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Job outlook for automation analysts in the United States
Automation analyst job and salary trends over time
Automation analyst jobs over time
Automation analyst job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 139,146 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 163,327 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 92,421 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 103,992 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 96,236 | 0.03% |
Average automation analyst salary over time
Automation analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $68,695 | $33.03 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $66,431 | $31.94 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $64,927 | $31.21 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $63,661 | $30.61 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $62,223 | $29.91 | +1.5% |
Automation analyst jobs by state
Most common states for automation analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 565 | 81% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,461 | 29% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,676 | 24% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,432 | 24% |
| 5 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 619 | 20% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 126 | 20% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 206 | 19% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 743 | 18% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 172 | 18% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 963 | 17% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 229 | 17% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 871 | 16% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,129 | 15% |
| 14 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 154 | 15% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 5,671 | 14% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,732 | 14% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,477 | 14% |
| 18 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,254 | 14% |
| 19 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 950 | 14% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 109 | 14% |
Most common cities for automation analysts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 2 | 7% | $58,574 |
| 2 | Juneau | 2 | 6% | $62,747 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 2 | 5% | $75,486 |
| 4 | Dover | 2 | 5% | $62,480 |
| 5 | Little Rock | 3 | 2% | $62,643 |
| 6 | Tallahassee | 3 | 2% | $55,426 |
| 7 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $66,991 |
| 8 | Lansing | 2 | 2% | $61,044 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 3 | 1% | $63,820 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $64,507 |
| 11 | Des Moines | 2 | 1% | $63,268 |
| 12 | Montgomery | 2 | 1% | $56,060 |
| 13 | Chicago | 8 | 0% | $67,244 |
| 14 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $69,653 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $59,880 |
| 16 | Denver | 2 | 0% | $61,920 |
| 17 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $61,310 |
| 18 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $58,237 |
Automation Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of automation analyst experts
UMass Lowell
Merrimack College
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
University of Washington
Kent State University
Widener University
University of Southern Maine
Western Kentucky University
SUNY College at Geneseo
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Masters of Science in EntrepreneurshipUMass Lowell
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Innovation
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: Remember that your first job does not define your career. You may build a career around that first job or you may use it as a valuable learning experience to change careers at some point. Eventually, what we call our careers are only really seen in hindsight. They are part of a narrative we construct about ourselves. So, don't worry to much about whether you are on the 'right path'. The right path is the one you chose at the time given the constraints and alternatives before you. But make the most of every opportunity you can to learn more about yourself - what you like, what you don't like, and what you find fulfilling about your work.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: Obviously we are seeing a tremendous increase in AI and other digital technologies. These will become a more crucial skill set for many careers going forward. But I wouldn't downplay the role of what are traditionally seen as soft skills like empathy, communications, and judgment. Not only can these distinguish you from robots but from your human competitors as well.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: If all you want is the highest potential starting salary, then you should aim for careers that offer them. But that is a shortsighted way to view things. For example, many careers that have tournament-like pay structures (think entertainment) often have very low starting salaries but the so-called winners enjoy outsized financial gains. If you are thinking about a more traditional career, I think it's important to make sure you are more valuable to your employer than they are to you. This means you have to market yourself, both to your current employer as well as to potential ones. Of course, this approach may not be for everyone and maximizing your salary potential is only one thing you should be considering when assessing job and career opportunities.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Swagata Banerjee PhD: Digital literacy: As technology continues to evolve, proficiency in digital tools and platforms will become increasingly essential. Adaptability: The ability to quickly learn new skills and adapt to changing circumstances will be crucial in a rapidly evolving industry landscape. Data literacy: Understanding and analyzing data will become more important for making informed decisions and optimizing strategies. Interdisciplinary skills: The ability to work across different disciplines and collaborate effectively with diverse teams will be highly valued. Emotional intelligence: Soft skills such as empathy, communication, and teamwork will continue to be in demand as workplaces become more interconnected and dynamic.
