The state of North Carolina produced a combined $565 billion worth of value in 2018 alone, about 12% from just three years ago. More than a quarter of a million employer companies operate across the state, and North Carolina’s total workforce tops 5 million.
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Only four states added more population between 2017 and 2018, and North Carolina is now the ninth-most populated U.S. state. Top economic sectors in North Carolina include trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services, and education and health services.
Venture capital investment in North Carolina neared $400 million in the second quarter of 2019 alone, and the state is also home to a great many well-established firms, including nearly a dozen Fortune 500s. The exciting mix of firms and sectors in North Carolina is the perfect place for individuals who are considering pursuing a Master of Business Analytics degree.
What academic programs in this area are available here in North Carolina, where do business analytics jobs pay the best in our state and across the country, and what local companies are on the hunt for business analytics professionals?
Business Analytics Salaries in North Carolina
With dozens of possible job titles across every conceivable industry and type of organization, the realm of business analytics is wide and versatile. In addition to, well, Business Analyst, other job titles could be Market Research Analyst, Data Scientist or Budget Analyst. Roles range from the highly technical and hands-on to the high level and managerial — and everything in between.
Business analytics job titles you can find in North Carolina include:
- Management Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Financial Analyst
- Market Research Analyst
- Budget Analyst
- Data Engineer
- Quantitative Modeler
- Operations Research Analyst
- Market Research Analyst
- Business Analyst
What is the state of business analytics employment here in North Carolina? To understand the answer, we’ll examine data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics for five example business analytics jobs.
Most of the example business analytics jobs are slightly less well-paying in North Carolina than in the U.S. overall, but all five are still far ahead of the overall North Carolina median annual wage of just over $35,000.
Median annual wage, North Carolina vs. U.S.
| Job Title | North Carolina | U.S. |
| Budget Analyst | $69,740 | $76,220 |
| Financial Analyst | $80,740 | $85,660 |
| Management Analyst | $83,700 | $83,610 |
| Market Research Analyst | $62,370 | $63,120 |
| Operations Research Analyst | $81,130 | $83,390 |
North Carolina’s median Management Analyst wage of $83,700 is the No. 15 wage for that job, the highest position North Carolina holds on state-by-state rankings of all five jobs.
Median annual Management Analyst wage, top 15
| District of Columbia | $103,300 |
| Washington | $97,910 |
| New Jersey | $97,860 |
| Maryland | $97,850 |
| Virginia | $97,420 |
| Massachusetts | $95,080 |
| New York | $94,970 |
| Connecticut | $94,410 |
| New Hampshire | $90,190 |
| Alaska | $89,550 |
| Colorado | $86,560 |
| Texas | $85,770 |
| Alabama | $84,400 |
| Illinois | $83,780 |
| North Carolina | $83,700 |
Where North Carolina may lag slightly in salary, the state makes up for in the growth rate of business analyst jobs. All five are projected to experience rapid growth in the next few years and beyond.
Percentage change in Management Analyst job openings, 2016-2020
| Highest | |
| Utah | 9.4% |
| Washington | 7.4% |
| Arizona | 6.6% |
| North Carolina | 6.3% |
| Florida | 5.9% |
| Arkansas | 5.8% |
| Georgia | 5.5% |
| Nebraska | 5.5% |
| Massachusetts | 4.9% |
| Nevada | 4.7% |
| Lowest | |
| Maryland | 2.1% |
| Hawaii | 2.1% |
| New Mexico | 2.0% |
| New Jersey | 2.0% |
| Mississippi | 1.9% |
| Delaware | 1.8% |
| Ohio | 1.7% |
| North Dakota | 1.6% |
| Louisiana | 1.3% |
| Maine | 0.7% |
Long-term growth rates for business analyst jobs in North Carolina range from modest (8% for Budget Analysts) to major (32.3% for Operations Research Analysts).
North Carolina job opening growth rate, short- and long-term
| Job Title | Short-term | Long-term |
| Budget Analyst | 2.6% | 8.0% |
| Financial Analyst | 5.4% | 15.8% |
| Management Analyst | 6.3% | 19.2% |
| Market Research Analyst | 7.8% | 28.7% |
| Operations Research Analyst | 8.4% | 32.3% |
Note: Short-term 2016-2020; long-term 2016-2026
Business analytics wages vary pretty dramatically across North Carolina, from a low of $58,210 for Market Research Analysts in Greensboro to $88,870 for Management Analysts in Charlotte.
Median annual wage, North Carolina vs. select cities
| Job Title | North Carolina | Charlotte | Raleigh | Greensboro |
| Budget Analyst | $69,740 | $72,090 | $65,250 | $65,600 |
| Financial Analyst | $80,740 | $84,830 | $78,640 | $81,980 |
| Management Analyst | $83,700 | $88,870 | $83,530 | $68,140 |
| Market Research Analyst | $62,370 | $64,880 | $64,140 | $58,210 |
| Operations Research Analyst | $81,130 | $87,810 | $71,830 | $60,950 |
North Carolina Business Analytics Degree Programs
North Carolina is home to many very prominent colleges and universities, including well-regarded public and private institutions. Some but not all of these universities offer advanced training in business analytics.
SEE ALSO: Best Online Master’s in Business Data Analytics Rankings
Here’s a look at some of the colleges and universities in North Carolina that offer applicable degrees:
Business Analytics Degree Jobs in North Carolina
North Carolina’s growing and diverse economy means that individuals with training in business analytics are likely to find a great many job opportunities that will pique their interest, whether in the traditional corporate world or in the public sector.
SEE ALSO: Masters in Business Analytics Salary Outlook
Here is a sampling of the companies, organizations, agencies and other groups that had posted openings for business analytics professionals in North Carolina in July 2019:
- Discovery Education
- Lowe’s
- Michelin
- Wells Fargo
- HanesBrands
- Travelers
- North Carolina State University
- Ashley Furniture
- West Carolina University
- Bank of America
- Pepsi Bottling Ventures
- University of North Carolina
- Credit Suisse
- Novant
- Anthem
- Rockingham County
- General Dynamics
- Lenovo
- Duke Energy
- City of Raleigh
Conclusion
Enrolling in a Master of Business Analytics program helps make you an attractive candidate to any business, government agency, hospital, nonprofit or any other organization. That’s because virtually every organization in the world is or soon will be focused on analyzing data so they can make better decisions. Earning an advanced degree in business analytics in North Carolina could be the best step you take in your career.
References
Note: Information on recent job openings was gathered from Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com in late July 2019.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System, Custom Tables. (Undated). Accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Total Gross Domestic Product for North Carolina. (2019). Retrieved from https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NCNGSP
U.S. Census Bureau, Quick Facts, North Carolina. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NC
PWC/CB Insights, MoneyTree Report, Q2 2019. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com/us/en/moneytree-report/assets/moneytree-report-q2-2019.pdf
U.S. Census Bureau, Nevada and Idaho Are the Nation’s Fastest-Growing States. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/estimates-national-state.html