Are you intrigued by how businesses work? Are you constantly trying to identify problems with the various parts of the business process and working to solve them? If so, then a career as a business analyst is what you need. If you’re interested in this career but unsure how to start, this article is for you. This blog will take you step-by-step through how to become a business analyst.
Table of Contents:
What Is a Business Analyst?
A business analyst is someone who looks at a business’s data, analyzes it, and then recommends solutions to improve the business directly to the stakeholders of that organization. To become a business analyst, you not only have to be analytical, but you must also possess technical skills such as data analysis, Excel, etc.
Businesses are willing to invest in business analysts to become more efficient and decrease costs. The business analyst helps them identify the areas where they can eliminate costs without destroying the efficiency of the organization, along with the possible cost-cutting areas. A business analyst always backs their claims with statistical evidence.
Who Can Become a Business Analyst?
Anyone who has a strong analytical skillset and a desire to solve business problems can become a business analyst. Fresh graduates, working professionals in other fields, IT professionals, or subject matter experts (SME) in a business domain can all become business analysts with the right coursework, foundational skillset, and experience. If you are confident that you can apply the skills you already have to benefit a business organization, you can also pursue a career as a Business analyst. You can choose to pursue this career from your school days, or you can switch careers to a career as a Business analyst. Many people have successfully transitioned to business analyst positions from completely different fields and educational backgrounds.
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Business Analyst Salary
The salary of a Business analyst grows steadily with experience and expertise. In India, an entry-level Business analyst with 0 to 2 years of experience typically earns between ₹4 LPA to ₹6 LPA. There is real potential for this salary to grow to ₹30 LPA or more, once a business analyst moves to a more senior position. In the United States, the salaries are even more lucrative. An entry-level Business analyst in the U.S. typically earns between $65,000 and $80,000 per year. In a senior analyst position, their salary may be $100,000 – $125,000, or more.
How to Become a Business Analyst
This step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about how to become a business analyst, including all the changes in the business domain and news of 2025.
Step 1: Focus on Key Subjects in School
For a business analyst, the necessary key skills are analytical thinking, reasoning, communication, presentation, adaptability, and a continuous learning mindset. To gain them at an early stage, you must choose courses that help you develop these skills over the long term. Subjects like Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, and English are beneficial. These subjects improve your reasoning, data handling, and analytical skills.
You can begin developing skills that business analysts use every day at your school:
- Practice solving logical reasoning problems to enhance your problem-solving skills.
- Practice writing and explaining ideas clearly to improve your communication skills.
- Learn the basics of Excel and data tables.
- Curiosity: Start asking “why” things happen in business or society.
Websites like Khan Academy, Coursera, and YouTube offer free beginner-friendly lessons.
Step 2: Plan Your Education After 10th Grade
After your 10th grade, choose a stream that aligns with your interests, such as Commerce or Science, depending on your comfort with numbers and business-related subjects. Commerce is the most suited and common stream that business analysts choose. But the Science students can also pursue this career.
Mathematics is a must. All the subjects you choose, one must be Mathematics. Focusing on subjects like Business Studies, Economics, and Computers, if available. Employers put more emphasis on skills such as SQL, Tableau, and problem-solving than they do on your educational stream.
Step 3: College Path Options
Once you graduate from your high school, you can take a few paths to pursue a career as a business analyst.
Option A: Business Degrees (e.g., BBA, B.Com)
You can opt to study for a business degree. The classes in this course will teach you how businesses work. The course will consist of subjects related to finance, marketing, operations, and strategy. It will prepare you and provide you with ways to develop an understanding of business and how businesses work.
The best courses you can take are:
- Four-year BBA – Bachelor of Business Administration
- Four-year B.Com – Bachelor of Commerce
- Four-year BA in Economics or Statistics
Option B: Technology Degrees
This path is ideal for individuals who are passionated about technology and also have a interest in Businesses. Via this path, they will be able work as a business analyst in the tech-related businesses like Dell, Microsoft and more. Having knoweledge of the technology helps you enhace the impact you can have in the technology business.
- BCA stands for Bachelor of Computer Applications
- B.Tech. in Computer Science or IT
Option C: Alternative Paths, like certifications
Even if you do not take the college streams above, you can still be a business analyst. To become a business analyst the primary requirement is skills and experience. You can take Business Analysis certificates online through platforms like Coursera, edX, or Udemy. This is a more flexible path towards becoming a business analyst. There is no age-limit to this as well. The more skillful you are, the better are your chances of being successful.
