Data enables business leaders to make decisions more quickly and with greater certainty, giving their organizations a competitive advantage. As the volume and complexity of data continue to increase with no end in sight, corporations of all shapes and sizes, government agencies and non-profits are creating a demand for business analysts that far exceeds the supply of qualified candidates.
Successful candidates for those careers have dual expertise: They have the skills and insights to manipulate and interpret data and the knowledge to bridge the gap between an enterprise’s key stakeholders and decision-makers and its data sciences operations.
As a result, “business analysts are becoming more popular throughout several industries as businesses seek to grow and change consistently while meeting the needs of their clients and customers,” according to Indeed. It is an ideal career track for those skilled in “solving problems, setting new objectives or goals,” and mathematics and statistical analysis.
How Do Professionals Acquire Analytics and Business Skills?
The online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Applied Business Analytics program offered by William Paterson University (WP) equips graduates for careers in the fast-growing, lucrative field of business analytics. The program provides a rigorous curriculum of business courses coupled with required analytics studies and electives in advanced data technologies and applications in specific organizational settings.
It offers hands-on experience with leading-edge software and platforms used in data processes to identify business challenges, explore data and interpret results.
This comprehensive program can open doors to various careers, including the following:
- Market research analysts extract trends and patterns from complex data sets to identify, evaluate and predict market conditions and customer sentiment.
- Logistics analysts translate data into actionable intelligence that enables decision-makers to optimize supply chain operations, reduce costs associated with moving and storing products and strengthen relationships with business partners.
- Risk analysts interpret data to assess vulnerabilities across the business spectrum — including finance, operations, markets, regulatory and cybersecurity — and develop strategies to manage and mitigate them.
- Financial analysts play key roles in all business models by providing forecasting and decision support for strategic financial planning and investment decisions.
Virtually all industrial sectors, including banking and securities, media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, education and manufacturing, are investing heavily in data analytics, making WP’s online BS in Applied Business Analytics program an excellent entry point to a rewarding career.
The government predicts roles in business analytics will grow by 11% through 2031 (much higher than the average of all careers) as employers add 108,400 positions with an average annual salary of $93,000.
Moreover, a BS in Applied Business Analytics from WP provides a firm foundation for professionals with career goals in data science.
What Is the Next Step in a Data Analytics Career?
While WP’s undergraduate business analytics program focuses substantially on building a solid business education, its online Master of Science (MS) in Applied Business Analytics program goes deeper into the technical aspects of business analytics.
For instance, the accredited curriculum includes courses in data warehousing and data mining, advanced technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
The master’s program develops the highly technical expertise and understanding that prepare graduates for numerous roles, including the following:
- Data scientists use advanced technology to collect, clean and organize large amounts of complex raw and processed information for organizations to drive strategic business decisions.
- Data engineers build and maintain integrated data ecosystems that distribute processed data throughout the organization.
- Data analysts transform large data sets to support executive decision-making processes.
Because of their advanced roles in manipulating data to achieve organizational business goals, the government predicts data scientist job demand will grow 36% through 2031, with these positions earning an average annual salary of $100,910.
If you want to help businesses improve their operations with analytics, you can begin your professional journey in the WP’s online BS in Applied Business Analytics program. For those already gaining experience, the MS will provide a deeper technical skill set.
Learn more about William Paterson University’s online BS in Applied Business Analytics program
