Computer and Mathematical · Holland code ICR

Computer Systems Analysts

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 called: Business Systems Analyst, Computer Systems Analyst, Programmer Analyst, Systems Analyst, Applications Analyst, Computer Analyst, Computer Systems Consultant, Information Systems Analyst (ISA).

O*NET 15-1211.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $105,850; Middle half earn $82,860 to $134,110. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree; 51% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 4 of 5; Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034: +9% · Much faster than average; 521,100 jobs in 2024, projected 566,500. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Computer systems analysts".

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

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.
Review and analyze computer printouts and performance indicators to locate code problems, and correct errors by correcting codes.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Speaking4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension3.9 / 5
Active Listening3.8 / 5
Critical Thinking3.8 / 5
Active Learning3.6 / 5
Writing3.4 / 5

Knowledge areas

Computers and Electronics4.6 / 5
Customer and Personal Service3.7 / 5
English Language3.5 / 5
Mathematics3.3 / 5
Administration and Management3.2 / 5
Education and Training3.0 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic38
Investigative90
Artistic16
Social15
Enterprising21
Conventional82

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

ICT system analyst · DE IT-Systemanalytiker/IT-Systemanalytikerin · FR analyste de système informatique
ICT system architect · DE IT-Systemarchitekt/IT-Systemarchitektin · FR concepteur de systèmes informatiques/conceptrice de systèmes informatiques
ICT system developer · DE IT-Systementwickler/IT-Systementwicklerin · FR développeur de systèmes informatiques/développeuse de systèmes informatiques
ICT system integration consultant · DE IT-Consultant für Systemintegration · FR consultant en intégration de systèmes informatiques/consultante en intégration de systèmes informatiques
embedded system designer · DE Embedded System Designer/Embedded System Designerin · FR concepteur de systèmes informatiques intégrés/conceptrice de systèmes informatiques intégrés
ICT business analyst · DE IT-Business-Analyst · FR analyste d’étude en TIC

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (2133)212,200 employed
Programmers and software development professionals (2134)543,400 employed
IT quality and testing professionals (2136)32,600 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Japan

Japan classifies jobs in its own way. The closest category that names the same work is “システムコンサルタント・設計者”, which may be narrower or broader than this occupation.

Median monthly pay: ¥445,500; Middle half earn ¥344,100 to ¥623,700 a month.
Workers in the category: 174,140; Regular employees in firms of ten or more.

Scheduled monthly pay before tax, excluding overtime and bonuses, so it is not comparable to the annual figures above. Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025, via e-Stat, under the Japanese Government Standard Terms of Use. The category match was made by hand.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€61,714
Germany	€59,529
Ireland	€56,877
Austria	€55,374
Netherlands	€53,595
Sweden	€43,567
France	€41,515
Spain	€35,735
Italy	€33,649
Portugal	€26,072
Poland	€14,380

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test