Career Overlap Occupation record
RecordJob

Where a cost analyst can go next

5 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a cost analyst already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.

Cost analysts prepare regular costs, budgeting analyses and reports in order to contribute to the overall cost planning and forecasting activities of a business. They review and reconcile key balance sheets and identify new opportunities to save costs.

Also known as quantity surveyor, cost accountant, cost accounting clerk, cost recovery estimator, cost and budget analyst, cost accounting officer, cost estimator.

Professionals 33 skills on file 5 career moves 0 above 60% overlap Closest: budget analyst, 60%

Fig. 2 · Career map 5 nearest · ESCO v1.2.1
budget analyst 60% covered financial controller 50% covered corporate treasurer 43% covered budget manager 40% covered manufacturing cost estimator 37% covered cost analyst You are here
  • 70% and above · short step
  • 50 to 70% · real move
  • Below 50% · substantial retraining
The 5 nearest destinations from cost analyst, each one a link to that move’s record. Distance from the centre is how much retraining the move takes; the figure on each is how much of that role a cost analyst already covers. All 5 are listed in the tables below.
Table 1

Table 1 · Within reach

Table 2

Table 2 · A bigger jump

Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.

Table 3

Table 3 · What the job itself asks for

A cost analyst needs 13 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.

Required skill Area
  • prepare cost-plus pricing models information skills
  • liquidity management business, administration and law
  • perform cost accounting activities management skills
  • evaluate budgets management skills
  • financial department processes business, administration and law
  • synthesise financial information information skills
  • identify process improvements management skills
  • control of expenses information skills
  • interpret financial statements information skills
  • assess financial viability information skills
Table 4

Table 4 · Jobs that lead here

The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a cost analyst does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.

Index

Look up another occupation

Cost analyst is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.

Note

How these figures were compiled

Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a cost analyst’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.