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
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.