How long does it take to become a Project Analyst?

It takes 6 years of professional experience to become a project analyst. That is the time it takes to learn specific project analyst skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 9 to 11 years years to become a project analyst.

What is the difference between a project analyst and a business analyst?

The difference between a project analyst and a business analyst is that a business analyst determines what changes are within the budget that will meet business goals, while a project analyst manages the process of those changes.

What should I study to become an analyst?

You should study business-related fields to become an analyst. What you specifically study can also depend on what kind of analyst you want to be. Most analyst positions require a standard bachelor's degree in one of the following fields:

What is a project analyst and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Erik Johnson Ph.D.,

Brian Starr Ph.D.

A project analyst works to ensure the on-time delivery of projects while remaining within budget and meeting the required specifications. They analyze data, identify trends, and provide recommendations to improve project performance. A project analyst works with project managers to identify risks, develop mitigation strategies, and monitor progress. They also prepare reports and presentations to communicate project status updates to stakeholders. Overall, a project analyst influences the success of projects by providing insights for informed decision-making.

What general advice would you give to a Project Analyst?

Erik Johnson Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Economics, Carthage College

Economics gives you a set of tools to analyze a variety of policy and business problems. However, determining which tools to apply in which situation requires that you learn the industry, you are working from top to bottom. When you begin a new job in a new field, be sure to do everything you can to understand how the organization and the industry work to understand the primary incentives that everyone faces. One right way to do this is to make as many connections within the company you are working for as possible, and always be on the lookout for new opportunities within the company and how they can help you learn more. Moreover, do your best to ensure that a significant portion of your job involves some creative endeavors, such as economic modeling or building tools for yourself or others to use. As computing power continues to become cheaper, and artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, relatively repetitive tasks become more comfortable and easier to automate. Therefore, you will have less job security. Creative tasks, such as modeling and tool building, are difficult to automate and are more likely to provide you with more satisfaction.

ScoreProject AnalystUS Average

Salary

5.6

Avg. Salary $71,174

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.8

Growth Rate 11%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 13.67%

Black or African American 8.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.88%

Unknown 4.49%

White 64.75%

Gender

female 42.28%

male 57.72%

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 Project Analyst?

Pros

Chance to develop technical and analytical skills
Opportunity to manage projects from start to finish
Potential for competitive compensation and benefits
Opportunities for travel and networking
Ability to develop leadership skills

Cons

High pressure and demanding workload
Risk of burnout due to long hours and high stress
Potential for conflict with team members or other departments
Potential for limited job security
Possibility of having to work irregular hours or be on call

Key steps to become a project analyst

Explore project analyst education requirements

Most common project analyst degrees

Bachelor's

67.6 %

Master's

16.0 %

Associate

10.5 %

Start to develop specific project analyst skills

Skills	Percentages
Project Management	22.20%
Data Analysis	5.91%
Customer Service	5.06%
Status Reports	4.83%
SharePoint	4.42%

Complete relevant project analyst training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New project analysts 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 project analyst based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real project analyst resumes.

Research project analyst duties and responsibilities

Develop infrastructure to enable clients to better understand and manage risks associate with their decision environment to capture opportunities.
Develop and maintain VISIO process diagrams.
Coordinate system upgrades, interface development, QA testing and end-user training.
Originate, track, and submit final samples of promotional materials to FDA.

Prepare your project analyst resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your project analyst 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 project analyst resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Project Analyst Resume templates

Build a professional Project Analyst 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 Project Analyst resume.

Apply for project analyst jobs

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

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

How do project analysts rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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Project Analyst reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023

Pros

I like to work with a team. Satisfaction of seeing the successful completion of a project

Cons

Strict deadlines, and stakeholders. Feeling undervalued or underappreciated.

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022

Cons

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

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2021