The Average Salary of Programmer Analyst

Programmer analysts are proficient at both computer systems analysis and computer programming. This dual proficiency is becoming increasingly more common as companies recruit individuals who can both design and program mission-critical software. Programmer analysts require conceptual skills to analyze the work environment and design the corresponding software. They also require technical skills in order to program and update the software running on computers.

Earnings

The Bureau of Labor Statistics divides computer systems analysts and computer programmers into two separate job classifications. Computer systems analysts earn a mean annual wage of $80,430, according to May 2009 data. The middle 50 percent earn between $60,070 and $97,200. The lowest 10 percent earn $47,130, while the highest 10 percent earn $119,170. Earnings of computer programmers are very similar, with a mean annual wage of $74,690. The middle 50 percent earn between $53,620 and $91,000. The lowest 10 percent earn $40,640, while the highest 10 percent earn $113,380.

Another Perspective

Another perspective on the income potential of programmer analysts can be gained through PayScale January 2011 data. That data shows that the middle 50 percent earned between $49,126 and $70,479 annually. This is based on 3,222 individuals reporting with data classified specifically as programmer analyst.

Industry and Employment

The greatest number of computer programmers and computer systems analysts are employed by the Computer Systems Design and Related Services Industry, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2009 data. This industry employees 129,780 computer programmers at an annual mean wage of $76,110 and 136,240 computer systems analysts at an annual mean wage of $85,460. The highest paying industry for computer programmers is Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing, with an annual mean wage of $106,170. The highest paying industry for computer systems analysts is Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers, with an annual mean wage of $97,940.

Outlook

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment growth is expected to be much greater than average, about 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, for computer systems analysts. This demand is being driven by the adoption of increasingly sophisticated technologies by organizations across all industries. However, demand for computer programmers is anticipated to slowly decrease by 3 percent from 2008 to 2018. The reasons are numerous: advancements in programming languages and tools, offshore outsourcing, and the increasing ability to write programs by the end user. On the bright side, programmer analysts should continue to experience demand for employment as they are proficient in a multitude of areas.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics; Computer Systems Analyst
• Bureau of Labor Statistics; Computer Systems Analyst Occupation Employment and Wages 2009
• Bureau of Labor Statistics; Computer Software Engineers and Computer Programmers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics; Computer Programmers Occupation Employment and Wages 2009
• PayScale; Programmer Analyst Salary, Average Programmer Analyst Salaries