---

Computer Systems Analysis

Types of Degrees Computer Systems Analysis Majors Are Earning

Those studying Computer Systems Analysis can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	14
Associate’s Degree	133
Bachelor’s Degree	947
Master’s Degree	1,933
Doctor’s Degree	2

What Computer Systems Analysis Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Computer Systems Analysis develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Computer Systems Analysis graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Computer Systems Analysis emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Computer Systems Analysis program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Computer Systems Analysis careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Computer Systems Analysis graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Computer Systems Analysis professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
UNIX	Operating system software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	✓
Operating system software	Operating system software	✓
Microsoft Visual Basic	Development environment software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Computer Systems Analysis graduates include:

• Computer Engineering Professor
• Computer Science Adjunct Instructor
• Computer Networking Instructor
• Network Technology Instructor
• Computer Science Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• IT Adjunct Faculty Member (Information Technology Adjunct Faculty Member)
• Information Technology Professor (IT Professor)
• Adjunct Instructor
• Information Security Systems Instructor
• Computer Science Instructor
• Adjunct Computer Science Professor
• Information Technology Instructor (IT Instructor)
• Faculty Member
• Computer Instructor

What Can You Do With a Computer Systems Analysis Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Computer Systems Analysis commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary	—	—	—
Health Informatics Specialists	—	—	—
Database Architects	—	—	—
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers	—	—	—
Telecommunications Engineering Specialists	—	—	—
Computer Network Architects	—	—	—
Computer Network Support Specialists	—	—	—
Computer Systems Analysts	—	—	—
Data Warehousing Specialists	—	—	—

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Computer Systems Analysis graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	30.2%
Bachelor’s degree	30.0%
Doctoral degree	19.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.9%
Postsecondary certificate	4.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
Some college courses	2.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.0%
Post-master’s certificate	0.7%
First professional degree	0.3%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Computer Systems Analysis?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 68.3% of Computer Systems Analysis degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	963	31.7%
Men	2,071	68.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Computer Systems Analysis graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	806	26.6%
Asian	290	9.6%
Hispanic or Latino	443	14.6%
Black or African American	209	6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	84	2.8%
Race Unknown	75	2.5%
International Students	1,120	36.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Computer Systems Analysis Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Computer Systems Analysis graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$53,073
4 years	$65,915
5 years	$75,229

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,229 — roughly 42% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Computer Systems Analysis Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Computer Systems Analysis. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	6	4
Bachelor’s	6	8
Master’s	4	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Computer Systems Analysis Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Computer Systems Analysis graduates earn a median of $65,915 four years after completion — roughly 73% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other	11.99
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES	11.00
Computer and Information Sciences, General	11.01
Computer Programming	11.02
Computer Science	11.07
Computer Software and Media Applications	11.08
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications	11.09
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	11.10
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications	11.06
Data Processing	11.03
Information Science/Studies	11.04

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.