What do they do?

Analyze science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions, improve existing computer systems, and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and schedule limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.

Also known as:

Applications Analyst, Business Systems Analyst, Computer Analyst, Computer Systems Analyst, Computer Systems Consultant, Data Processing Systems Analyst, Information Systems Analyst (ISA), IT Analyst (Information Technology Analyst), IT Business Analyst (Information Technology Business Analyst), IT Consultant (Information Technology Consultant), IT Systems Analyst (Information Technology Systems Analyst), Programmer Analyst, Software Analyst, Systems Analyst

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Computer Systems Analysts (SOC 2018) is projected to grow 9 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment For All United States

No Data Available
  • 9.6%

    Change

    Select a state to see its job growth rate ranking
    37,600

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

Best colleges for Computer Systems Analysts

Search

Colleges with the most graduates that become Computer Systems Analysts

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree  (48%)
  • Master's degree  (23%)
  • Some college, no degree  (13%)
  • Associate's degree  (8%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (5%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (2%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Computer Systems Analysts

Select Type of Degree:

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Troubleshoot issues with computer applications or systems.
  • Provide technical support for software maintenance or use.
  • Monitor computer system performance to ensure proper operation.
  • Test software performance.
  • Coordinate software or hardware installation.
  • Apply information technology to solve business or other applied problems.
  • Configure computer networks.
  • Write computer programming code.
  • Analyze project data to determine specifications or requirements.
  • Design integrated computer systems.
  • Analyze data to identify or resolve operational problems.
  • Collaborate with others to determine design specifications or details.
  • Modify software programs to improve performance.
  • Collect data about customer needs.
  • Train others in computer interface or software use.
  • Supervise information technology personnel.
  • Manage information technology projects or system activities.
  • Evaluate utility of software or hardware technologies.
  • Identify information technology project resource requirements.
  • Read documents to gather technical information.
  • Develop testing routines or procedures.
  • Document design or development procedures.
  • Provide recommendations to others about computer hardware.
  • Develop diagrams or flow charts of system operation.
  • Estimate time or monetary resources needed to complete projects.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.