Illinois Business Analytics Salary

The fifth-largest economy in the U.S., the state of Illinois produced a collective $864 billion in 2018 alone. More than 5.5 million people are hard at work in Illinois, and more than 319,000 employer firms are in operation across the state.

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Illinois’ economy is diverse, with transportation, utilities and trade accounting for about 1 in 5 jobs and professional and business services adding another 15%. The Chicago metro area alone, including counties in Indiana and Wisconsin, boasts more than 4.8 million jobs and is a major financial center, as well as being home to about three dozen Fortune 500 companies.

SEE ALSO: 10 Reasons to Choose a Business Analytics Degree

Employment opportunities for individuals with an advanced education in business analytics are plentiful in Chicago and throughout the rest of the state of Illinois. A Master of Business Analytics degree enables a person to fill a variety of roles in virtually any industry. That’s because today’s modern business world is powered in large measure by data — gathering, analyzing and capitalizing on any and all information related to a business.

Where in Illinois are business analytics job openings most plentiful, how do salaries for certain business analytics jobs in Illinois compare to others across the United States, which companies are seeking to fill jobs related to business analytics, and which colleges and universities in Illinois can best position you for a career in business analytics?

Business Analytics Salaries in Illinois

While you certainly could get a job with the literal title of Business Analyst, the truth is that there are dozens of business analytics jobs available. You could work hands-on and write code or generate algorithms to project future events in the market. Or you could take a higher-level job where it’s your responsibility to convince stakeholders that your data-backed suggestions for business moves are the right ones.

Business analytics job titles you can find in Illinois include:

How strong is employment for these roles in Illinois, and how much money can people expect to make in Illinois or Chicago? To answer those questions, we’ll dive into the in-depth data available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics for a few of the job titles that apply.

Among five specific roles, Illinois’ median wage tends to lag slightly behind the U.S. as a whole, but remember that individuals with master’s degrees will almost certainly command higher salaries.

Median annual wage, Illinois vs. U.S.

Job TitleIllinoisU.S.
Budget Analyst$72,820$76,220
Financial Analyst$79,310$85,660
Management Analyst$83,780$83,610
Market Research Analyst$57,340$63,120
Operations Research Analyst$93,070$83,390

For Operations Research Analyst jobs, Illinois’ median wage is nearly 12% higher than the median overall national wage, and the state is No. 7 overall.

Median annual wage, Operations Research Analyst

Highest
District of Columbia$109,910
Hawaii$107,370
Virginia$105,270
New Jersey$101,540
Maryland$96,550
New Hampshire$93,170
Illinois$93,070
New York$92,310
California$92,130
Washington$91,840
Lowest
Kentucky$63,890
Oklahoma$63,090
Montana$62,830
Georgia$62,680
Indiana$61,260
North Dakota$57,570
Nebraska$57,430
Arkansas$55,430
Louisiana$52,720
West Virginia$52,230

Another business analytics role, Management Analyst, enjoys some of the strongest demand in Illinois among the business analytics jobs we looked at. Outside of Washington, D.C., which tends to skew economic data thanks to its enormous population density, Illinois’ has the fourth-most job openings for Management Analysts.

Management Analyst employment per 1,000 jobs

Highest
District of Columbia25.841
Virginia12.917
Maryland6.923
Washington6.73
Illinois6.64
Rhode Island6.469
South Dakota6.404
Massachusetts6.322
California6.116
Delaware5.682
Lowest
Nebraska2.342
Alabama2.335
Kentucky2.267
Alaska1.83
Maine1.814
Louisiana1.777
Wyoming1.474
Mississippi1.417
Montana1.32
North Dakota1.304

Business analytics jobs in Chicago tend to be more lucrative than in Illinois overall, but other areas of the state also offer higher salaries than the state median.

Median annual wage, Illinois vs. select cities

Job TitleIllinoisChicagoPeoriaSpringfield
Budget Analyst$72,820$72,630$55,660
Financial Analyst$79,310$80,500$79,910$64,250
Management Analyst$83,780$84,230$92,230$69,070
Market Research Analyst$57,340$58,370$64,930$62,470
Operations Research Analyst$93,070$91,110$86,950

Illinois Business Analytics Degree Programs

Illinois is home to some of the most well-regarded academic programs in the country, with both public and private institutions offering outstanding educational opportunities for those with a passion for business analytics. And with the city of Chicago enjoying more than 200% growth in tech startups since 2008, there’s no time like the present to pursue advanced business analytics training in Illinois.

SEE ALSO: List of Illinois Masters in Business Analytics Degrees

Business Analytics Degree Jobs in Illinois

Both the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago are economic powerhouses with thousands of new jobs opening every year. Thanks to the bustling (and growing) economy in the state, job openings in business analytics are plentiful, indeed.

SEE ALSO: 10+ Highest Paying Data Science & Analytics Jobs for 2020

Here’s a sampling of companies, organizations and other groups that were seeking professionals with the skills and passion for business analytics in Illinois, including Chicago, in mid-2019:

  • CVS Health
  • Walgreens
  • PNC
  • Google
  • State Farm
  • University of Chicago
  • Citi
  • GE Healthcare
  • United Airlines
  • Carle Foundation Hospital
  • Chicago Public Schools
  • Field Museum
  • Sonova
  • Tribune Publishing
  • Allstate
  • American Medical Association
  • The Joint Commission
  • Motorola Solutions
  • Barilla
  • USA Vein Clinics
  • Mars
  • Axiom
  • Art Institute of Chicago

Conclusion

There is no business, nonprofit, government office, hospital or any other organization that can’t benefit from the expertise of someone with advanced training in business analytics. That’s because data is everywhere, and being able to utilize it for the benefit of an organization is the central focus for people with business analytics training.

SEE ALSO: Masters in Business Analytics Salary Outlook

Earning a Master of Business Analytics degree could be the first — and best — step you make in your career.

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