Strategy & Consulting
Research Analyst
Curiosity, structured. A research analyst takes a fuzzy question from a leader who has thirty minutes between meetings and returns a sharp answer with the evidence underneath it.
The output is usually a memo or a deck, but the craft is upstream of either: framing the question, choosing the right comparisons, separating what the data shows from what you wish it showed. You'll get fluent with Excel modeling and learn to use tools like ChatGPT for early literature scans without letting them think for you.
Strong analysts develop a sense for when a chart is honest and when it's flattering. This is a great early role if you enjoy the puzzle of turning ambiguity into something a decision-maker can act on.
US$87,286 median salary in United States¹
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¹ Median annual salary computed from the salary histogram of 50 current Adzuna job postings for "Research Analyst" in United States, fetched May 2026. Skills come from the disciplines tagged on live Ewance challenges for this role.
Portrait: Photo by Megan Bagshaw on Unsplash.