Head to head
Which skill should you learn next? Score both against real job postings.
Excel
91
scored postings
Demand index
Posted pay (US)
Power BI
71
scored postings
Demand index
Posted pay (US)
Demand index: the larger skill is 100, the other is scaled to it.
The matchup
ShouldApply has scored 6,679 job postings. Excel appears in 91 of them (1.4%) and Power BI in 71 (1.1%). 12 postings list both, which is 8% of everything that lists either one.
Each bar below uses one ruler for both skills. The leader on a metric gets a gold edge and a Leads label. Pay uses US postings that list a salary, ghost risk is the share of postings with a ghost probability of 50% or higher, and depth is the level (L0 to L5) the scoring engine assigned to the skill when it read the posting, not a stated years-of-experience ask.
Head to head
Excel has 28% more postings than Power BI.
Scored postings that list the skill.
About level. The gap is under 3%.
US postings that list pay (23 and 16).
The scoring engine reads Excel at a deeper level on average, by 2.2 of a level.
Level the scoring engine assigned to the skill, L0 to L5.
Excel postings are less likely to carry high ghost signals, 29% against 36%.
Share of postings with a ghost probability of 50% or higher.
Power BI postings are flagged remote-friendly more often, 55% against 41%.
Share of postings flagged remote.
Based on 6,679 scored job postings, updated . The pool refreshes every 2 hours from 4 job boards.
Strengths
Where it is used
Role mix
Both skills appear together in 8% of the postings that list either one (12 postings).
Demand over time
Excel: growing (+100%). Power BI: growing (+57%). Excel postings: 20 in the newer half of the last 90 days against 10 in the older half. Power BI: 11 against 7.
Counts scored postings by posted date, closed ones included. Change compares the newer half of the window with the older half.
Not sure which skill your resume already shows? Scan your resume
The verdict
Excel leads on more job openings, deeper scored skill levels, and lower ghost risk. Power BI leads on more remote-friendly roles. Your pick depends on the job you want next, and plenty of postings ask for both (8% of those that list either).
Go deeper on each: Excel demand and depth and Power BI demand and depth.
The data does not crown one. Excel appears in 91 scored postings against 71 for Power BI, which is 28% more openings. On pay, Power BI has the higher posted median ($106K against $105K). 8% of postings that list either skill list both, so learning one rarely closes the door on the other.
They are level. US postings that list Excel have a $105K median (23 postings) and Power BI has $106K (16).
Yes, and employers often expect it. 12 scored postings list both skills, 8% of every posting that lists either one. Postings that want only Excel lean toward Data Analyst roles; only-Power BI postings lean toward Data Analyst.
Excel does, with 91 scored postings (1.4% of everything scored) against 71 (1.1%) for Power BI. Over the last 90 days, Excel is growing and Power BI is growing by posted date.
Excel shows up most in Data Analyst postings and Power BI in Data Analyst postings. The scoring engine reads Excel at an average depth of L3.6 and Power BI at L1.4. Excel postings carry high ghost signals 29% of the time, Power BI 36%.