What Does a Systems Analyst Do?
Boxes and arrows on a whiteboard, tracing how an approval really moves through an office, are often a systems analyst's first piece of work on a project. Much of the job is spent in the departments that use the software, watching how staff work and then specifying the fix, from a new approval step to a full system replacement.
Also known as: Support Systems Analyst, Principal Support Systems Analyst, Senior Support Systems Analyst
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as 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).
Systems Analyst Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a systems analyst include:
- Interview staff and observe how work actually flows before proposing any change.
- Map current processes and data flows in diagrams that managers and developers can both follow.
- Weigh the costs and benefits of fixing, replacing or buying a system.
- Write functional specifications that developers and vendors can build and test against.
- Compare vendor products against requirements and score demos with the users who will rely on them.
- Design test plans and lead user acceptance testing before a new system goes live.
- Coordinate data conversion from old systems, checking record counts and samples after each load.
- Track change requests and keep a clear record of what was approved and why.
- Monitor system performance after launch and recommend fixes for slow or clumsy steps.
- Brief managers on project status, risks and choices in plain, non-technical terms.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a systems analyst, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Process mapping with Visio or Lucidchart
- Requirements writing and use cases
- SQL for checking data and results
- Cost-benefit and feasibility analysis
- Knowledge of how finance, HR or student offices run
- Running meetings where departments disagree
- Project tracking in Jira or Smartsheet
- Curiosity about why a process works the way it does
Education and Training
Systems analysts come from business, accounting and computer science programs alike, and a bachelor's degree is the typical entry education, according to BLS. Many move over from writing reports or supporting users. The job involves a lot of talking to people. Project management and IT architecture are common next steps.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $82,860 - $134,110 per year, with a median of $105,850.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Computer Systems Analysts.
BLS projects employment of computer systems analysts to grow about 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 32,900 openings a year. And, as long as offices keep changing how they work, analysts will be needed to make sure the software changes with them.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Computer systems analysts.
Systems Analyst Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $67,340 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $82,860 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $105,850 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $134,110 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $167,710 |
Highest-Paying States for Systems Analysts
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Rhode Island ($134,630), Washington ($129,410), Massachusetts ($128,240), Colorado ($127,750), California ($127,720). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($86,280), Arkansas ($81,760), Idaho ($75,310).
Median pay in all 50 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $101,770 |
| Alaska | $88,520 |
| Arizona | $103,530 |
| Arkansas | $81,760 |
| California | $127,720 |
| Colorado | $127,750 |
| Connecticut | $109,600 |
| Delaware | $110,560 |
| District of Columbia | $116,820 |
| Florida | $101,900 |
| Georgia | $106,240 |
| Hawaii | $88,640 |
| Idaho | $75,310 |
| Illinois | $101,570 |
| Indiana | $98,810 |
| Iowa | $95,920 |
| Kansas | $100,770 |
| Kentucky | $95,090 |
| Louisiana | $95,660 |
| Maine | $95,820 |
| Maryland | $113,610 |
| Massachusetts | $128,240 |
| Michigan | $103,410 |
| Minnesota | $106,350 |
| Mississippi | $86,280 |
| Missouri | $92,060 |
| Montana | $91,310 |
| Nebraska | $91,810 |
| Nevada | $104,060 |
| New Hampshire | $107,670 |
| New Jersey | $122,890 |
| New Mexico | $98,220 |
| New York | $109,610 |
| North Carolina | $106,850 |
| North Dakota | $105,470 |
| Ohio | $102,320 |
| Oklahoma | $95,930 |
| Oregon | $121,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,550 |
| Rhode Island | $134,630 |
| South Carolina | $98,280 |
| South Dakota | $99,790 |
| Tennessee | $95,630 |
| Texas | $107,390 |
| Utah | $98,770 |
| Vermont | $99,610 |
| Virginia | $120,840 |
| Washington | $129,410 |
| Wisconsin | $100,440 |
| Wyoming | $109,780 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as computer systems analysts about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% use email every day
- 98% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 93% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 86% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 79% are on the phone every day
- 75% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 62% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
Tools and Software Systems Analysts Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy analyzing problems and working with ideas as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation.
Knowledge areas used most: Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Mathematics, Administration and Management.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Systems Analyst Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 15-1211.00 (Computer Systems Analysts). View on O*NET OnLine.
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