Information system specialists are responsible for managing a company's information database and developing information security to protect the information database. Identifying data sources, collecting data through research and surveys, implementing data storage methods, ensuring information systems are streamlined and working properly are your responsibilities as an information system specialist. Also, you are in charge of helping clients retrieve necessary information from the company's database and presenting data reports to the management either annually, monthly, or when the management requests.

You should have knowledge of information systems, data processes, Microsoft suite, and office tools for this role. You should also have research skills, analytical skills, customer service skills, listening skills, communication skills, interpretation skills, interpersonal skills, and you should know Java, Python, or Perl. You need a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field and will earn an average of $61,328 per year.

What Does an Information Systems Specialist Do

There are certain skills that many information systems specialists 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 customer-service skills, listening skills and speaking skills.

Learn more about what an Information Systems Specialist does

How To Become an Information Systems Specialist

If you're interested in becoming an information systems specialist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 59.6% of information systems specialists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 9.3% of information systems specialists have master's degrees. Even though most information systems specialists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become an Information Systems Specialist

Information Systems Specialist Career Paths

Average Salary for an Information Systems Specialist

Information Systems Specialists in America make an average salary of $73,495 per year or $35 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $104,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $51,000 per year.
Average Information Systems Specialist Salary
$73,495 Yearly
$35.33 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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Roles and Types of Information Systems Specialist

The role of an information systems specialist includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general information systems specialist responsibilities:

  • Leads project teams for managing multiple large, high priority
  • Provides clients with information by designing methods to collect
  • Defining the scope, requirements gathering, design, construction, implementation

There are several types of information systems specialist, including:

Systems Analyst

Role:

Apart from the employees' skills to help the business strive in the competitive market, it is equally crucial to develop and maintain technologies to maximize business performance. And for the people who love challenges (do those people really even exist?), working as a systems analyst might be the best calling for them.

The systems analyst role is usually for people who have intermediate to the expert level technical experience. Basically, these people help to find technical solutions for businesses and improve operational processes. This is a type of job for those with enough skills and mastery of system complexities but are still willing to learn more. After all, life is a never-ending series of learning (sigh).

Navigating systems may seem to be an easy job for those who are used to it but actually, it isn't. Even those who are experienced sometimes struggle to find solutions to ensure customer satisfaction. That leads them to working day and night, even missing holidays and weekends. But, as some people say, that means nothing if you're really passionate. Now, if you think you're in for the challenges, stop reading this and get your resume ready!
  • Average Salary: $75,383
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Information Systems Technician

Role:

Information system technicians work with computers and communication systems. They build networks and databases, maintain intranet sites, install hardware and software, develop programs, protect the system from malware, and provide technical support for system users.

They may work for various organizations and are members of the IT staff comprising of programmers, IT specialists, software developers, and the like.

This is a very stable and predictable career path with next to no twists and turns along the way. It is hard to find an enterprise, big or small, that could bypass the use of computers, so you are highly unlikely to run out of work. On average, you will earn $44,850 a year.
  • Average Salary: $46,346
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Information Technology Analyst

Role:

Are you a tech-savvy and business-minded type of person? If you have a head for big-picture tech solutions, a career as an IT systems analyst may right up your alley. Taking the role of an IT analyst, you may blend your knowledge of commerce and systems to improve and optimize your organization's operations. Technology analyst is the position that comes with job security, work-life balance, a competitive salary, constant learning, and multiple career paths.

Being an IT analyst, generally, you may review the existing IT systems and internal processes, provide recommendations to improve the systems, or implement the new ones. Working as an IT analyst, you'll spend your time in an office setting collaborating with developers to design and implement technology solutions. Typically, you'll work full-time, but you may have flexible schedules too. Being an IT analyst, you could work in any sector. From healthcare to automotive, beauty to travel, government to private business, the possibilities for you as an IT analyst are endless, especially since every industry consumes IT services.

To become an IT analyst, usually, you're required to earn a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, telecommunications, or a related field. Having an advanced degree or prior relevant work experience may help set your resume apart. Analyzing and implementing efficient IT systems, you may earn an average annual wage of $77,000, which is quite enough to pay your bills. Not only that, but the job prospects for you as a system analyst are excellent. According to the BLS, the number of system analyst jobs expects to increase 9 percent between 2018 to 2028, which is faster than the average growth rate for the entire job market.
  • Average Salary: $83,078
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Information Systems Specialist Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active information systems specialist jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where information systems specialists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Information Systems Specialist Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California6,536$77,970
2Texas5,449$73,473
3Florida4,120$62,742
4New York3,202$78,589
5Illinois2,802$70,236
6Pennsylvania2,723$78,646
7North Carolina2,497$70,934
8Virginia2,426$76,587
9Georgia2,251$56,142
10Ohio2,172$71,146
11Washington2,079$77,674
12Massachusetts2,012$73,096
13New Jersey1,868$79,921
14Arizona1,817$62,824
15Michigan1,733$66,090
16Minnesota1,638$61,241
17Maryland1,605$75,163
18Colorado1,472$58,680
19Missouri1,260$61,227
20Tennessee1,248$64,807
21Wisconsin1,232$69,269
22Indiana1,215$78,525
23Oregon1,205$76,951
24Iowa920$67,330
25South Carolina902$65,591
26Connecticut803$77,368
27Utah767$75,436
28Alabama751$65,393
29Kentucky674$82,171
30Nebraska668$65,437
31Kansas650$58,519
32Oklahoma601$75,095
33Louisiana582$77,181
34New Mexico560$80,260
35Nevada543$76,403
36Arkansas519$60,483
37Mississippi471$56,320
38New Hampshire469$69,430
39Idaho459$58,510
40North Dakota357$63,769
41West Virginia355$63,690
42Rhode Island342$74,590
43Montana333$60,997
44South Dakota325$56,964
45Maine311$64,015
46Delaware308$81,069
47Alaska263$57,823
48Hawaii234$60,341
49Vermont213$74,172
50Wyoming199$58,822