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Reshad Osmani PhD: As a new graduate starting your career, I recommend staying curious, being open to learning from others, seeking feedback, building networks, and being proactive in tackling challenges. Keep developing your analytical skills, stay adaptable, and remember that mistakes are opportunities for growth. Learning by doing should be your number one priority.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Reshad Osmani PhD: To maximize your salary potential when starting your career, consider the following strategies: negotiate your starting salary based on market research, demonstrate your value through accomplishments, seek out opportunities for advancement and growth, continuously improve your skills, consider additional certifications or degrees, and be willing to explore job opportunities that offer competitive compensation packages.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Reshad Osmani PhD: In the next 3-5 years, skills like data analysis, digital literacy, adaptability, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills are likely to become even more important across various fields due to the increasing influence of technology, automation, and remote work trends. Additionally, skills related to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and sustainability may also gain prominence.
Renee Robinson Ph.D.
Professor of CommunicationWhat general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Renee Robinson Ph.D.: How can you maximize your salary potential when starting your career in your field?
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Renee Robinson Ph.D.: What skills do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Renee Robinson Ph.D.: That would be awesome! We were hoping you could answer the following questions: 1. What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career in the field?
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rebecca MacGowan: Business graduates encompass a broad set of majors, each of which has their own set of best practices and different applied tools that they use. I highly recommend students become familiar with the dominant trends in their fields including decision making processes (how do individuals in their field draw conclusions about what to do) and what software applications are the most prevalent (what they use for supply chain is going to be different from the applications they use for accounting, and so forth) so that they can ensure they are practicing their domain-specific aptitudes prior to graduation. They can do this via their college courses, outside learning opportunities, or via an internship with applied experience. Regardless of their specific major, all business students benefit from the development of their soft skills – rarely in a business environment will you work independently, the majority of the time you are going to be working in groups and teams, nested within departments, nested within organizations, nested within industries. As such, learning strong communication and conflict management skills, gaining an understanding of the strengths of your personal leadership style as well as an understanding of your weaknesses, and figuring out the best way to maintain your personal motivation and how to motivate others, are all skills that transcend time and are helpful across different positions and organizations. Additionally, as AI becomes more prominent in white-collar positions, the ability to interface with AI engines will continue to emerge as an important general skill to have.
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Rebecca Bird MAS, BS MT(ASCP): Skills that will become more important in the future are understanding quality measures. Six Sigma Lean principles are very applicable to what we do and help to keep a balanced workflow. A second thing is to understand that you and your coworkers are human. Find resilience tools that help you to keep a calm focus and practice good communication. Stay connected to national organizations for articles and training to stay connected to the future.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rebecca Bird MAS, BS MT(ASCP): To maximize your salary potential, obtain some experience while you are in school. If there is a clinic to volunteer at or a student job in a lab, take it. Higher pay is almost always offered to the evening and night shift technicians. If your new workplace is on 8-hour nights or evenings, create a schedule where evenings and nights do 10s or 12s and suggest it to the leadership. This makes a much better work-life balance.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Rebecca Bird MAS, BS MT(ASCP): As a new graduate, remember why you decided on this career. Was it because you liked to help people? Then remember your results are improving the quality of life for another person. Is it because you like detective work? Then view each sample as a puzzle to work through. Is it because you want to further your education? Then never stop learning.
Prof. Mohammad Elahee Ph.D.
Perlroth Professor of Int’l. BusinessWhat Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Prof. Mohammad Elahee Ph.D.: A combination of both hard and soft skills will be needed to survive in this ‘dog eat dog world’. Hard skills that will be in high demand are familiarity with new AI- and machine-driven technologies and quantitative reasoning. Soft skills that employers will be looking for include emotional intelligence, communication and interpersonal skills and a “can do attitude”. Paradoxical though it may sound, AI would actually create more demand for people with emotional and social intelligence.
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Marilyn Krogh: Statistical and communication skills are always in demand, and familiarity with a little AI would be a bonus.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Marilyn Krogh: Know yourself—take time to identify and name your own strengths, interests and priorities in your work life. Take advantage of the services from your university career development center.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Marilyn Krogh: Have a strong undergraduate portfolio, do an internship before graduation, and be willing to 'go an extra mile' for your employer.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Hart: Most businesses may hire you on like a consultant. The employees rarely welcome consultants in their business so that early friction is something that most new Business Analysts find distasteful, however if taken in that context, it is also the most challenging part of the field. When you discover processes that will enhance the productivity of the company and help the employees see more profit sharing you can end up being the hero. Most employees spend most of their work career never feeling fulfilled. This profession will definitely give you that rewarding feeling.
Dany Doueiri
ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Dany Doueiri: Don't try to start your own business right after you graduate. Keep your dreams, passions, and aspirations alive but get experience from the field through companies, organizations, and institutions. Gain wisdom from those who have more experience than you and those who make mistakes, including your own shortcomings. Then, you can consider branching out. Finally, learning never stops at the end of your college journey. Be humble and keep on learning for life.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Adam Roth: In the next 3–5 years, the increasing presence of robots and artificial intelligence (AI) will drastically change the job market, leading to the replacement or displacement of many tasks that are currently performed by humans. This change highlights the growing need for individuals with degrees in the liberal arts. A liberal arts education emphasizes communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical reasoning, creativity, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness—human literacies, skills, and competencies that are difficult for a machine to replicate. As automation takes over many routine tasks, jobs requiring complex decision-making, creativity, and communication and interpersonal skills will become more important. Liberal arts graduates also excel in ethical decision-making and understanding societal issues, which are crucial in the responsible use and incorporation of AI.
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Bradley Andrew Ph.D.: So-called soft skills are still in demand by employers, based on recent surveys, because a smaller percentage of graduates possess them. These include:
Showing up and on time;
Having a strong work ethic;
Critical thinking skills
Social skills, including the ability to get along well with people, motivate and encourage them, and leadership skills. Also be able to schmooze with clients over dinner or drinks, or just in your office. A personal touch and connection is something software can’t provide.
Creativity—Apple products, for example, appeal to many people because of their combination of form and function.
The ability to work AI in order to increase one’s productivity will become more important over the next 5 years.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Bradley Andrew Ph.D.: Once you have your first job, ask about or determine the 20% of your supervisor’s job that they hate and start doing that for them. They will love you for it and it will quickly get you recognition. You’ll also be well on your way to learning your boss’s job. Continue doing this as you progress in your career (Kudos to Theo Epstein, former GM for the Red Sox, for this recommendation)
No matter the task you’re given, do it to the absolute best of your abilities. In the professional world, you may often be given menial tasks or tasks that you don’t believe are part of your job description. Doing those tasks to the absolute best of your ability leads to increased trust, recognition and responsibility and will put you “above class.” If asked, the coffee you bring should be the best your boss has ever had. You never know who’s watching.
Don’t expect credit and don’t ask for credit when things go right; give the credit to others.
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Melissa Zimdars: To remember that you're going to learn a lot on the job and that failure is part of the learning process. It's okay to ask questions and to not know things, but you must be willing to take feedback, adjust, and grow.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Melissa Zimdars: - The ability to communicate effectively is an evergreen skill that only seems to be getting more important as the number of ways we communicate with each other, our supervisors, and with clients or outside stakeholders keeps expanding. - The ability to adapt to and learn how to navigate new technologies and platforms.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Melissa Zimdars: Recognize that your first career opportunity won't be your last. If the job you land after college does not have opportunities for growth or advancement, it's imperative that you keep an eye out for them elsewhere as you continue to gain experience in your field.
