysts make?
10th percentile$67,240
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$85,660
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$120,230
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$158,880
Upper quartile
90th percentile$199,130
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $120,230 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $57.80/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $126,800 |
| People employed | 262,440 |
Versus all US occupations
At $120,230, Business Intelligence Analysts earn 136% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $69,250 a year.
Versus computer and mathematical occupations
Inside the Computer and Mathematical group, where the middle occupation pays $116,580, this is 3% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $199,130 or more while the bottom 10% earn $67,240, a gap of 3.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 88% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $163,350, and still leads at $152,645 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Business Intelligence Analysts the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $163,350 | $152,645 | 9,600 |
| California | $141,590 | $127,881 | 39,310 |
| Maryland | $136,370 | $129,927 | 3,340 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 | $124,333 | 6,430 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 | $124,578 | 9,420 |
| New York | $130,460 | $120,885 | 23,970 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 | $130,601 | 4,020 |
| Vermont | $127,070 | $129,719 | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 | $115,094 | 2,680 |
| Virginia | $126,430 | $125,049 | 8,920 |
Is Business Intelligence Analyst a growing career?
Business Intelligence Analysts33.5%
All US occupations3.1%
+33.5% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Business Intelligence Analysts to change 33.5% over 2024–2034, roughly 10.8× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 82,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 23,400 openings are projected each year, 9.5% of the 245,900 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment growth for data scientists is expected to stem from an increased demand for data-driven decisions. The volume of data available and the potential uses for that data will increase over the projections decade. As a result, organizations will likely need more data scientists to mine and analyze the large amounts of information and data collected. Data scientists’ analysis will help organizations to make informed decisions and improve their business processes, to design and develop new products, and to better market their products.
How to become a Business Intelligence Analyst
Data scientists typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related field to enter the occupation. However, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a master’s or doctoral degree.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as business intelligence analysts.
- Bachelor's Degree68.2%
- Master's Degree22.7%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)4.6%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate4.6%
What does a Business Intelligence Analyst do?
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.
Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- Identify and analyze industry or geographic trends with business strategy implications.
- Document specifications for business intelligence or information technology reports, dashboards, or other outputs.
- Collect business intelligence data from available industry reports, public information, field reports, or purchased sources.
- Conduct or coordinate tests to ensure that intelligence is consistent with defined needs.
- Synthesize current business intelligence or trend data to support recommendations for action.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where business intelligence analysts work
| Computer systems design and related services | 11% |
|---|---|
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 10% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 10% |
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 6% |
| Scientific research and development services | 5% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Systems Analysis3.1/5
- Systems Evaluation3.1/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Instructing3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Business Intelligence Analyst?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.2
Investigativeprimary5.4
Artistic1.9
Social1.9
Enterprisingprimary4.4
Conventionalprimary5.8
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Business Intelligence Analyst: frequently asked questions
How much do Business Intelligence Analysts make?
Business Intelligence Analysts earn a median of $120,230 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 136% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $57.80/hr. The middle half earn between $85,660 and $158,880. The top 10% earn $199,130 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Business Intelligence Analyst?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Business Intelligence Analysts, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 68.2% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Business Intelligence Analyst a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 33.5% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 23,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Business Intelligence Analyst do?
Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data. A core O*NET task: generate standard or custom reports summarizing business, financial, or economic data for review by executives, managers, clients, and other stakeholders. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay Business Intelligence Analysts the most?
The highest state medians for Business Intelligence Analysts are Washington ($163,350), California ($141,590), Maryland ($136,370) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Business Intelligence Analyst?
O*NET scores Business Intelligence Analysts highest on the Conventional, Investigative and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, INTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.