What Is a Business Intelligence Developer? And How to Become One

If you enjoy collaborating, asking questions, solving problems, doing impactful work, and bridging business and technology, a career as a business analyst could be a good fit. The demand for business analysts has increased in recent years and is projected to continue. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects faster-than-average job growth between 2023 and 2033 for similar roles, such as management analyst, which is poised to grow by 11 percent in the next decade 2. Given the technical skills required for this job, most employers expect applicants to have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or some other IT-related field. This course of study will help you learn the technical skills, such as writing SQL code and creating user interfaces, that you need to succeed as a BI developer.

Business Analysts Within a Company

Obtaining more education, such as a master’s program in a similar profession, may improve your expertise and marketability in addition to a degree. Specialized master’s degrees in data science or business analytics are now widely available from many colleges, and they may provide you a competitive advantage. Businesses use data to stay competitive and tackle the challanges that come their way, meanwhile cashing-in on all the opportunities. This growing focus on data-driven strategies has created a demand for skilled professionals who can turn data into useful insights.

• A Business Intelligence Developer must be able to troubleshoot technology and find solutions for the problems they identified.
• Essentially, data analytics uses statistical and computational procedures to analyze large sets of data from which to mine information and make more informed business decisions.
• All of these experiences will give you vital contacts in the industry, as well as a better sense of the end-to-end process of the kind of projects that a business intelligence analyst completes on a regular basis.
• To promote business success, business intelligence analysts must enhance operational effectiveness, see potential for expansion, and offer valuable insights.
• You can follow industry news, attend workshops, and participate in relevant forums and groups.
• The lowest 10% of management analysts earned less than $55,590 while the highest 10% earned more than $167,650.

Educational Requirements to Become a BI Analyst

• In 2025, good business knowledge, a strong technological foundation, and love for data will be necessary to become a business intelligence analyst.
• Those in the top 10% of earners made more than $170,100, while the bottom 10% earned less than $65,210.
• A business intelligence analyst’s primary focus is leveraging data to support strategy and decision-making within the company.
• This information can come in the form of reports, graphics, maps, or summaries to provide decision-makers with detailed documentation about a business’ current status and a suggested “roadmap” of how they should move forward.
• It focuses on those knowledge areas of business analysis domain which are going to be of use for the new business analysts, such as requirements analysis, requirements life cycle management, elicitation and collaboration.

Their primary role Business Intelligence Developer/Analyst job involves converting raw data into meaningful and actionable insights that can help in strategic decision-making. They work closely with stakeholders across the organization to understand their data needs and deliver reports and visualizations that guide business operations, improve efficiency, and drive growth. Business analysts apply data analytics techniques to evaluate business data and make company-wide decisions. Here’s what to know about a business analyst’s needed skills, salary and how to become one. Both data analysts and business analysts support data-driven decisions in their companies.

What’s the difference between a business analyst and a data analyst?

In Computer Science together, requiring less courses overall and saving you time and money. Business Intelligence (BI) Developers are at the forefront of data-driven decision-making, helping organizations harness the power of data to uncover insights and drive success. This comprehensive guide explores the journey to becoming a Business Intelligence Developer, the skills you need, the tools to master, and the opportunities that await you in this exciting field. In conclusion, a Business Intelligence Developer serves as the backbone of data-driven decision-making.

Some employers might prefer candidates for this position to hold a master’s degree. Web development Once you have the necessary skills, there are several paths you can take to become one. While learning the ropes as a budding business intelligence analyst, you will pick up some key skills. With this breakdown, it is safe to conclude that a typical business intelligence analyst salary is higher than the national average salary for workers in the United States, which was reported to be around $60K.

Most business intelligence analysts hold a bachelor’s degree in a field like computer science, statistics, business studies, data analytics, data science, finance, economics, engineering, mathematics, biological sciences, etc. It is most helpful, but not necessary, to have undergraduate education that has provided insight into business processes and organizational operations. Educational background that has provided an understanding of databases and any data-related field is also extremely helpful. An analyst of business intelligence is a specialist who employs data analysis tools and techniques to assist firms in making wise business decisions.

3) Building and maintaining data models to ensure data accuracy and managing database performance, security, and integrity. My experience expands to managing social media coordination and branding campaigns while working with micro-influencers for better brand promotion. Bring us your ambition and we’ll guide you along a personalized path to a quality education that’s designed to change your life. Receive information about the benefits of our programs, the courses you’ll take, and what you need to apply. Practical experience is crucial to understanding BI challenges and solutions.How?

They may also use programming languages like Python or R to manipulate, analyze, and integrate data with BI tools. Business Intelligence Developers are in demand across a wide range of industries, as organizations of all sizes seek to make data-driven decisions. The BLS also states that the average annual salary of operations research analysts during the same time was $85,720. The lowest 10% earned less than $50,440 while the highest 10% earned more than $149,640. Learn about Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) tools and processes, which are key to preparing data for analysis. Additionally, get comfortable with Data Modelling principles, including building and maintaining data marts and warehouses.

The path to becoming a business intelligence (BI) analyst is not a one-size-fits-all journey. While a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field like computer science, information systems, or statistics is often preferred, it’s not always a strict requirement. Many successful BI analysts have transitioned from other fields by demonstrating their passion for data and acquiring the necessary skills through alternative routes. Business analysts interpret past and current business data to determine profit opportunities and suggest improvements for certain operations. Though similar to data analysts, business analysts mainly use data for commercial and management needs instead of data structure and flow needs. If a career in business analysis sounds interesting, build your knowledge and skill set by enrolling in the IBM Business Analyst Professional Certificate.