The following article discusses the career path of IT Analyst. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of IT Analysts.
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Job Duties
IT analysts are focused on improving the company’s operations through its IT infrastructure. They often consult with managers in order to make the company more effective overall. They look at the available IT services, including the hardware and software, and identify areas of improvement. They perform a range of analyses and research various pieces of data to identify solutions to problems and upcoming trends.
Once they have completed their research, IT analysts will discuss their findings with senior managers. If they find a problem, they should also come up with solutions to resolve them. Should these solutions be implemented, it is their responsibility to monitor the effectiveness of the solution and whether the problem has been resolved. They must have advanced SQL knowledge so that they can create and analyze databases and conduct analyses. They also have to have mathematical skills, as they often perform a cost benefit analysis as well.
Other duties of the IT analyst are:
- To develop plans for IT projects relating to testing and development
- To determine requirements and translate them into IT specifications
- To perform risk management of IT projects
- To determine the requirements of the business in terms of IT and suggest alternatives where required
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 600,500 computer systems analysts in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals are:
- Computer systems design and related services: 28%
- Finance and insurance: 13%
- Management of companies and enterprises: 9%
- Information: 8%
- Government: 6%
How to Become
It is common for IT analysts to hold a master’s degree in a field related to computer science or IT technology. Some businesses do accept bachelor’s degrees with significant IT experience. Usually, they work full time, sometimes for a specific company or through a consultancy agency.
Most of the time, these professionals have a technical degree. However, it is equally possible for someone to have a degree in liberal arts, and to have obtained their technical expertise in other ways. This can include a personal interest in computers.
Education Requirements
Usually, an IT analyst holds a bachelor’s degree with a major relating to computers and computer science. However, they also handle the business of their organization, which is why those with a major in Management Information Systems (MIS) are also very much in demand. It is now becoming more common for employers to look for those with a graduate degree, and the master in business administration (MBA) is quite popular.
They are also expected to keep their knowledge up to date, so that they are knowledgeable about the latest innovations in technology. These developments often occur rapidly, which means that on a practical level, IT analysts spend a lot of their time studying. They must also be able to understand their particular business field, which often means they have to undergo even further training. If they work for a bank, for instance, they will have to undergo finance training, whereas those who work for a hospital may need to understand Medicare and health insurance.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective IT analysts have the following traits to some degree or other:
– Strong analytical skills
– Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
– Very creative
Minimum Education
Bachelor’s, but master’s preferred Degree
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$19,000
$167,000
The following section lists IT Analyst salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, Vermont had the largest quoted salary of $111,695 while West Virginia had the smallest quoted salary of $28,838.
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a IT Analyst. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
| Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| National Recruitment Corp IT Analyst | Pennsylvania | $250,000 |
| International Consulting Firm IT Analyst | New York | $200,000 |
| Chicago Search Group IT Analyst | Illinois | $185,183 |
| Corporate Strategic Resourcing IT Analyst | Texas | $185,000 |
| RecruitiFi IT Analyst | Texas | $175,000 |
| Okaya Inc IT Analyst | Vermont | $160,000 |
| Robert Half Finance & Accounting IT Analyst | Pennsylvania | $158,082 |
| Headhunter Services LLC IT Analyst | North Carolina | $144,194 |
| State Street IT Analyst | Massachusetts | $139,208 |
| Data, Inc. IT Analyst | New Jersey | $130,335 |
| Perennial Resources International IT Analyst | New Jersey | $123,358 |
| fulltimeGiGS IT Analyst | Illinois | $121,635 |
| CPSI IT Analyst | Maryland | $120,000 |
| Palm Mason IT Analyst | New York | $119,042 |
| Business Performance Systems IT Analyst | DC | $118,208 |
| Directv Llc IT Analyst | California | $117,586 |
| Cybertech Recruiting and Staffing IT Analyst | Michigan | $116,875 |
Learn More
- Computer Systems Analysts – Bureau of Labor Statistics
- IT Analyst 1 | Payroll | State of CT Open Payroll
- IT Analyst | IllinoisJobLink.com
| Career Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Asset Manager | $76,367 |
| Investment Consultant | $76,236 |
| Investment Analyst | $76,199 |
| Technical Analyst | $76,186 |
| Real Estate Manager | $76,119 |
| Business Development Manager | $75,226 |
| Benefits Manager | $74,059 |
| Information Technology Specialist | $73,668 |
| Quality Assurance Manager | $73,451 |
| Systems Analyst | $72,715 |
