If you like to create diagrams and build computer systems, you might want to be a computer analyst. In this position, you will initiate computer system upgrades, publish and write technical reports and requirements. You will also configure hardware and software, train end-users on the software, and ensure that those who use computers do so efficiently.
To be a computer analyst, you will need strong analytical skills, pay attention to detail and be a team player. You will also need written and oral communication skills and be flexible in your schedule and computer duties. Your position will require adaptability and initiative.
You will need a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field and have on-the-job experience. You can earn a master's degree for advanced placement and salaries. The outlook in the near future for computer analysts is excellent, and the job will grow faster than many jobs in the next several years. Because of your education, skills, and experience, you can make a median salary of $70,000 per year.
Computer Analyst Overview
Computer Analyst Careers
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a computer analyst. For example, did you know that they make an average of $34.6 an hour? That's $71,965 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 56,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Computer Analyst Do
There are certain skills that many computer analysts have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed creativity, analytical skills and communication skills.
When it comes to the most important skills required to be a computer analyst, we found that a lot of resumes listed 6.3% of computer analysts included technical support, while 6.0% of resumes included hardware, and 5.7% of resumes included information technology. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
When it comes to searching for a job, many search for a key term or phrase. Instead, it might be more helpful to search by industry, as you might be missing jobs that you never thought about in industries that you didn't even think offered positions related to the computer analyst job title. But what industry to start with? Most computer analysts actually find jobs in the technology and professional industries.
How To Become a Computer Analyst
If you're interested in becoming a computer analyst, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 57.6% of computer analysts have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 8.8% of computer analysts have master's degrees. Even though most computer analysts have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a computer analyst. When we researched the most common majors for a computer analyst, we found that they most commonly earn bachelor's degree degrees or associate degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on computer analyst resumes include master's degree degrees or high school diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a computer analyst. In fact, many computer analyst jobs require experience in a role such as computer technician. Meanwhile, many computer analysts also have previous career experience in roles such as technical support specialist or computer operator.
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Computer Analyst Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a computer analyst can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as systems administrator, progress to a title such as information technology manager and then eventually end up with the title information technology director.
Computer Analyst Jobs You Might Like
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Average Salary for a Computer Analyst
Best Paying Cities For Computer Analysts
Recently Added Salaries
Company  | Company | Start Date | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
Robert Half Cloud Computing Analyst | Robert Half | 08/05/2021 | $165,20708/05/2021 |
Northrop Grumman SCA Computer SYS Analyst 3 | Northrop Grumman | 08/03/2021 | $72,50208/03/2021 |
Cortech Computer Analyst | Cortech | 08/01/2021 | $41,74008/01/2021 |
City of Henderson Computer Analyst I | City of Henderson | 07/27/2021 | $52,69707/27/2021 |
Connexion Systems + Engineering (3) Lab Computing Analyst, Empower-Rahway, NJ, 2438 | Connexion Systems + Engineering | 07/13/2021 | $50,08807/13/2021 |
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Computer Analyst Resumes
Designing and figuring out what to include on your resume can be tough, not to mention time-consuming. That's why we put together a guide that is designed to help you craft the perfect resume for becoming a Computer Analyst. If you're needing extra inspiration, take a look through our selection of templates that are specific to your job.
Learn How To Write a Computer Analyst Resume
At Zippia, we went through countless Computer Analyst resumes and compiled some information about how to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.
View Computer Analyst Resume Examples And TemplatesTop Colleges for Computer Analysts
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA • Private
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Top Skills For a Computer Analyst
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 6.3% of computer analysts listed technical support on their resume, but soft skills such as creativity and analytical skills are important as well.
- Technical Support, 6.3%
- Hardware, 6.0%
- Information Technology, 5.7%
- Computer System, 5.4%
- Troubleshoot, 4.9%
- Other Skills, 71.7% See All Computer Analyst Skills
Best States For a Computer Analyst
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a computer analyst. The best states for people in this position are California, Washington, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. Computer analysts make the most in California with an average salary of $85,703. Whereas in Washington and New Hampshire, they would average $83,222 and $80,340, respectively. While computer analysts would only make an average of $80,312 in New Jersey, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. New Hampshire
$80,340
Avg. Salary
2. Arizona
$76,772
Avg. Salary
3. Nevada
$76,288
Avg. Salary
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