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here are some tools that are indispensible to a business analyst. In the recent times, the univerisies have become aware fo this and have added these subjects in the cirricuum itself. But, if by chance your acedemics did not cover it, you should make sure that you cover them. These subjects are:
- Microsoft Excel – For analyzing and organizing data
- SQL – For working with databases
- Power BI or Tableau – For creating dashboards and reports
- Python (basic level)
- Agile & JIRA basics, as they’re widely used in business analysis
There are free video tutorials on YouTube, or you can take a certification course.
Step 5: Gain Experience Through Projects
Experience matters a lot in this field. It is important to apply what you have learned. You can work towards building your portfolio by adding projects and experiences.
You can start by working on school projects, working on case studies or doing an unpaid internship.
Try to solve real-life business problems using simple tools. This makes your resume stronger and builds confidence.
Step 6: Get Certified
Certifications help you stand out in the industry, especially as a fresher. Certificates help them know that you have applied your knowledge in a simulated environment at least. You should get certified from a renowned platform. Some of the courses are:
Step 7: Prepare for Your First Job
After you finish your education and acquire new skills, you should start applying for jobs to test your skills. Create a resume that emphasizes your accomplishments, your projects, your certification, and your skills. Include everything:
- School or college projects
- Internships
- Courses or certifications
- Tools you know, e.g., Excel, SQL.
- Soft skills like communication and teamwork
Practice for the common interview questions. Ask a mentor to take your mock interview. Building an updated and good LinkedIn profile also helps recruiters find you.
Step 8: Stay Updated with Industry Trends
The business world keeps changing. It is your responsibility to stay current and updated. Always be curious and open to learning something new. You can do this by:
- Following industry blogs like Analytics Vidhya or Harvard Business Review
- Watching YouTube channels like Intellipaat, CareerFoundry etc.,
- Joining LinkedIn groups and webinars
- Attending conventions and seminars organized by various companies
How Business Analysts Impact the Real World
Business Analysts work in various industries across domains. Here are a few real-world examples to help you understand how they influence the decisions being made in these organizations:
- E-commerce Case Study: A Business Analyst at an e-commerce company like an online shopping platform such as Flipkart or Amazon, may notice that a lot of users are adding products to their carts, but not checking them out. To increase the revenue, the stakeholders of organizations will ask the business analyst (BA) to tackle this situation. The BA might look at behavioral data from customers, conduct some surveys, and learn that this is happening because the checkout process is fairly long.
- Healthcare Example: A Business Analyst working in a hospital may look at data on patient admissions and notice some delays with the scheduling of appointments. This results in an increased volume of patients needing to wait to get the service. The BA will recommend new patient scheduling practices. They could also suggest an application to digitize patient scheduling appointments for ease of access, which would limit the waiting time.
- Education Sector: At an EdTech company, a BA could analyze which video courses have the highest drop-off rates and recommend re-recording content or restructuring modules to improve student engagement.
These examples show how Business Analysts combine data, tools, and soft skills to solve real problems that impact people and profits.
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Conclusion
Whether you start planning in school or switch careers later in life, a career as a business analyst welcomes learners from all backgrounds. Business analysts can be successful with the right educational background, hands-on training, and understanding of the tools and technologies used. This is a role that requires continuous learning and adaptability. Staying up-to-date about the major happenings in the business world is a necessity. Observing the small details, problems, and finding solutions to those problems is what sets a business analyst apart.
If this excites you, then a career as a business analyst might be the right fit. Start learning and earning skills today.
How to Become a Business Analyst – FAQs
Q1. What qualifications are required for a business analyst?
You need a degree in business, IT, or a related field, plus analytical skills and domain knowledge to become a business analyst.
Q2. How do I get started as a business analyst?
You can gradually begin your career by learning business analysis tools, getting certified, and gaining experience through internships or entry-level jobs.
Q3. Is a business analyst an IT job?
Yes, in many companies this is an IT related job that connects business needs with technical solutions.
Q4. How fast can I become a business analyst?
You can become a business analyst in 6 to 12 months if you focus and learn the tools and get the certifications as well as the practical experience.
Q5. Is MBA enough for business analyst?
An MBA helps, but practical skills, tools, and certifications like CBAP or ECBA are also important.