How to hire a systems analyst programmer

How to hire a systems analyst programmer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step systems analyst programmer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a systems analyst programmer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new systems analyst programmer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a systems analyst programmer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the systems analyst programmer you need to hire. Certain systems analyst programmer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A systems analyst programmer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, systems analyst programmers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of systems analyst programmers.

   Type of Systems Analyst Programmer	Description	Hourly rate
   Systems Analyst Programmer	Computer systems analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and procedures and design information systems solutions to help the organization operate more efficiently and effectively. They bring business and information technology (IT) together by understanding the needs and limitations of both.	$27-53
   Programmer Analyst	A programmer analyst is responsible for monitoring database performance and software applications, performing basic troubleshooting, and improving program operations as needed. Programmer analysts' duties also include making adjustments on the system based on client's specifications, creating reports for any updates and new system procedures, designing specific technology solutions to improve the business operations, and performing necessary code adjustments... Show more	$26-43
   Applications Programmer	An application programmer is responsible for creating and designing computer systems and applications according to client specifications and business requirements. Application programmers run quality checks on the draft outputs to ensure its stability and efficiency for high-level performance... Show more	$30-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • C++
   • C #
   • Java
   • Database Design
   • JavaScript
   • PL/SQL
   • Web Application
   • HTML
   • Unix
   • Software Development
   • Microsoft SQL Server
   • Mainframe
   • DB2
   • CSS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop applications to automate standard reporting process using SAS.
   • Configure and manage UNIX networking software to provide distribute processing and distribute data access.
   • Implement new code utilizing SQL, HP/IBM COBOL, JCL, and CICS for online systems applications.
   • Train and assist junior members in CICS, COBOL and JCL resulting in them becoming more productive team members faster.
   • Conduct test case/script, PRD, and functional specification reviews as QA lead.
   • Create and maintain maintenance script to perform changes and updates to remote Linux systems.

   More systems analyst programmer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your systems analyst programmer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A systems analyst programmer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, systems analyst programmers' average salary in north dakota is 43% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level systems analyst programmers earn 48% less than senior-level systems analyst programmers.
   • Certifications. A systems analyst programmer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a systems analyst programmer's salary.

   Average systems analyst programmer salary

   $81,135yearly

   $39.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level systems analyst programmer salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average systems analyst programmer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$103,533	$50
   2	Washington	$95,147	$46
   3	Massachusetts	$90,978	$44
   4	New York	$87,886	$42
   5	District of Columbia	$86,421	$42
   6	Nevada	$84,002	$40
   7	Maryland	$82,854	$40
   8	New Jersey	$81,199	$39
   9	Pennsylvania	$79,489	$38
   10	Virginia	$77,983	$37
   11	North Carolina	$77,519	$37
   12	Missouri	$76,647	$37
   13	Minnesota	$76,559	$37
   14	Texas	$75,267	$36
   15	Illinois	$74,616	$36
   16	Georgia	$73,449	$35
   17	Oklahoma	$73,427	$35
   18	South Carolina	$71,431	$34
   19	Florida	$71,212	$34
   20	Tennessee	$71,189	$34

   Average systems analyst programmer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Wachovia Securities	$114,010	$54.81
   2	Amazon	$103,310	$49.67	332
   3	CenterPoint Energy	$101,752	$48.92
   4	Aramco Services Company	$101,253	$48.68
   5	Baker Hughes	$100,292	$48.22	3
   6	Adea Solutions	$95,597	$45.96
   7	Amgen	$95,298	$45.82	19
   8	IDT	$94,069	$45.23	3
   9	Union National Mortgage	$92,496	$44.47
   10	Boston Partners	$92,064	$44.26
   11	MATRIX Resources	$91,924	$44.19
   12	VIVA USA	$89,910	$43.23
   13	Genuent	$89,788	$43.17
   14	VisionIT	$89,708	$43.13
   15	Publix	$89,418	$42.99	6
   16	Fred Hutch	$88,947	$42.76	4
   17	Instrumentation Laboratory	$88,777	$42.68
   18	Aditi Consulting	$88,232	$42.42
   19	Technosoft	$88,185	$42.40
   20	Kinetic Concepts	$88,160	$42.38

4. Writing a systems analyst programmer job description

   A systems analyst programmer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a systems analyst programmer job description:

   Systems analyst programmer job description example

   HTG is currently looking for a System Programmer Analyst, for a long term role within a company offering growth and development.
   
   Responsible for ensuring all systems programming decisions maintain the integrity of the overall systems infrastructure. Write or debug programs to maintain and control computer systems software, such as operating systems, networked systems, and database systems. Provide technical and disaster recovery expertise for systems software.
   
   Diagnose, isolate, and debug software problems and perform problem resolution. Identify issues that the vendor is responsible for and refer those issues appropriately.
   
   Review and design system software and hardware builds analyzing system options and the impact on the overall systems infrastructure. Develop and document the framework for integration and implementation for changes to technical standards.
   
   Coordinate installation, testing, and maintenance of systems software. Schedule system downtime in a way that minimizes user impact.
   
   Review customer requests, security patches, and audit requirements for additions or changes to systems, and evaluate feasibility to determine if/how to handle the request while maintaining an adequate/appropriate overall systems infrastructure. To determine if requested changes are possible, review system capabilities, workflow, and scheduling limitations.
   
   Provide technical guidance to project team areas as appropriate. May evaluate vendor-supplied software packages and make recommendations to IT management. In coordination with Project Leads and senior level staff, provide input on proposals that could potentially impact systems.
   
   Assist in the establishment and implementation of standards and guidelines that guide the design of technology solutions across the enterprise.
   Provide technical and disaster recovery support for systems software. Skills: Strong analytical and logical thinking skills. Thorough understanding of operating systems and foundation architecture. Extensive knowledge of systems programming, graphical user interfaces, control languages, development, quality assurance, and integration methodologies. Advanced knowledge of currently utilized programming productivity tools and their use. Advanced knowledge/skills in analyzing system software and making recommendations for performance enhancements. Education: Bachelor's degree Computer Science, Information Systems, or other job related field or 4 years of job related work experience or 2 years of job related experience plus an associate's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or other job related degree. Required Work Experience: 8 Years IT experience including extensive systems programming experience.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find systems analyst programmers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any systems analyst programmers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level systems analyst programmers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your systems analyst programmer job on Zippia to find and attract quality systems analyst programmer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting systems analyst programmers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a systems analyst programmer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new systems analyst programmer

   Once you've selected the best systems analyst programmer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new systems analyst programmer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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