Information Systems Specialist Education

Information Systems Specialist Majors

19.7 %

Information Systems Specialist Degrees

Bachelors

59.6 %

Associate

23.9 %

Masters

9.3 %

Top Colleges for Information Systems Specialists

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Computer Technical Support
Computer Science
Business
Electrical Engineering
Political Science

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Computer Technical Support
Business
Information Systems
Political Science
Computer Science

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Computer Technical Support
Liberal Arts
Communication
Computer Science

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Computer Technical Support
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Communication

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Liberal Arts
Business
Criminal Justice
Communication
Computer Technical Support

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Accounting
Computer Technical Support
Computer Science
Business
Political Science

7. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Liberal Arts
Criminal Justice
Communication
Computer Technical Support

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Business
Computer Technical Support
Communication
Computer Science
Criminal Justice

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Computer Technical Support
Liberal Arts
Business
Information Systems
Computer Information Systems

10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

Admissions
Most Popular Majors
Computer Technical Support
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Information Systems
Business

Top Skills For an Information Systems Specialist

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, 23.0% of information systems specialists listed customer service on their resume, but soft skills such as customer-service skills and listening skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Information Systems Specialist Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Information Systems Specialist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Information Systems Specialist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Information Systems Specialist Demographics

Information Systems Specialist Gender Distribution

Male
Male
69%
Female
Female
31%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among information systems specialists, 31.1% of them are women, while 68.9% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among information systems specialists is White, which makes up 56.0% of all information systems specialists.

  • The most common foreign language among information systems specialists is Spanish at 45.9%.

Online Courses For Information Systems Specialist That You May Like

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1. Introduction to Hardware and Operating Systems

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If you're ready to enter the world of Information Technology (IT), you need job-ready skills. This course enables you to develop the skills to work with computer hardware and operating systems, and is your first step to prepare for all types of tech related careers that require IT Fundamental skills. First, learn about the essential software brain of a computer—its operating system software when you explore Microsoft Windows. Next, discover internal key hardware computer components, including...

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2. Information Systems Auditing, Controls and Assurance

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The course is awarded The Best Free Online Courses of All Time, and Best Online Courses of the Year (2021 Edition) by Class Central (http://www.classcentral.com). --- Information systems (IS) are important assets to business organizations and are ubiquitous in our daily lives. With the latest IS technologies emerging, such as Big Data, FinTech, Virtual Banks, there are more concerns from the public on how organizations maintain systems’ integrity, such as data privacy, information security, the...

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3. Technical Support Fundamentals

coursera

This course is the first of a series that aims to prepare you for a role as an entry-level IT Support Specialist. In this course, you’ll be introduced to the world of Information Technology, or IT. You’ll learn about the different facets of Information Technology, like computer hardware, the Internet, computer software, troubleshooting, and customer service. This course covers a wide variety of topics in IT that are designed to give you an overview of what’s to come in this certificate program...

See More on Coursera
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Best States For an Information Systems Specialist

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as an information systems specialist. The best states for people in this position are Kentucky, Delaware, New Mexico, and New Jersey. Information systems specialists make the most in Kentucky with an average salary of $82,171. Whereas in Delaware and New Mexico, they would average $81,069 and $80,260, respectively. While information systems specialists would only make an average of $79,921 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 Mexico

Total Information Systems Specialist Jobs: 560
Highest 10% Earn:
$115,000
Location Quotient:
1.19

2. District of Columbia

Total Information Systems Specialist Jobs: 602
Highest 10% Earn:
$127,000
Location Quotient:
1.49

3. Delaware

Total Information Systems Specialist Jobs: 308
Highest 10% Earn:
$116,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Full List Of Best States For Information Systems Specialists

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Top Information Systems Specialist Employers

We've made finding a great employer to work for easy by doing the hard work for you. We looked into employers that employ information systems specialists and discovered their number of information systems specialist opportunities and average salary. Through our research, we concluded that United States Marine Corps was the best, especially with an average salary of $72,016. US Air Conditioning Distributors follows up with an average salary of $75,225, and then comes The State of Oregon with an average of $59,207. In addition, we know most people would rather work from home. So instead of having to change careers, we identified the best employers for remote work as an information systems specialist. The employers include Caterpillar, Northside Hospital, and The State of Oregon

Most Common Employers For Information Systems Specialist

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1AT&T$106,321$51.1210
2IBM$95,021$45.688
3The Travelers Companies$90,135$43.3314
4Northrop Grumman$87,646$42.1410
5Coventry Health Care$83,762$40.2711
6Lockheed Martin$83,601$40.1911
7Tech Mahindra$81,804$39.3314
8SAIC$79,212$38.0817
9Cummins$78,540$37.7610
10NCI$77,711$37.369

Information Systems Specialist Videos