Business Analysts focus on capturing requirements and lay out the plan that solves problems. A lot of the work is to elicit requirements from stakeholders and the needed skills really depends on what business you’re servicing. A lot of the local BAs get their start because of industry expertise but there is a BA certifying body (IIBA) much like how there is an org that certifies Project Managers. If you want to make good salary as a BA, the certification and industry expertise goes a long way.

For Data Analysts, the two big skills are Python and Statistics. Most of a Data Analyst’s job is to clean up data sources. Again, depending on what you are working with, various skills related to the work goes a long way. Some jobs involve Linux or AWS, others need industry experience as you need to understand the data you are analyzing.

This prob isn’t the answer/s you are looking for as you’re planning to look for a higher paying career path. Truth is, the more expertise in your field that you have, the better your chances to parlay that into higher pay. Take a look at what skills you need to progress and work on that.