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Computer systems analyst education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a computer systems analyst. Computer systems analysts usually study computer science, business, or computer information systems. 59% of computer systems analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,591 real computer systems analyst resumes to see exactly what computer systems analyst education sections show.
The most common colleges for computer systems analysts are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online computer systems analyst courses to help get the education required to be a computer systems analyst.
There are certain computer systems analyst certifications that you should consider. These computer systems analyst certifications include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP).
What education do you need to become a computer systems analyst?
What degree do you need to be a computer systems analyst?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 12%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a computer systems analyst?
- Computer Science, 24%
- Business, 15%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for computer systems analysts
| Computer systems analyst common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 11.56% |
| University of Phoenix | 11.56% |
| Strayer University | 8.89% |
| Florida State University | 8.00% |
| DeVry University | 7.56% |
Best majors for computer systems analysts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 23.8% |
| 2 | Business | 14.6% |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems | 11.9% |
| 4 | Information Technology | 8.0% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 7.1% |
Best colleges for computer systems analysts
The best colleges for computer systems analysts are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A computer systems analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for computer systems analysts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become computer systems analysts.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,530
Enrollment
4,571
20 best online courses for computer systems analysts
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1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)
Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more...
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Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries...
3. Data Analyst
Use Python, SQL and Statistics to advance your programming skills and refine your ability to work with messy, complex datasets...
4. Programming for Data Science with R
Prepare for a data science career by learning the fundamental data programming tools: R, SQL, command line, and git...
5. Introduction to Hardware and Operating Systems
Get ready to enter the thriving field of Information Technology (IT), with job ready skills! This beginner friendly course provides the core hardware and operating system knowledge needed by anyone new to IT and computer hardware who wants to start a new career in technology, including IT Support, Networking, Cybersecurity, and Software Development. You will first be introduced to computing fundamentals, the four functions of computing, and the benefits of computing. You will become...
6. Computer Security and Systems Management
The Computer Security and Systems Management Specialization focuses on computing in an enterprise environment. Combining both theory and real world experience and architecture, the courses will prepare you to design and audit secure enterprise systems. The courses will cover practical use of major server operating systems in an enterprise environment and how to design and operate them securely...
7. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking
For Any Graduates/Engineering/Diploma/Arts & Science/Freshers/Home Users/Individuals/Desktop Support/FM/Service Engineer...
8. Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration
Master Linux/Unix System administration through a practical and hands on approach...
9. Data Science Immersive (Full-time)
Harness the power of data science to solve the world’s most challenging problems by developing your skills in predictive modeling, pattern recognition, data visualization, wrangling massive data sets, forecasting trends, and informing strategy across diverse industries like public policy, robotics, and FinTech...
10. Data Analytics (Part Time)
Harness Excel, SQL, and Tableau to drive powerful analysis and insights. Build confidence and credibility to apply this versatile skill set to countless jobs. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
11. Intro to Machine Learning with PyTorch
Learn foundational machine learning techniques -- from data manipulation to unsupervised and supervised algorithms...
12. Full Stack Web Developer
Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...
13. System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services
This course will transition you from working on a single computer to an entire fleet. Systems administration is the field of IT that’s responsible for maintaining reliable computers systems in a multi-user environment. In this course, you’ll learn about the infrastructure services that keep all organizations, big and small, up and running. We’ll deep dive on cloud so that you’ll understand everything from typical cloud infrastructure setups to how to manage cloud resources. You'll also learn...
14. Introduction to Computer Information Systems
This Specialization is intended for anyone seeking to learn basic computer skills. Through 3 courses, you will study computer hardware, software, and data safety. You will also learn about digital literacy and productivity tools. These courses will prepare you for a number of jobs within the field of computer information systems...
15. Basic Computer Course - Windows 7/10 - IT & Desktop Support
Basic computer course with troubleshooting skills -computer hardware and computer networking, for IT support technicians...
16. Windows 10 System Administration & Basic Computer Skills
Learn the basics of system administration for the Windows 10 operating system, as well as some basic computer skills...
17. Data Science (Part Time)
Create robust predictive models with statistics and Python programming. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex machine learning problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
18. Python Programming (Part Time)
Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
19. Data Structures and Algorithms
Get hands-on practice with over 80 data structures and algorithm exercises and guidance from a dedicated mentor to help prepare you for interviews and on-the-job scenarios...
20. Data Visualization
You will start by building data visualizations and dashboards, considering your audiences to be as effective as possible. Then, you’ll move into drafting presentations using storytelling techniques, visualizations, and animations to provide data-driven recommendations...
Top 10 most affordable universities for computer systems analysts
The most affordable schools for computer systems analysts are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for computer systems analysts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for computer systems analysts.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for computer systems analysts
The hardest universities for computer systems analysts to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for computer systems analysts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for computer systems analysts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,415
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer systems analysts
The easiest schools for computer systems analysts to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and nyack college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer systems analyst without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for computer systems analysts.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
4. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
9. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
10. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
Average computer systems analyst salary by education level
| Computer systems analyst education level | Computer systems analyst salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $92,818 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $84,492 |
| Doctorate Degree | $92,078 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $74,494 |
Computer systems analyst education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025