Fawen Zhang PhD
Professor of AudiologyUniversity of Cincinnati Clermont College
Communication Disorders Sciences And Services
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Fawen Zhang PhD: This is perfect! Thank you so much. We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Fawen Zhang PhD: This is perfect! Thank you so much. We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Fawen Zhang PhD: This is perfect! Thank you so much. We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Victor Menaldo: Learn, learn and learn some more. Adopt a growth mindset where you never stop learning. Gain economic literacy and financial literacy and historical literacy and statistical literacy. This will allow you to complement AI: ask it good questions, contextualize and evaluate its answers, and ask good follow up questions.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Victor Menaldo: Interacting with AI and knowing how to best exploit it to get the most out of it: increase productivity and value added in whatever field one is in.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Victor Menaldo: Develop oral communication skills that allow you to speak in an articulate manner and organize your thoughts to signal your competence, knowledge, work ethic, and willingness to keep learning and improving.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Vaneet Kaur: There are two sets of skills I will highly encourage graduates to proactively start building. Firstly, business graduates need to develop higher-order skills and capabilities like knowledge-based dynamic capabilities. These will help them to (a) constantly collect knowledge about emerging opportunities (and threats) in the industry, (b) mobilize themselves and their resources to bring identified opportunities into fruition, and (c) constantly renew their skills to effectively respond to the changes in the environment. Developing such knowledge-based dynamic capabilities will automatically prepare them for the different waves of skill set requirements that will keep arising in the job market. Secondly, it is no secret that we are living in the times of artificial intelligence and automation. So, in this day and age, it is extremely important that graduates learn to ride the wave of automation rather than being discouraged by it. Business graduates are set to contribute to the world with their business acumen and expertise, what they can do to complement it is to develop low-code, no-code skills. Such skills will help graduates to automate routine processes so that their time and energies can be strategically channelized towards those activities and processes that can add significant value to their organizations.
Tongyang Yang Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Economics and Business AnalyticsWidener University
Business/Commerce
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Tongyang Yang Ph.D.: There are many reasons that people like about being a business analyst, including reasons listed as follows: 1. Analytical Skills and Data Exploration: BAs often analyze data to understand trends and identify areas for improvement. Seeing a successful implementation and its positive impact can be very rewarding. 2. Problem-solving. BAs get to identify inefficiencies and propose solutions that can improve how a business operates. 3. Continuous learning. Business analysts may work on a range of projects and the field of business analysis may be constantly evolving, which required BAs to actively cultivate skills in new businesses. For example, the coming of the AI era requires BAs to master AI fundamentals and data fluency. 4. While some thrive on the problem-solving and communication aspects of a BA role, others may find them less appealing. Carefully consider your personality and preferences to see if this aligns with your career goals.
Tove Rasmussen
LecturerUniversity of Southern Maine
Specialized Sales, Merchandising And Marketing Operations
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen advises graduates beginning their career in the field to...
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen believes that the skills that will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years are...
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Tove Rasmussen: Tove Rasmussen suggests that to maximize salary potential when starting a career in the field, individuals should...
What general advice would you give to an Automation Analyst?
Timothy Rich PhD: Social science research skills, including research design and quantitative analysis, have broad applications (e.g. local government, think tanks, campaigns, non-profits, business) and students need to be comfortable with data. Writing skills aren't being replaced by ChatGPT, and students need to learn how to write for different audiences and not just for the typical final paper. That means being able to explain complex events or data and synthesize information to someone who has little knowledge about the topic. Students tend to distrust group projects, but learning to work in groups is also a transferable skill and an important one even if working remotely.
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Timothy Rich PhD: Think about the types of jobs that interest you and the skills necessary for those jobs early. So many students start thinking about post-graduation life spring their senior year, when it should be an incremental process much earlier. Another pieces of advice would be to talk to faculty and alum about your interests, find internship or research opportunities when possible, and try to figure out early your strengths and weaknesses. It's easy for students, especially high performing ones, to not fully consider what their weaknesses are. I encourage students to jot down what they see as their skills too and to share them with others. It helps them to identify what's a common skill versus something that might make them stick out.
What will help Automation Analysts increase their earning potential?
Timothy Rich PhD: In social science fields, many of the highest paid jobs straight out are government related or data analysis related. Without developing research, writing, and in some cases foreign language skills, this will be a limitation. Depending on the desired job, a graduate degree may be required and students should be maximizing their exposure to graduate-style experiences as undergrads to not only get into prestigious law schools, master's programs, etc., but to take advantage of the internship and research opportunities that first year entrants are rarely equipped to handle.
Jasmine Tang
SUNY College at Geneseo
Bilingual, Multilingual, And Multicultural Education
What Automation Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jasmine Tang: Be confident of their major/minor or the subject they like and do best of the field they like for themselves not for money or please their parents or fulfill the dream of others.