Management consultants and business analysts — SOC 2020 2431
Management consultants and business analysts advise industrial, commercial and other establishments on a variety of management and business-related matters to assist in the formulation of financial and business policies in order to maximise growth or improve business performance.
Also calledProcess analystBusiness systems analystManagement consultantBusiness adviserBusiness consultantEnterprise adviserand 56 more titles
Recruitment from abroad. 3,293 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, Germany, United States, ranking it 5th of 313. Home Office
Who does it
ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
19%aged 55 or over
75%hold a degree
15%self-employed
39%women
Age of business analysts
Age profile of business analysts
3.9%!
26%
27%
25%
14%
4.4%!
16–2425–3435–4445–5455–6465+
!Small sample: treat with cautionShow as table
16–24
3.9% (small sample)
25–34
26%
35–44
27%
45–54
25%
55–64
14%
65+
4.4% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Highest qualification held by business analysts
Degree or equivalent75%
Higher education below degree!3.6%
A levels or equivalent14%
GCSEs or equivalent5.6%
Other qualifications!1.4%
No qualifications!0.8%
!Small sample: treat with cautionShow as table
Degree or equivalent
75%
Higher education below degree
3.6% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent
14%
GCSEs or equivalent
5.6%
Other qualifications
1.4% (small sample)
No qualifications
0.8% (small sample)
Main employers: business and other management consultancy activities (26%), computer consultancy activities (6.9%), general public administration activities (5%), engineering activities and related technical consultancy (3.3%).
How to get in
Hold a degree
75%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
4
from level 4
Apprenticeships take
14 months to 2½ years
typically
Routes in
Business analyst
You can get into this job through:
University
Any degree that teaches analytical skills can be useful for this role.
Some employers might prefer you to have a degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject such as:
business information systems
business management
computing and systems development
computer science
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
More about this route+
Experience during your degree
You may have an advantage if your degree course lets you get some business experience.
This could be through:
internships
work placements
a year in industry
It may also be useful to get experience of managing projects and analysing data.
Apprenticeship
You could gain some of the skills and knowledge needed for this role through an apprenticeship.
For example, you could do the Business Analyst Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship or the Project Manager Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Apply directly
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got several years' experience in project management, consulting or IT.
Registration and professional bodies
Career tips
To become a business analyst, it might be useful to know about agile project management or other similar methods.
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a business analyst from:
The Chartered Institute for IT
Institute of Consulting
You can also find out about government business analysts in the Civil Service on GOV.UK.
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for business analyst. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Management consultant
You can get into this job through:
University
You could do a degree or postgraduate qualification in:
business studies
finance
maths
science
management
A postgraduate qualification, like a master's in business administration (MBA), may also be helpful.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a place on a Junior Management Consultant Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship, or Chartered Manager Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship, and work your way up as your experience grows.
These can take between 2 and 4 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Other ways in
Apply directly
You can apply directly to become a management consultant or set up your own business, if you've got relevant work experience in:
business management or finance
human resources
project management
IT
Other routes
You may be able to join a graduate training scheme straight from university. Competition for places is strong, so it may help if you have:
a good degree pass in a subject like business studies or business management
evidence of analytical, planning and communication skills
relevant work experience from placements, internships or temporary jobs
Registration and professional bodies
Career tips
Foreign language skills could be useful, as many firms work with international clients.
Professional and industry bodies
You can join the Institute of Consulting for career support and professional development.
Further information
You can find out more about careers in management consultancy from the Management Consultancies Association and the Chartered Management Institute.
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for management consultant. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Business adviser
You can get into this job through:
University
You could do a foundation degree or degree in:
business management
business enterprise
marketing
finance
business studies
project management
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an apprenticeship related to business or management to get into this career. There are several schemes available, including:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Other ways in
Apply directly
You can apply directly to employers if you have proven experience, for instance running your own company, or working in management, finance or human resources.
You'll need to show a wide range of skills, like:
business planning
marketing
finance
project management
professional networking
You'll also need a good understanding of the commercial sector and current trends, such as the potential benefits of artificial intelligence.
Other routes
You could develop your knowledge and skills by doing business support and mentoring qualifications, like those offered by the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative.
Qualifications include:
Level 3 Award in Enterprise Mentoring
Level 3 Certificate in Coaching
Level 5 Certificate in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services
Registration and professional bodies
Career tips
You can use online social media sites, like LinkedIn, to promote yourself, build up your network and show recommendations from colleagues and clients.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
Further information
You can find out more about working in business advice from GOV.UK and your local Growth Hub.
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for business adviser. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Insurance risk surveyor
You can get into this job through:
University
You can study for a degree before applying to join an organisation's graduate training scheme.
Useful subjects include:
actuarial science
maths
finance
business and management
building surveying
engineering
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
Apprenticeship
You can apply to do an apprenticeship with an insurance firm, such as:
Insurance Professional Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
Senior Insurance Professional Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
These take between 2 and 3 years to complete and combine workplace training and study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Other ways in
Work your way up
You could start working as an administrator for a risk management team to build up your skills and knowledge.
Employers will usually look for a minimum of GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths, 1 or 2 A levels, and good IT skills.
Once working, you could take qualifications that include units on risk management, like those offered by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). For example:
Certificate in Insurance
Diploma in Insurance
Advanced Diploma in Insurance
Apply directly
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got relevant qualifications and experience in a related profession, like:
building or quantity surveying
health and safety
insurance underwriting or loss adjusting
fire safety engineering
Registration and professional bodies
Professional and industry bodies
You can join the Chartered Insurance Institute for professional development opportunities and to build up your contacts in the industry.
Further information
You can find out more about careers in insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for insurance risk surveyor. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
assesses the functions, objectives and requirements of the organisation seeking advice
identifies problems concerned with business strategy, policy, organisation, procedures, methods and markets
determines the appropriate method of data collection and research methodology, analyses and interprets information gained and formulates and implements recommendations and solutions
advises governments, commercial enterprises, organisations and other clients in light of research findings
runs workshops, and addresses seminars, conferences and the media to present results of research activity or to express professional views
Skills
advise on efficiency improvements
align efforts towards business development
identify undetected organisational needs
liaise with managers
make strategic business decisions
perform business analysis
advise on financial matters
advise on personnel management
analyse business plans
analyse external factors of companies
analyse financial performance of a company
analyse internal factors of companies
analyse the context of an organisation
build business relationships
Knowledge
business analysis
organisational policies
business intelligence
risk management
strategic planning
business law
business process modelling
business strategy concepts
Suits people who like
Organising and following procedures
Working with ideas and solving problems
Outlook
DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for business, media and public service professionals, a group of 32 jobs that includes business analysts.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 26%about 670,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20352.1 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.
This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.
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