Business analysts use data to identify ways that businesses can improve efficiency, reduce costs, or strengthen processes. Learn how to get started in this growing career path.
Grow key business analysis skills
University of Pennsylvania
Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making, Business Analytics, Descriptive Analytics, Business Intelligence, Financial Data, Marketing Analytics, Analytics, Financial Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Peer Review, Business Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Forecasting, Customer Insights, Demand Planning, Customer Analysis, Operational Analysis, Business Operations, Risk Analysis, Performance Measurement
Microsoft
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Power Platform, Excel Formulas, Process Flow Diagrams, Business Process Modeling, User Story, Business Requirements, Stakeholder Management, Data Modeling, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visio, Software Development Life Cycle, Requirements Analysis, Requirements Elicitation, Quality Management, Pivot Tables And Charts, Power BI, Project Management Life Cycle, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, Business Analysis, Project Management
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Requirements Elicitation, Risk Mitigation, Business Analysis, Business Process Modeling, Data Presentation, Risk Analysis, Project Scoping, Process Mapping, Process Optimization, Data Visualization, Requirements Management, Risk Management, Interactive Data Visualization, Business Requirements, Stakeholder Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel, Analysis
A business analyst uses data to discover new business insights for a company. They typically focus on improving efficiency and effectiveness, and may work across all areas of business, including IT processes, organizational structure, or supply chain management.
At the entry-level, a business analyst may participate in team efforts to identify and prioritize an organization’s functional and technical needs, use SQL and spreadsheet software to conduct data analysis, and create data visualizations and financial models in order to address crucial business questions.
Similar and adjacent roles include IT business analysts, data analysts, business data analysts, supply chain analysts, and business intelligence analysts.
Learn more about entry-level careers in business analysis:
![[Video thumbnail] Data analyst vs business analyst](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1iCD6TZq6UdPJYH18pH4zI/ebc324f0d1a00e62b9e4afa5835f7abb/DATA_ANALYST__VS__BUSINESS_ANALYST_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Three members of a business’s human resources team discuss the business systems analyst salary range for a new hire.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2JFPQsudKkN2P9Zu1otpGe/f0deb091072bb33505d162f9516da95a/GettyImages-1473508665__1_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Video thumbnail] Become an IT business analyst](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/16ctDWZTTXrlnQJYzuJmgt/c4cf35d4d60bf44e48a5e2792a1297de/Become_an__IT_Business_Analyst_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Two analysts look at charts on a whiteboard as they discuss business intelligence versus business analytics.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/22eAeanNyvUXeam0Vp1hU9/8b78610a72f20a9be215ff0a8cf941dd/GettyImages-551986071.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Two coworkers look at a desktop computer display.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2YPaIR6UQz4wUZUwRHe8sY/f2f4a489d995b9c4db0095b75c2b66c0/Stocksy_txpe0666ad4RLr200_Large_2772942.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Woman in interview](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2snDrbmQOLCKyAW30BHEU9/7417c2ba1038995b67323b70b8a3c288/GettyImages-1273390394.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: IT Business Analyst, working at a desktop computer, evaluating the company's current technology.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1iR3izwqxhutloa99XeX8C/641d59ca0dc9de9d6229a398022a5f70/GettyImages-980654204_IT_project_management__8_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image]: Team of financial analysts analyzing the organization's financial processes to help improve its profitability.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/3IZkWRRM9Lb2yFRo4brbF1/9830ee79bc90e0fc0a31a7f0f792f263/GettyImages-598255892.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A person in a dark blue shirt sits facing a trio of computer monitors in a large open-office space.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1rScxfq9zBJZoWBpq0gk8Z/c1d9330cacbb4a488d6d574b35a47a59/Coursera_Wesley_Megan_Miller_0262.jpeg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A supply chain analyst holding a device records and discusses information with a warehouse worker while they stand in the warehouse.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/6aLU4Aq81z1We9egQzELlt/736cc1aa7903c94990da10278ef283ab/GettyImages-1470939666.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Feature Image] A business systems analyst reviews recommendations with a business leader as they discuss ongoing strategies for process improvements.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/RPLIpglkrd3GFUgIlxE1z/0d514edd6b1298956f232e5e4a444a64/GettyImages-1345630279.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A male, wearing a gray sports jacket and white shirt, is working on his laptop and conferring with a co-worker in his office.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4k1t2RglVg9hZcSuhHdRIM/661420e2136f5e3227eb2ca5c0191018/GettyImages-1358280227.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A man wearing a blue sweater, and glasses collecting and analyzing data sitting in front of his computer.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1JfczNH7EqprEjPf6YbvMX/505258b5283c38e4fa8ae18b04181d2c/GettyImages-1354692508.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A team of business data analysts meet and discuss visualizations as they prepare to share their findings with key stakeholders.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1NHIOGo2q5hOkbYqIfgade/0bc24bd561089fedec9088532c00ddfb/Business-professionals-discussing-over-a-graph-1127726411_8477x5651.jpeg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
