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The differences between systems analysts and senior systems analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a systems analyst and a senior systems analyst. Additionally, a senior systems analyst has an average salary of $82,717, which is higher than the $75,383 average annual salary of a systems analyst.
The top three skills for a systems analyst include customer service, project management and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a senior systems analyst are project management, java, and sql server.
| Systems Analyst | Senior Systems Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $75,383 | $82,717 |
| Hourly rate | $36.24 | $39.77 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 141,289 | 154,569 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A systems analyst is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of technology systems and analyzing its efficiency for business operations and clients' needs. Systems analysts create specific modifications to operating systems and help design solutions and processes. Other tasks include managing the system's workflow, diagnosing and detecting malfunctions, performing troubleshooting, and assisting clients' with their concerns. A systems analyst must have excellent command with programming languages and the knowledge with the technology industry to understand systems' complexities and processes.
A senior systems analyst is responsible for analyzing IT systems and networks, modifying existing systems for better optimization, and designing efficient technology systems from clients' specifications and business needs. Senior systems analysts regularly inspect the performance of the system networks, ensuring its efficiency and accuracy to support daily operations. They perform troubleshooting, upgrade network infrastructures, and maintain the highest security of the database. A senior systems analyst must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry and a strong command of system languages to mitigate system complexities and improve network processes.
Systems analysts and senior systems analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Analyst | Senior Systems Analyst | |
| Average salary | $75,383 | $82,717 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $96,000 | Between $63,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Credit Karma |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a systems analyst and a senior systems analyst in terms of educational background:
| Systems Analyst | Senior Systems Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between systems analysts' and senior systems analysts' demographics:
| Systems Analyst | Senior Systems Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 72.2% Female, 27.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.4% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.5% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |