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Computer Systems Analysts

US occupation · SOC 15-1211

Job titles people report: Applications Analyst, Business Systems Analyst, Computer Analyst, Computer Systems Analyst, Computer Systems Consultant, Information Systems Analyst (ISA), IT Analyst (Information Technology Analyst), IT Systems Analyst (Information Technology Systems Analyst), Programmer Analyst, Systems Analyst

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025
$105,850
Half earn more, half earn less
Middle half earn
$82,860 – $134,110
25th to 75th percentile
People employed, May 2025
519,530
Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
Projected change, 2025–35
+7.9%
Growing at twice the all-jobs rate or more (7%+)
Openings a year (projected)
32,900
New jobs plus replacing people who leave
Typical education to enter
Bachelor's degree
BLS
  • All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
  • Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
  • Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

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.

Main tasks

  • Troubleshoot program and system malfunctions to restore normal functioning.
  • Provide staff and users with assistance solving computer-related problems, such as malfunctions and program problems.
  • Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation of computer programs and systems.
  • Use the computer in the analysis and solution of business problems, such as development of integrated production and inventory control and cost analysis systems.
  • Coordinate and link the computer systems within an organization to increase compatibility so that information can be shared.
  • Use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client and server applications development processes and multimedia and Internet technology.
  • Analyze information processing or computation needs and plan and design computer systems, using techniques such as structured analysis, data modeling, and information engineering.
  • Consult with management to ensure agreement on system principles.

More specific O*NET® occupations under this one: Health Informatics Specialists.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)
Bachelor's degree
O*NET Job Zone 4
Considerable preparation
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests it suits

The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.

  • Investigative: research, analysis and solving problems with ideas
  • Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
  • Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 4 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Computer Science

  • Computer and Information Sciences, General
  • Information Technology
  • Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst
  • Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Computer Science at the Major step.

Where many students take computer science

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

← All careers

Sources

This page 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. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0

Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk